Government-funded migrant repatriation policy attacked

A government-funded scheme to help Eastern Europeans living on the streets of Boston return to their homelands has been slammed as a 'cynical gimmick' by a campaigner for migrants rights.

A charity called Crime Reduction Initiatives, with support of Boston Borough Council, is running a programme aimed at people from the likes of Poland, Latvia and Lithuania who are sleeping rough. So far the project has seen six foreign nationals given one-way tickets home. With more expected to take up the offer, the project has been hailed a success by its organisers.

But former migrant workers chaplain the Rev David de Verny has claimed the initiative is just an excuse for the authorities to avoid tackling the problem of homelessness. "This whole ticket home business is a cynical gimmick because it is far cheaper to send people away than to provide proper provision for the homeless. It is a scandal that a large county like Lincolnshire with over 660,000 inhabitants only has two night shelters for the homeless and one day centre here in Boston."

Council head of the regulatory services Simon Sandland-Taylor said that the project is recognised by central Government as best practise. "A lot of people want to go home and until we put this scheme in place they were not able to do so. Return home is just one option they have. The choice is theirs. One man came to us last week to return home but is now staying because his prospects have improved as he has got a job. Another had a medical problem and we found accommodation for him. It's not just about getting them home."

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