The recent deportations of Welsh Patagonians isn't the first time the descendants of Welsh colonists from Argentina have been denied a visit to the Old Country, and it probably won't be the last.
This isn't a serious matter for UK authorities, who are ignorant of the cultural ties between Wales and Chubut, but it is an important enough one for Wales and needs to be addressed. These Welsh Patagonians have been invited here, they come for cultural reasons (eg to visit their ancestral home, study and practice Welsh, and frequent Eisteddfodau), the cost of a flight is far from cheap for Argentinians, and they aren't coming here as immigrants but as tourists.
Needless to say, Welsh Americans, Canadians and Australians don't have to go through the same rigmarole.
Given that the Welsh Government supports the plight of these Patagonians, perhaps it's time for an official solution to be formulated. Perhaps something like a Welsh Visa or WAG 'guest list', whereby visiting Patagonians who have sponsors from recognised Welsh Patagonian societies on both sides of the Atlantic are given an official 'approval' from WAG, which would then be passed on to the relevant UK authorities.
If there was a high number of visiting Welsh Patagonians, this would be impractical. But that isn't the case.
Why General Dannatt is not all the press thinks he is: A guest post by
Julian Kavanagh
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The Wardman Wire welcomes Julian Kavanagh, who has written a guest post for
the Wire today. Julian Kavanagh works in the City but has spent time as a
resea...
