Visitor complaints about Immigration Officers
Editor: I am quite impressed so far with the work of Police Commissioner Keith Miller, Chief Immigration Officer, Sanford Hamilton, and Comptroller of Customs, Grenville John, who I believe all have the security of St. Vincent and the Grenadines as their first priority.{{more}} My reason for saying this is that the statistics have proven that crime is on the increase all over the world, but here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we have done a fair job at keeping our own statistics down. We, however, have to be careful as to how we handle visitors who come to our multi island state and what lasting impressions we leave with them.
Policing of our country is quite a challenge, and whenever visitors come to our country, their first encounter is not with the police, but the immigration department. In my opinion, officers have to be quite polite but firm when they are executing their jobs, and also remember that the security of our country must be given priority. The tourism industry is the biggest foreign exchange earner and there is always someone we know who is involved in tourism, be it a business or a taxi driver.
Visitors complain about our immigration officers and their attitudes. Former Prime Minister Sir James Mitchell and sitting Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves have been quoted as saying that our immigration officers have to be very responsible when doing their duty and that they are our countryâs first ambassadors.
After hearing many complaints from visitors, I spoke with former Tourism Minister René Baptiste, but from observation, it appears that nothing is being done, and complaints keep coming from visitors every so often.
I decided to approach the problem head-on and went to see Chief Immigration Officer Sanford Hamilton. We spoke about the complaints. He listened to me, but noted that his department is doing well.
Here are my open questions to Mr. Hamilton:
1. Are the immigration officers being trained to perform their duties? If so, by whom?
2. Is any consideration being given to the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), the single domestic space?
3. What about Caribbean integration and its Caribbean civilization which our Prime Minister Dr. Gonsalves bandies about quite often?
Mr. Hamilton, let me point out to you that during the 80s, a Vincentian businessman went to Trinidad and Tobago and was refused entry because they (T and T) did not think he had enough money. Up to today he is still not allowed entry into that country.
4. Should someone who has committed an offence in his country be restricted from entering another country?
5. Why are police officers at E.T. Joshua airport intimidated by immigration officer âPâ?
6. Should the role on an immigration officer be different to the role of a police officer?
7. If yes, why canât some immigration officers, who were once police officers, separate their current role of immigration officer from their previous role of police?
In my opinion, thatâs where some of our problems are. Something needs to be done about complaints about the inhumane treatment by our immigration officers of visitors, especially those from the Caribbean.
8. Should oneâs dress, colour or hairstyle be a factor considered by immigration when visitors come here?
9. Should an individual who carries an SVG passport be intimidated by immigration officers and be told that they only have four days in the country?
10. How important are the people who are meeting visitors and what are the requirements they should meet?
This country is run by laws. If one comes here and breaks these laws, then let the law take its course.
Kingsley DeFreitas
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