Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
20 January 2011
07:4689627Well lets face it, this most definitely is not the time of year for sleeping rough out under the stars. Saw this guy a few short weeks ago making full use of our seafront shelter. This shelter has been a hub of unsocial activity for many moons although I must admit the police seem to be keeping a much sharper eye on it in recent times. White Lightning guzzlers get moved on...ermm sometimes anyway.
Although it was bitterly cold at least this guy seems to have come fully equipped, note the good quality sleeping bag and the full rucksack. Could just be a traveller who could find no room at the inn.
If you notice left you can just make out a crime scene tape as used by the Police, cordoning off some of the shelter. Hadnt noticed that before til now.
There used to be a lot of waifs and strays living rough in Dover. The problem seems to have lessened.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
20 January 2011
09:1989636A hiker caught late with no-where to sleep very likely, does not look like a down and out.
I remember as a teenager with a backpack, arriving in Zeebrugge in the early hours rather worse for wear as a mate on the crew got us rather pie-eyed on cheap booze, I just went into a field, got in my sleeping bag and rolled myself in a plastic sheet for the rest of the night!!! It was one hell of a hangover the next day.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
20 January 2011
10:2689645no problem as long as he takes his rubbish away with him and dos not use the shelter as a toilet.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
20 January 2011
10:4789651Ah yes this guy looks respectable and fully equipped, but many dont and just sleep rough and do their toiletry business in situ...
After oceans of white lightning they cant be bothered to get out of the shelter and walk 50 yards to the loo. And I have seen guys amble pie eyed to the sea railing and piddle over that into the sea in broad daylight with ladies of genteel nature strolling by. oh dear! and of course Gawd help the mackerel ..I mean to have that lot coming in on top of you, who'd be a fish!?.
BarryW yes did that in Boulogne years ago too...got caught out without a hotel. Slept on the beach first but couldnt get the hang of it, then tried the station. Ah but it was long ago and I was a mere young thing !lol
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
20 January 2011
18:3089680He was lucky to find his rucksack still on the bench in the morning.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
20 January 2011
18:3489682The Dover Express today reports that the man inhabiting the shelter was found to be a young citizen of Sierra Leone who had not been granted asylum in Britain.
The Police arranged proper accomodation for him and contacted the embassy of Sierra Leone, and helped the man to return to home to Freetown.
Judging by this report, to me it would seem that the authorities who did not grant asylum did not arrange for the man to return home, but our Police and sheltering personel in Dover proved to be humane and afforded all the necessary aid to assist the man till such time that he could repatriate.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
20 January 2011
19:4989694quite right alex, i hope they presented him with an up to date world atlas so that he realises we were not the first safe country from sierra leone.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
20 January 2011
20:3989700The most likely places people from Africa would enter Europe are Spain and Italy. Many of these (I don't know about Spain but it certainly is the case of Italy), although they entered illegally, are allowed to stay and allowed to find work, or are given shelter and a sum of money calculated on a daily basis.
Because they are free to go where they want within the national territory, if they then go a bit further and cross the borders and arrive in Britain, and then ask for asylum, they probably would argue that they did not receive asylum in the first port of call. But if that country, let's say Italy. granted them a temporary or indefinite stay, then in theory they were not allowed to leave that country, as they were being looked after there and provided with money or shelter.
Asylum seekers who do not state the facts on how they got to Europe and how they were received by the authorities of the country on whose shores they landed, and who are then granted asylum, are not respecting the laws on asylum.
It would be useful if the Spannish and Italian authorities made a detailed list of all the people to whom they grant temporary or indefinite stay, because they are obliged to look after them for the period granted. These details should be passed on to all border forces and agencies of other countries in Europe and to Britain.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
20 January 2011
20:4889701alex
it is up to the seeker to apply not the host country to offer asylum.
i am sure that the spanish and italians do keep detailed records, why would they try to stop anyone leaving their country and claiming asylum somewhere else though?
i wonder how much it cost the taxpayer to fund the legalities, housing and stuff of this fraudster?
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
21 January 2011
00:0189729That is the whole point. According to what one reads, asylum, if asked for, must be requested in the first safe country of arrival.
IF this is the case, but I am not sure if it is, then one would ask why so many asylum seekers can actually get away with asking for asylum in the first place and joining an expensive waiting queue that could take months or years, and that obliges the asylum seeker NOT to work in that period!
In other words, if it is evident that a person seeking asylum has just come from a safe country, then in theory, if the law is as I believe to have interpreted it (above), the border agency should not even start the asylum-seeking process, and so-by save our Country a lot of money, but should rather enable the asylum seeker to return home to mummy and help out on dad's farm!
If, however, they are victims of some form of persecution that might be cause for asylum, then they should seek asylum in the first safe country!
I read the other day in the Daily Express that in Britain some 60,000 asylum seekers have disappeared in Britain, and that UKBA hasn't a clue where they are!
I would add that Jordan has taken on hundreds of thousands of refugees fron Iraq, about half of them Iraqi Christians, and Jordan is the first safe country. May-be western countries could do more to help Jordan financially cope with thesde refugees, who do seem to be victims of some form or another of terror, even though this terror is not imposed by the Iraqi government, but by extremist or terror groups.
I don't want to leave the topic of the thread here, but when I see the picture of Blair's face at the inquest on the Iraq war ... never mind!
I don't know if he is even bothered with the tragedy of so many people fleeing Iraq during the last six years.
But this last line is important, because we should be aware that there are many people who rightfully seek asylum in another country, such as Jordan, as is the case of those fleeing Iraq. And that many others are not victims of persecution but want to find work and earn some money, possibly a ninimum wage that is ten times higher than in their own country.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
21 January 2011
04:0389734Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
21 January 2011
08:1989743Good post there Alex. There is of course a huge difference between economic migrants and asylum seekers as we know. Most of the people coming here are not asylum seekers or refugees but simply economic migrants. Even if some are asylum seekers there are so many troubled spots around the world... especially in Africa, could we really take all those asylum seekers anyway. There's just too many.
But also any country next to a troubled continent, lets say Italy in relation to Africa... they couldnt realistically be expected to take all of them either even though it is the first safe country.
Yes indeed Vic you're up late and Im up early.
Nice of the Army to give you a lift back and give you seven days bed and board. At least they didnt shoot you for going AWOL which might have been the case one time.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
21 January 2011
09:2489747Can someone buy Vic some Holicks .He seems to be up all hours according to his postings .
I think Vic like Mrs Thatcher is someone who needs very little sleep.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
21 January 2011
09:2789748Thanks Paul but I was only 18 at the time,and I was waiting to go overseas and could not get any time off to see my girl,so I took it off.
21 January 2011
09:4189752Oh i wondered where hew had gone! I have been dealing with this young man along with porchlight he had been sleeping rough behind burlington house , he has been here since oct time , i had tried to get him shelter during the cold snap but he didnt want help sadly this case out of my hands now.
