Sierra Leone national back home

Sierra Leone's Ambassador to Jamaica Sidiqui Wai has commended THE WEEKEND STAR for helping his countrywoman, Etta Findlay, to be reunited with her relatives in the West African country.

The January 22 publication highlighted the plight of Findlay, who abandoned her medical studies in Cuba to come to Jamaica with the Jamaican man she fell in love with. They got married and the union produced a daughter, but the couple later divorced. Findlay became nomadic and eventually settled in an old church house in Waterloo, near Ewarton, St Catherine.

In a Zoom-enabled meeting with this writer this week, Ambassador Wai said it was the article that brought international attention to Findlay's plight.

"As a result of a report of truth in your newspaper, the human consciousness came to the fore. As a result of which we (the embassy) were informed, and we responded to the needs of Etta. This was positive journalism that went to work, and we acknowledge this as a meaningful development of human relations," Ambassador Wai said.

The diplomat said that Findlay's plight was challenging as she was not registered at the Sierra Leone Embassy which is based in Washington, DC, therefore a thorough check had to be done to confirm that she was a citizen.

"We (the embassy) believe that going forward, it should be a policy decision that all our citizens are registered, [so] that whenever they are in a foreign land they can be better accounted for," Wai said. Meanwhile, he took time out to acknowledge the Waterloo church and community, as well as the LASCO Chin Foundation for housing and caring for Findlay.

"We thank Professor Rosalea Hamilton (CEO of the Foundation), who I met during my studies in Jamaica. We thank Pastor Marlene Martin, who was instrumental in Etta's life, and also the groups of persons who even started a fundraiser, having read the story. We thank all, as they showed that they care," Wai said. He said that Findlay has reconnected with her family, while the government is putting plans in place for her readjustment.

Meanwhile, Findlay informed this writer that she has settled in and is currently working on a better life for her daughter and herself, and promised "I will keep in touch".