Expat urges Kiwis to help disabled girl

A South African expatriate is urging Kiwis to help fight the deportation of a blind 5-year-old South African girl living in Geraldine.

Justin McCabe, an IT consultant living in Wellington, has started a petition on the change.org website opposing the planned deportation of Caitlyn Davies.

Caitlyn, 5, her mum Charmaine and father and brother, both called Jonathan, live on a farm near Geraldine. All of the family except Caitlyn have been granted visas by Immigration New Zealand.

The Immigration and Protection Tribunal has ruled that Caitlyn, who is blind, suffers from global development delay, and has chronic medical conditions, should not be given a visa because her state of health would impose significant costs on New Zealand’s health and education systems.

As the tribunal’s decision meant Caitlyn would have to be deported, the family appealed it to the High Court, but their appeal was rejected.

McCabe said despite having never met the family, as a fellow South African their situation had compelled him to act.

‘‘I know what they are sending this child back to. As New Zealanders we have all these tools and education support systems in place ... coming back to South Africa she is going to have nothing, she is going to have a life of living indoors ... or living in a home care facility for the rest of her life.

‘‘I used to be a journalist in South Africa so I am well aware of what she is coming back to. She’ll have no opportunity to advance herself or educate herself ... she’s coming back to nothing.’’

McCabe understood the reasoning put forward by Immigration New Zealand’s decision. However he criticised the lack of humanity behind it. ‘‘You have still got to make decisions based on ‘are you able to go to sleep at night?’ You can’t hide behind bureaucratic process, it’s so cold and heartless.’’

He said Charmaine had thanked him for starting the petition, which had 856 signatures so far.

Immigration lawyer Jennifer Bensley, who had been representing the family on immigration matters from the beginning, had told them the petition could help their case.

‘‘Certainly it won’t be a bad thing to have a petition going, and we can present that to Immigration.’’

Bensley said she and the family were exploring other avenues to fight their case. She had also submitted another visa application for Caitlyn, which she was waiting to see the outcome of.