13-year-old Bristol girl has been stranded in Jamaica

[ECO]

A 13-year-old Bristol girl has been stranded in Jamaica for 10 months after leaving the UK without a passport to attend a family funeral.

City Academy pupil Sarah-Jayne Maye – known as SJ to her friends – flew out to Kingston in November last year with her aunt Doretta Maye, cousin Tamika and other family members for the funeral of her great-grandmother.

He family claim there was not enough time to apply for a passport for Sarah-Jayne, who lives in Hassell Drive, Newtown, so her aunt was given an official travel document from the Jamaican High Commission in London.

There was no problem with the document on leaving the UK and the family attended the funeral of its matriarch Sister Anderson, who had died aged 94.

But on returning to Norman Manley International Airport, Sarah- Jayne was stopped at passport control, where officials would not accept the travel document.

Full Story @ http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/homepage ... ticle.html

Why is she complaining about a 10+ month vacation in Jamaica? On a serious note, the article is a good read.

[Rose21]

Why is she complaining about a 10+ month vacation in Jamaica? On a serious note, the article is a good read.[/

I would think she misses her family and friends.
This is a lesson learn. Don't leave for another country without your passport and other documents, no matter what.

[ECO]

Rose, thank God main stream media did not pick up on the story and run with it..........."13 year with papers held hostage by the Jamaican Government".

[Rose21]

Rose, thank God main stream media did not pick up on the story and run with it..........."13 year with papers held hostage by the Jamaican Government".

That is so true since Jamaica is the poster boy for everything bad!

[Jelakins]

That was a really intersting article that raised millions of questions.....

In the end I read the comments from other readers and as one said:

I presume to get documents that were acceptable for Jamaica's passport control on the way in a declaration would have had to be made that the child was Jamaican.

The family went to the JHC for papers to allow her to travel - not the Passport office (which by the way is actually only about 10 mins away by bus and can be issued same day!!!).... it would have taken the same length of time to get a passport....Only difference perhaps is that the papers may have been 'free' which is why it would seem they 'lied' to get her through....

I'll be interested to see how this pans out....

[Rose21]

]

The family went to the JHC for papers to allow her to travel - not the Passport office (which by the way is actually only about 10 mins away by bus and can be issued same day!!!).... it would have taken the same length of time to get a passport....Only difference perhaps is that the papers may have been 'free' which is why it would seem they 'lied' to get her through....

If the family knew this child is not British Citizen, why did they take the risk and take her out of the country? I was foolish in the first place.

[Jelakins]

See... there is always a hell of alot more to a story than you initially see... thats why its important to be able to ask questions.

But seriously - how come this whole thing has taken 10 MONTHS !!!???