Immigration officers inadequately trained and equipped, review finds
A recent law enforcement review showed that Immigration officers in the territory lack proper equipment and training, leading to concerns about how well they can keep the BVI’s borders secure.
A detailed review conducted by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) highlighted several critical issues affecting the Department of Immigration. The report indicates that immigration officers lack access to essential resources, including appropriate personal protective equipment and relevant officer safety training.
“Members of the enforcement team receive basic officer safety training during induction. But this isn’t refreshed annually. No staff recruited since 2021 have received formal training in the use of personal safety equipment such as handcuffs and batons,” the report stated.
It further noted that, given the likelihood of enforcement officers coming into conflict with offenders, this presents a significant risk. “It leads us to doubt that they are sufficiently trained to carry out their roles safely and professionally,” the report added.
Immediate action needed!
The HMICFRS report specifically recommends that the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sustainable Development ensure that the senior management posts in the Department of Immigration are filled and that the senior management team functions effectively. Additionally, it calls for immediate action to provide immigration officers with the necessary equipment and training to perform their duties adequately.
This is not the first time the issue of inadequate equipment has been brought to light. Opposition members have previously criticised the government for neglecting essential services, including law enforcement and immigration, which are crucial for the community’s safety and wellbeing.
The review also suggests that the existing processes for appraising, developing careers, and promoting within the Department of Immigration need substantial improvement to ensure they are fit for purpose and fair.
“Some staff we spoke to felt unable to challenge the systems in place for appraisal, promotion and career development. They explained that this is because they fear they may be victimised if they do,” the report said.
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That explains the last 20 years of visitor abuse when dealing with them
Bring in AI and be done with it.
wha kinda pi** Ya hear telling me
The BVI economy depends on tourism. Maybe staff at the BVI Tourist Board should meet and greet tourists upon arrival instead of grumpy Immigration & Customs civil servants.
A few suggestions;
– Don’t wait until there is a large queue from a plane or ferry before taking your seat and logging on to your computer.
– Learn about all resident types in the BVI, via WP, land-holder licence etc.
– Treat all people with respect.
FYI….not all persons with land holder licenses are residents. There are those who own property, but are visitors. Have your facts straight when you want to comment.
My point is that the land holders licence allows visits for up to 6 months. It is therefore a type of residency.
The most respectful immigrant officers are in the BVI. People come to the BVI and want to just walk right in. I watch the behaviors of people in those lines and there is no way in hell they could behave the way they do in any other country. When they go to other places they stand at attention waiting to be served. They appear to be barely breathing. When they get to the BVI they criticize everything and they lie to immigration and customs.
Unfortunately those whom you observed wanting to just walk straight through are locals with no respect for their country… visitors generally are prepared to go through immigration process. Once you have you correct documents ,immigration shouldn’t have any issues. I don’t agree with the statement made about immigration officers.
Those with negative behaviors towards immigration officers are not all locals. They usually include locals and residents from other Caribbean countries, and that’s a fact. The visitors observe and perhaps wonder what kind of place is this because it cannot happen in their countries.
“Members of the enforcement team receive basic officer safety training during induction. But this isn’t refreshed annually. No staff recruited since 2021 have received formal training in the use of personal safety equipment such as handcuffs and batons,” the report stated.”
This seems to not only be a breakdown within Immigration, but the functions of Human Resources.
Can’t train a Lion to be a Lamb..Its all about the hiring. Can’t Hire grapefruit and train or change them to be oranges..
Didntreally need to spend money on a report to come to that conclusion.
Them hiring the wrong set of people rude ones the ones who polite and good they’re not hiring. Them hiring friend and family Them young rude ones
Maybe extend visitor to 45 or 60 days with proof of accommodations and return ticket. I’m not wasting a day in RoadTown to get extension. Charge me the extra $10 on the way in and let me SPEND MY MONEY!!
Put out that Loud mouth b@# head one form Immigration first
Just spend some time at the G/F office and you’ll see how inefficient the “systems” are and the poor quality of some of the staff. Proper training and equipment won’t fix those problems.
The whole attitude, from top to bottom, is that they are under attack and their job is to protect the country from “invaders”. Unfortunately, most persons using their “services” are either tourists or properly approved work permit holders, who are no threat at all to the country. That doesn’t stop the rudeness and attitude, though.
These workers,literally the executioner of these VI with CARICOM(ers) invaders and their infestation of these VI..these workers cannot be happy or at ease. They see the result of their signatures and stamps daily in the carcass of these vi, They need to earn a living so they get through the days with the truth and knowledge that they are putting a dagger in the destiny of themselves and the BVI,doing their job ,following the manual.
How manythey have processed they subsequently recognize in headlines and reports of murder,robberies, gun possession and usage etc.,..
Their children now in schools degraded to barely and in the halls parade the gun toting children of the CARICOM stamped and approved ….A dirty job,being an executioner,. but we must earn a living,secure with benefits..
Training people to do their jobs is an investment. So is improving and maintaining infrastructure ( e.g. roads, school, electricity, waste management, water etc.). We don’t do the either, so no surprise.
Ah hear some of dem security officers teking $ 20.00 dollars from people so they could get appointments
The majority of immigration officers tell a lot of lies to people seeking various status and dismiss the people who do not speak English very well .
You can take a pig out of the mire but you cannot take the mire out of the pig .
Some of them are angry with you when they have to issue status to you . When you carry in the proper documents they are insultive and treat you with indifference .
It is rather inhumane the way SOME of the people in Immigration and passport departments treat expatriates.
There is no need to be so despicable and rude. We live in a global village and i can hear some of you well “ go back if you dont like it here “
Life is more that that . I am sure all of yiu travel for various reasons .
Be hospitable to others . Life is simple “ What goes around comes around “
How can our own keep the borders secured when they themselves are into bribery for a $$$.
Th major group of immigrants that are arriving in the VI are not enjoyed by the UK nor the US and for good reason. They are deported as much as they enter and the #1 reason for their deportation is criminal activities of every caliber.Pity these VI whose tourist product and economic necessity is Tourism.
Why would these workers be willingly and gleefully be the welcoming committee. A conundrum!
Personally, I am at a lost as to why
to why the doors are so open to this particular demographic ..the prison and private holding places are not enough to accommodate them.
Hats off to the VI for their self destruct “kindness”
Have you got anything to support your claim that the majority of immigrants to the BVIs are criminals or are you just spouting populist nonsense?
The BVI prison,built by the UK in anticipation of the updeislun immigrants arrjval,became overpopulated with said immigrants within 3 years of their unabated arrival and that saturation of infestation within those walls never eased,in the likeness of their prisons of their ancestral countries,that which they callously shrugged off and deserted for greener pastures such as BVI, waitng stupidly to be degraded by their well known and acknowledged destructive hab
its behaviour and cultural induced entitled poverty.
St Barts not foolhardy and feelgoodlovers of
themselves and their island continues to be zero
crime rate year in year out,the way we were.SIGH!
if you travel to the rest caribbean countries you will also find the same behavior from the immigrations there so whats the point.