Breakthrough in impasse between immigration officers and PICA

 

There has been a breakthrough in the impasse involving immigration officers assigned to the extension of stay unit and the management of the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) over the use of customer service agents to carry out aspects of the functions of immigration officers.

 

The extension of stay unit is responsible for assessing foreign nationals to determine if they qualify for visitor's extension, work permit and permanent residence.

 

The National Workers Union had claimed the practice, instituted over a year ago, of using customer service agents to carry out some functions of immigration officers is a security risk as it relates to terrorism, human trafficking and the entrance of prohibited or undesirable immigrants.

 

NWU General Secretary Granville Valentine told Radio Jamaica News that despite the intervention of the Minister of National Security, the situation did not change.

 

But Mr. Valentine said another meeting was held with the interested parties on Tuesday and an agreement reached, which will see trained immigration officers again working on the frontline.

 

"So when a documentation comes to an immigration officer any time after, they are now comfortable knowing that their trained colleagues would have perused said documentation, and it is safe for them to go ahead and whether approve or disapprove, by virtue of the recommendations that would have come from the other immigration officers," he explained.  

 

He said letters of reprimand issued to four immigration officers have also been withdrawn.