– wants to reunite with her eight children
Fifty-one-year-old Gale Daniels is as the saying says, ‘trying to keep her head above water’ with her only silver lining being the hope of being reunited with her eight children.
Gale Daniels
But this seems a faraway dream for her as the over $200,000 she needs to make it a reality is far beyond her reach and she sees no means of acquiring that sum in the near future. The sayings ‘when it rains it pours’ and ‘old house pun old house’ aptly describe Daniels’ situation and she says that were it not for the prospect of seeing her offspring she may have thrown in the towel ages ago.
Her troubles may have started many years ago but they deepened just about four years ago when she was involuntary returned to the country she had left at age 16. She was forced to literally abandon her eight children. Some of them were adults at the time, but the youngest was just five years old.
The lives of some of her children could be described as troubled before her deportation; two were incarcerated. However, since she left, one became a mother at age 16 and two attempted to take their lives by drinking pills.
Daniels, who had never visited Guyana in the more than 30 years she lived in the US, has been fighting since her deportation to return to the country she deems her home. She is very close to realising that; she now has her second appointment at the US Embassy here in Georgetown, but needs her visa processing fees and a waiver fee both of which amount to just about $218,000.
Ninion Gibbs
Daniels was deported after she was prosecuted for stealing from her employer. This was compounded by an earlier conviction after she cheated social services by putting state funds given to her to pay for baby sitting services to her own use. She said she was not incarcerated on either of the charges as in both instances she repaid the money.
The sum of money she stole from her employer was just over US$400 and it was out of desperation to secure a lawyer for her son who was incarcerated. In the end though she paid the money, the lawyer never visited her son.
“It was hard for me. It is not something I would do but money was already coming out of my salary to repay the state for the baby sitter story. My rent and bills were piling up and my son was behind me asking to get a lawyer for him and I just did it over three days; took the money,” she told Stabroek News recently in an interview.
Even though she was not incarcerated Daniels got the shock of her life – like so many other Guyanese – when she was told of her impending deportation. She attempted to beat the system by having one of her sons file for her. The process had begun, she said, and she was granted the right to remain in the US but there was some mix-up and before she knew what was happening she was on a plane bound for Guyana.
Donna Snaag
‘Mistake’
Daniels, like many others, had never applied for US citizenship, which would have saved her from being deported to Guyana.
According to founding member of Juncata Juvant (Latin for ‘things joined together are helpful’) Friendly Society, Donna Snaag – also an involuntary returnee – it is a mistake made by many persons who only learn the importance of ensuring they are citizens of US when it is too late.
While the organisation has been primarily set up to assist those persons who are returned to Guyana – mainly helping them to be reintegrated into a society they know nothing of – there is just so much it can do and no more. Although Daniels’ story is a heart-wrenching one, Snaag said, what she needs most is what the organisation cannot offer — the financial assistance to secure her return to the US.
Daniels’ story may be one that is unique as while many who have returned to Guyana long to return to the land they see as their home it is just not possible. Many unfortunately do not get the kind of support they need and may end up living on the streets.
Snaag says her organisation assists as much as it can. The organisation has been of tremendous support to many, assisting them with finding employment – one of the biggest setbacks when persons are deported — and importantly ensuring that they receive the necessary documentation such as passports and birth certificates.
Snaag said it is never easy to find employment for deportees but the organisation has a volunteer who works feverishly to do so. While there has never been any complaint from employers, some employees feel they are being exploited because of their status.
Funding for the organisation has dried up, but Snaag said it is currently in negotiation with an international organisation which should see it receiving some assistance.
Many persons now walk into the organisation, now located on South Road between King and Wellington Street, for assistance.
Stigma and discrimination remain the biggest problems involuntary re-migrants experience and Snaag likened this to what persons infected with HIV experienced in earlier years.
“We need to do more public awareness to help people to understand that these are just ordinary persons. Some of these persons are just immigration violators… and non-violent persons and that they have skills that could benefit the society,” Snaag said. She said public awareness is one of the organisation’s aims once it secures funding.
Juncata Juvant’s co-founder said it badly needs assistance to get some form of facility that would offer temporary accommodation to those persons who have nowhere to live so as to avoid them having to turn to the streets. As it is right now, the organisation has secured accommodation for a few persons at the Salvation Army.
Not all sob stories
But it is not always sob stories for some involuntary returnees; some have family support and are not left on their own and their relatives in the US assist them financially initially.
But regardless of the situation it is never an easy time as Ninion Gibbs and Sharon* (who is not confident that should she make her status known that she wouldn’t lose her two jobs) recently told Stabroek News. Both are well educated. Sharon said she has degrees in communication, psychology, and business and was working for US$97,000 a year doing litigation for an insurance company.
Gibbs, who was incarcerated for robbery under arms before he was returned to Guyana, said he was set to start computer studies when he committed the last of many offences he had under his belt in his 18 years in the US. He told this newspaper that he had received some support from his relatives when he returned to Guyana on Mashramani Day in 1998. He had left the country as a child and had never returned during those years and as such knew nothing of Guyana when he touched down at the airport. He has worked at two major insurance companies over the years and has done well but his attempts to open his own business – an employment agency – have all failed for the lack of financing. He found out the hard way on three occasions that banks were not willing to lend a deportee money no matter how good the business plan may be.
“When I was being returned I had no plan because I did not know what I was coming to but I knew I was going to be free and that is all that mattered at the time,” Gibbs said.
Describing himself as someone who was misguided, Gibbs said while in the US he focused on fast money. But he has learnt his lesson and now he only wants to be given the opportunity to really be a productive citizen of the country of his birth not only for himself but for his young daughter. He is not one to blame others for his past mistakes, after all, according to him, he was a leader rather than a follower. But he says everyone makes mistakes and he like others in his position should be given a second chance.
‘Never thought’
Sharon said she would never have believed that her attempt to finally get away from a husband who was no good for her would have seen her sent away from the only place she called home.
She had left her husband, but he was stalking her and had her moving from state to state. Sharon wanted a divorce, but he was not willing to grant it. The judge in their case felt that since they had three children they should give it another try and go into counselling. Sharon said she was not willing to give it another go; she just had to get rid her husband for good and she “stupidly” forged his signature to get her divorce.
“I never thought that I would be deported if I got caught but it was a crime and they started immigration proceedings against me. I had to be incarcerated while my case was being proceeded with and I couldn’t live with that so I chose to be deported,” she said.
She speaks to her children often and has seen them a few times in other countries but they have never visited Guyana.
She had no family in Guyana, but her mother had friends who looked out for her when she returned to Guyana 27 years after she would have left the country at the tender age of three. For her it has not been as bad, but she still wants to be paid for her qualifications and treated with some more respect.
“A lot of people need assistance but they need to get into the frame of mind that they are here to stay and need to understand Guyanese society so they can really function,” Sharon said.
It took a while – during which she was robbed a few times — before she really felt secure in Guyana and with her recent marriage to a Guyanese life has certain gotten better for Sharon.
She feels if she makes the attempt she would be granted the right to return to the US; and it is something she may have to do to be reunited with her children but for now this is her home and her husband of two years definitely makes life easier.
Both Sharon and Gibbs have felt their share of discrimination and it is one of the main reasons they joined Juncata Juvant in an attempt to make lives easier for others. Their advice to parents who take their children to the US is to teach them about Guyana and ensure that their children are kept connected.
They also asked that Guyanese at home be a little more tolerant of those who are deported as anyone can be returned some for minor infractions.
“Some people get deported for living illegally in a country just trying to make life easier for them, should they not be given another chance?” Sharon asked.
But for Daniels she does not want to be integrated into society she only wishes for some assistance in securing the funds she needs for her visa. Persons who are willing to assist Daniels can contact her at 221-2014 or 662-3256. Juncta Juvant can be contacted at 225-8303 and 225-8309 and its website address is juncatajuvant.org.gy.
There are alot more worthy causes that we can donate for.
Until people realize that they are representatives of their families, their villages, their cities and their countries, deportations and involuntary returns will continue without pause. Gale Daniels, in particular left Guyana at age 16 and lived in the U.S.A., a land of opportunity, and her only achievement is 8 children, many of whom seem to be delinquent. She herself became involved with illegality and was eventually deported. I am sorry but she had her chances and blew them. Guyana needs ambassadors and not lawbreakers.
Wow Hope!
How could you say that?
This woman should not have been deported.
As far as I know it is three stripes and not two that would
give rise to a deportation.
Send her some money now.
ok DECANEDIAN, this woman should have not been deported.
Now is that woman a child, didn’t she knew that she was supposed to ask for her citizen ship all those years she was over there?
Plus she was one of the ones to show example for the rest left in our hard guyana.
She brok the law and got sent “home”.
ok wrongfully but in all the years she spend over there didn’t she had the time to save a thousand us1000??????????
SHE SHOULD LEAVE HER CHANCE TO ANOTHER WHO REALY WANTS TO MAKE LIFE AND HELP HIS FAMILY IN GUYANA.
It’s an unfortunate thing that you missed that Gail Daniels is a mother fighting for her life and the lives of the the next two generations in her family, one’s that she has not met. The worthy cause is life that you missed, something that is priceless, no money in the world can buy. I believe this is a worthy, and that there is a HOPE for this family. Guyanese need to support our fellow Guyanese.
Agree with your comments BORAPORK – especially the last sentence.
Just last weekend I met back one of my cousins who runs a small business. She told me her employees are non Guyanese because she got back negative feed back (stealing)when she had Guyanese as her employees from companies that her company does work for.
I once gave an advice to my wife’s niece and nephew (who is now in the spirit world = car crashed himself)when they just came across (in their late teens)and were staying at us – that they be educated regardless how much it would cost them. Reasons I gave them were two – that this is the place (USA)they cried to come to and have no one to go back to Guyana to as I do.
decanadianCarlVeecock, you got it wrong. There’s no such thing as three stripes when it comes to the American justice system. It is three strikes, pay attention. In this woman’s situation this rule does not apply because she has no leg to stand on. I’m sorry, but I don’t know why people are sorry for this individual. After 20 odd years in the US, you gonna tell me no one mentioned to this person to go and get naturalize? And the Mr. Gibbs, all he was concerned with was to rob people. I got no sympathy for these people. This guy had the best opportunity one can have, went to the US as a little child. You know how many people would wish that they had that opportunity? The only person I feel for here is Sharon, what an unfortunate situation. I cannot stress more, people, if you are in the US legally or are planning to migrate to the US, after you have spent 4 years and 9 months, apply, apply, apply for your citizenship, that way you will avoid all this heartache.
hope i agree , she missed the boat, beat the system twice has 8 worthless kids, and now is begging for mercy. to come back to the us. the way i look at it 1 less person to pay social security out to . now she wants a stimulus package.
I listen to all of you say send money for this Helpless God’s creature who is a failure in many respects to her children, society, and more over, make it rough by examples set by her,for those who want to or intend to migrate to this wonderful and great country that we all adopted , enjoy & embrace, and work so hard to make a better life for our families, both her and Canada.
Since you fellow bloggers feel sorry for her, Why are you asking people to help her When I know that you are very generous.Dont ask be a man or woman and give to her needs, so that she can come here again and be a burden of the State.
Many people in Guyana would be glad for one tenth of the opportunity she “AND HER FAMILY” had.
Mother thief, 2 children Jailed, One got a child for the State to take care of. YOU GIVE HER. You help her when she gets here. You give her a home . Stop talking AIR …
I dont help loosers, and I have a great tract record of “Generosity” as I’m well off in paradise; and I dont have one relative who ever was arrested or jailed.Many professional,Well of by the Grace of God, through hard working,and a lot of them very generous to the poor and needy
of Guyana.Pack you Barrels “Dont worry about this Loser”
Carl V. You know me & I know Yu !!!!!!!! You help her , as I see yu also sorry for her.In a heart beat I am “GOING” to send more that a thousand dollar to a poor house; but I dont have a nickle for her.I dont have time to waist on people like these.
Stan Good.
Have a good Day.
I feel for this woman, but sometimes things happens beyond our control, guyanese should be more understanding and considerate to fellow guyanese who gets deported.
This is a non story if ever I saw one. Deserving Guyanese have more serious concerns that need highlighting.
This woman squandered her opportunities and it would appear, so did her children. Now she wants another chance and expects the help of benevolence strangers?
NO WAY, I say.
Wow Bismattie !,you are really cold.Everyone makes mistakes in this life.No one is perfect.Everyone should be given a second chance.After all the earth is a place to learn and grow.I say give her a second chance!
Bismattie , I am with you on this one , these people made p their beds , so they must lie in them . It is not a case of being set-up or victimised .
An illegal guyanese immigrant Dorwin Lyght pleaded guilty to breaking and entering and stealing $100.00 . Rather than Lyght leaving the house after he encountered the owner , he attacked the owner with a knife . Well the house owner put some licks in him , the injuries took 27 stitches . He is now awaiting sentencing , he also committed a similar offence 8 years ago . (See Saturday Sun , page 7) .
There are honest people in Guyana who needs help and I hope that the SN would also hightlight their plight , too .
Disproves GHK’s assertion that Guyanese want to return or should return…LOL…..ISNM
I always say it to many, many Guyanese…..Guyanese need to put a program together to educate Guyanese before they come to North America and England. Bismattie, I understand your reasoning, nobody should be upset with you.
In America Guyanese must understand that everything you have to pay for in America, and when you come landed or otherwise cherish it.
A husband, a wife, a brother, a sister, a mother, a father, a aunt, or some other family member can only do so much, and when they do be thankful because nobody knows what these people going through, and it goes to you in Guyana receiving remittance from over here too.
Everyone came in diferent times, some came when money was giving away, you could get a job, and go to school. Now America has change totaly, its a different place. The only key to success in America now is education.
People were told go and get their citizenship, go please! Some refuse when it was $90.00 now I think its about four times or more.
Guyanese need to understand America has change. What can my sister do here in America even when she return? Let us be real. Its not a joke with the ammount of educated people layed off.
First she is Black, then she is an immigrant, then the baggage my sister is carry with her. Sister, I understand your son but sometime you have to show tuff love.
My teacher back in the days told me, “What you do today be it work or play, you will live to experience and enjoy it”. This saying live with me until now.
I hope, I will be able to help, and I hope some here in the US learn from her story because Donna you aint see nothing yet their are many, many more to return to Guyana. What you need to do is write the US State Department for help through the American Embassy.
I have to visit your organization when I come home. I can do some good things with you. Keep up the Good work.
Isay you are correct she had sticky fingers her son had the same disease and now want sympathy and donation.Why does’nt the son help and further more she sees her kids in other countries.How is she getting there BE FOR REAL.
No Sir she is not cold,SHE IS RIGHT, this woman spend 30 Years in the USA, and she begging for help now, what happen to all the years she worked, or Thief here, didn’t save anything. I hope no one helps her, its just a disgrace to Guyanese, she should have given that chance to a hard working person just for 1 year and see what they could have saved in return.
Sorry give someone else a chance to be productive. First all these people need to get comfortable in Guyana because America is more rough than when they left, and if they couldn’t stay clean then a second chance would be a disaster. Guyana is rough but that’s how they made their beds-sleep
on it. Sorry.
It’s very few and far in between that I ever read this news papers and feel the desire to comment positively on a topic in the comments. But this is certainly something that resonates with my deepest feels of sadness for those who feel helpless in the land of their birth.
We as a people, particularly Guyanese, know what it is to struggle since very few of us have not had any in our lives in some form or the other. But having left GT in years and to return to the way of thinking and stigma placed on individual, especially those deported is unbelievable. We tend to associate deportation with some grave infraction that doesn’t deserve a second chance. The fact is, we seldom know the problems these people faced in the US that motivated them to commit these crimes. I too am guilty of that, but it’s do to the fact that I truly didn’t know better and the same holds true for so many. So for those of you who are living in GT, take a moment to give these people a break. All of us will not get the same opportunities and perhaps your opportunity to live in the States or overseas has not yet been realized, but don’t look at these people as squanders of a great thing. Circumstances might have made them who they are.
To those of you who have been deported for one reason or the other and are striving to make life a bit easier for yourself, I applaud you. Remember it’s pretty easy for you to live in regret because you have seen the bright lights and may have lived the high life. Don’t let you past determine your future, UNLESS it is something that would have a positive impact.
I will certainly try to help those who can make a difference and contribute to my fellow Guyanese.
Good luck to you all and for those who can afford it, lets help this lady out. It looks like she need just over US$1000 like help, if for nothing else do it for her kids.
Like you did not read the story? The kids did not turn out well. They ar lucky they were born in the USA otherwise they would have been in Guyana with her.
According to the PPP Guyana is a wonderful place so there is no need for her to return to the USA where she is not wanted.
I have been here nearly 50 years. Never got arrested nor anyone of my family.”You send her the money Dr Dray, or let the 3 children take it out of their welfare money. Some of us have to work and pay taxes, stay out of trouble and be good citizens in our adopted country.Let her children help her.
” 30 years in the USA with a family and you can’t raise 1000 dollars among you all??? You all never worked, you only milked the system .I would’nt send you a nickle. And I do send thousands of dollars towards education & helping the poor. Send her the money Dr Gray.
I don’t know how one can live in a country for so many years and not become a citizen ..especially after 9/11..unless you have plans to live in guyana.
BE FOR REAL
They could avoid all this trouble if they just don’t break the law in the first place, knowing their precarious position. I sympathise but Ms Daniels compounded her troubles by stealing – she should have left her don’t -care-damn son to face the consequences. I must commend those who are working hard trying to salvage their lives in an honest way.
La Dorada,how many parents can leave their “don’t care a damn” children to face any consequences? Have a heart bro,rain does not fall at one man’s door!
Guy123 come and pay New York School Jail a visit and you will a whole lot from Guyana, T&T, and Jamaica who think that they can transfer or transport their way of life in the Caribbean and Guyana to the U.S
Donna your soon have a very full house, and if you don’t understand what I am saying. Please pay New York a visit to see the upcomming number, and oh I left out Essex County Juvinile facility in New Jersey. It hard to see the amount of money the Parent pay to bring them here.
Donne turn your place into a business and call it a safe house for returning Guyanes who have no place to stay….you will make money sister. If people can hear they must pay.
STABROEKNEWS… DON’T YOU HAVE BETTER STORIES TO REPORT ON??? SUCH AS SUCCESS STORIES OF “TRUE” DIE HARD GUYANESE??? WHO CARES WHAT SHE’S GOING THROUGH.. UUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
Yes, I feel sorry for her, but she made a series of mistakes. Everyone deserves a second chance. Let her eight children pool their resources and assist her. That’s what childred are for. Maybe she can find a cousin/relative that can help, unless they know much more that we do. I wish her the best in her attempt. Ms Daniels, should you return, you are not coming back to a bed of roses. Times are tough, the economy is tough, unemployment is high, prices went up, so you choose where you want to experience hard times, in Guyana or US. Just hope you are making the correct choices.
Ms. Snagg story is so disturbing…..even though she should not have forged the divorce papers. I do feel that she would ge granted some leniency in her attempt to retrun to the US, if she so desire. She just gave up…..guess her circumstance did not permit her to fight. Every deportation situation has a uniqueness.
Mr Gibbs, on his own account was involved with several criminal matters. As you make your bed so shall you lie in it. You commit the crime so serve the time. If he did not choose to be deported, he may have stil be in jail in the US. Half of dozen of one, six of the other. Make your choice Mr. Gibbs.
I Wish them all good luck, especially for the festive season. Cheers….PEACE
SN, tell me where I can send a donation, no one is perfect,everyone including this lady deserves one last chance.
Joe.
Sorry SN I did not read the entire article, I will make the call.
Joe.
Joe. I am with you. I’ll make the call. He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone. Her children will pay a heavier price for their neglect. She is also a child of God. Let God be her judge.
God bless you DD. I made the call I spoke to Gale. I did my part. Hopefully everything turns out well.
Joe.
Joe. I made the call but she was not at home. I spoke to a male. Please advise me on method of sending eg Money Gram.
Charity begins at home…let her 8 kids pay her way.
Hi Joe,
Thanks my point exactly. For those who dont want to help that’s fine. For those you can please let’s do. I will send her some money on Monday. Bless the hearts of people who have one.