With Brexit deals and no deals playing a dicey game, many Goans who have just arrived in
UK are staring at an uncertain future. Even Britishcitizens don’t know exacting
what will be their future in the country. Marius Fernandes, a British Citizen
has been living in Goa and wassurprised to see the changes when he returned
back to UK. “It’s been chaos since the Brexit results over two years ago. It’s
been such a mess that a PM Theresa May had to resign. The future looks
uncertain with border controls which will effect all European citizens in the
coming years. We don’t know who will be let in and who will be left out. We
don’t know what the future is for us even as British citizens. Before Boris
Johnson was in the game, it was different. The consentious is that prices are
set to rise travel will be more expensive and job cuts with effect on labour rights.You
couldn’t ask for a worst scenario for Britain,” he says.
Vilfredo Pereira De Andrade, a lawyer has been working closely
with Goans who has just arrived in UK and has been speaking to them. At this
point in time, we are just quitely waiting for the next Prime Minister to take
over and see what happens from then. Things are stilluncertain and we are a bit
anxious. Hopefully it should be a positive for people of the EU,” says
Vilfredo.
Speaking about the panic due to misunderstanding regarding Brexit
among the Goan public, “There is a lot of panic at the moment as the road map
is not clear as yet. But eventually as a draft is made and things get clear
then people will get to know a lot better. So at the moment we just have our
fingers crossed,” explains Vilfredo.
Who are the people who should be worried about Brexit? “The
people who are wanting to get into Europe through the Portuguese passport. If
Brexit is made after the EU and Britain agree to the terms and condition, there
might be a grace period of two years after Brexit date is effective. As this
was a clause in the draft that Threza May was negotiating with the EU council.
May be after that things might change for Goans and other European. The so said
grace period might be conditional as well. People who are already in Europe
should be fine at the moment. Till any further legislation has been passed. As
of now UK is still a part of EU and all European has still their right to live
and work or study peacefully,” he explains.
“One should always remember that Goans live here as they can
converse in English and because the value of the pound is higher as compared in
Europe and once converted it has higher value back home. Majority people work
hard here to send the money back home to their families as family assistance,”
he adds.
On conditions of anonymity, a literary personality from UK
informs that even though they are following politics closely, they are still in
the dark about what might actually happen post Brexit. “At the moment, everyone
is waiting to see what is going to happening. According to what Theresa May had
agreed to with the EU, it would not affect Goans living in UK much. But now no
one knows. There is a lot of misinformation amongst the new arrivals. They
don’t know their full rights so they are afraid all the time and not being able
to speak English is a great impediment.”
They further add, “People going in for Portuguese classes
doesn’t seem possible to me. That sort of thing would cost a lot in the UK. But
then, those who have recently arrived may well have to settle in Portugal. They
may not be able to meet the threshold to stay here. Many have already received
settlement status. Those that arrived earlier are all well settled and have
nothing to worry here. Even those that will have arrived within the last year
will be able to meet the threshold. Other Goans are guiding other Goans but it
is the blind leading the blind. The Portuguese Embassy has now started to help
them including offering lawyering services so that as many as possible stay
here instead of ending up in Lisbon. There is a fund for this created by the EU
to help them. This program is not just Goans but all their EU citizens in the
UK.”
What is the reason for Brexit, might need an elaborate answer
with various factors playing an important role but the main reason is to
stopimmigration from Europe, coming into the UK. “It was somewhere like half a
million per year and it was completely changing many areas affecting the poorer
parts of Britain and so those people overwhelmingly voted to leave. The door is
still open for Goans and we don’t know when it will shut. There is some slight
possibility that UK may not leave EU in the end or have a customs union deal
which will allow them to come in. With Boris Johnson who is determined to
leave, it looks more certain that there will be a departure by October 31. It’s
been three years so people are very frustrated. I think a resolution will be
found by October, when the deadline expires.”
Jessica Fernandes from Panjim has been working in UK on a
Portuguese passport for six years, “As of now, we aren’t even sure it’s going
tohappen. If it does, it doesn’t affect me as I’ve got the settlement status.
Those coming to the UK after Brexit, might be affected as the status will
change. It affects all of European passport holders however not the ones with
settled status. One has to be living in the country for five years to be
eligible for the settlement status to stay in the country. There are many Goans
living here but some are yet to complete five years. There was a statement that
those who are already in the UK shouldn’t be worried but you never know. It’s
uncertain as they keep postponing Brexit,” says Jessica.
Luis Fernandes from Mapusa, travelled as a student to UK almost
a decade back and continued living and working in UK earning British
citizenship. “Nobody knows about post Brexit. There are no fears as EU citizen
who were staying before Brexit are guaranteed rights to stay.
The changes that are expected are that all prices are going up,
from groceries to Europe
holidays and one has to think twice before going to Goa,” says
Luis.
Well
if post Brexit troubles are limited to just that, it might even be a good deal.
But knows?
