Labour and Immigration’s merged system to come online by December 1
The modernising process which will see the introduction of a fully online automation system between the Labour and Immigration departments is expected to be operational in time for the return of tourists on December 1.
According to Labour & Immigration Minister, Vincent Wheatley, during a recent interview.
He said test-runs have been done on the system, and once it goes online, it will result in faster processing times when travellers get to Customs and
“What we are doing this week is we have been modernising Labour and Immigration, reforming Labour and Immigration, bringing Labour and Immigration into modern times. What we are doing is automating the system and when we open the borders on December 1st, our brand-new Immigration system will be in play,” the minister stated.
He added: “We had all the systems turn on last week, we did some more testing on Wednesday this week, we are going to be ready. Instead of waiting maybe 20 minutes to clear Immigration at the airport, maybe five minutes. As we speak, the testing is going right on.”
System will do amazing things
Minister Wheatley also said the system is likely to result in the reduction of cost for customers. He briefly outlined some of the key features persons can expect once it becomes active.
“The new system can do some amazing things in a very very short time. For example, it can track the country of origin, it can track skills set, it can track gender, it can track for professions, it can track many many things, so you get a much better idea of what the true landscape is in the workforce in the BVI,” Wheatley said.
Online payments waiting on legislation
Wheatley said the goal of the initiative is to make the system a “one-stop shop” where persons can upload the relevant documents, pay online and have their documents returned to them without the usual hassle.
He said the online payments will only be possible once the needed legislation is passed through the House of Assembly.
“To get the online payments done, you got to get the legislation passed first which is going to happen very, very soon. They had the first reading in the House last week, so hopefully, before the year is done or early next year, we have everything in place to move to where we should have been years ago, a modernised public service,” he explained.
Staff to be refocused
With the implementation of the new technology, Wheatley said the normal number of staff required for the daily operations will no longer be necessary.
In assuring that no jobs will be affected, he said that those persons who are no longer needed to process physical applications will be relocated to a different area of focus.
“Instead of spending time processing work permits, they are now going to be spending more time inspecting businesses. That’s what we’re changing into — from ‘Labour’ to ‘Labour & Workforce Development’. We are going to be spending more time seeing how businesses are operating … So we are moving towards the inspection stage of things because we expect them to localise the workforce. But who’s checking to see if they’re localising the workforce?” Wheatley questioned.
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Before Christmas Vincent will bring something nice for the island people among us. Ayo better not go buy any christmas tree and try be merry. Minister has big plans for you down islanders. BVI will be pure by 2021
Not to worry. They can’t get the tourist portal open which is actually quite simple. Do you think they will have an immigration portal open the same time? Lmfao. Maybe by June. Anyway if you don’t let workers in then who is going to work? The Belongers? Lmfao
Don’t worry hun
Island ppl around y’all is not afraid of there home land
What y’all need to do is pray for ayo sins
Cause when god ready for y’all, ayo might get wipe off the globe, ayo miss is during Irma time y’all won’t miss it this time
And beside only the foolish down island ppl will spend all there money here
You too bad minded
Plus ayo man does be leaving ayo wicked ass for them same down island ppl cause the are the best
your kind of cheer will not bring nothing to the the local for christmas either, because hate will not bring nothing for the “local Island people” either. Hate brings only despair. And, who wants despair for christmas?
I know, there are many, many, many out here, Black, white, continentals and other who just like to bash this little island and its local inhabitants that feed their bellies and lines their bank account. Modern day jealousy and hypocrisy.
The internet, unfortunately, has provided a vehicle for the coward, the imbecile, desk top bullies, note pad insulters, all cowards they are, and the retard to send out a reflection of his/her mal-functioning mind.
You are a special kind of idiot
As long i upset those who are offended by truths, i remain “a special kind of idiot”
Identify and specify one statement and inform the readers, as to which in that comment that is an alternative fact, and not an authentic truth.
A response was given to the comment “christmas cheer,” because it was thought to be unfair and low.
And in defence of the respectable Minister, a response to it was given. So, if that makes the messenger an idiot, such a label is quite welcomed sir/madam.
I can think i am a fish, but that does not make me a fish.
Comments, like each individual are completely individualised. To insult someone because of their view, illustrates exactly what the comment spoke to, cowards hiding in their cave, behind a screen, lap top, tablet and other insulting others, because their intellect is minuscule, their humanity challenged and their bravery non-existent.
Guilty conscience?
Christmas cheer you are an idiot
Christmas cheer you and other fools like you need to be somewhere trump is the leader of wicked people like u all
Oh yes, the nationals and Belongers can do the work…Why u all come on here mocking us…Like we useless.. and like we cant do without work permit people,,, Lots of u all big positions we can do, The employers lie to get them big managers permit..If immigration and labour do a serious survey business to business in person talk to the staff not the lying bosses they will realize we can do the Jobs those big salary work permit managers doing and do it better. So stop trying to dis us and start to appreciate and rsspect us..
There are not enough locals for the jobs that are still here. It’s not hard to work out. That is not a negative reflection of locals. We have two main pillars which industries are not necessarily going to be the industries our young and working age prefer. Why shouldn’t BVIslanders prefer to be in different businesses, in new and emerging industries like green tech and fintech, gaming, farming etc? The BVI, like the UK, US, France, HK, Singapore, UAE cannot compete and be at its best without imported labour. What we need to learn is how to deal with that positively. Nobody is doing it perfectly. All of those and others are concerned to have employment or business for their own nationals. But those that are going too far the other way are the ones losing out. Singapore, which also has tightened down on particularly lesser skilled jobs, probably leads in accepting and benefiting from attracting and retaining foreign workers and the quid pro quo is trying to deliver the best education and future plan for their own.
It is vividly recalled from Tailor Woodrow time right through the 1900’s and beyond at LDB and other resorts, for example, the Belonger was managed by an imported EU and or US expat.
However, it was wide spread knowledge that few knew their stuff/jobs and depended on the local expertise and practical knowledge to get the work accomplished while he received the big salary and credit.
This was a known reality in every department, and it is suspected that the same practice is ongoing to present.
The way we, the Local, Belonger, and widely speaking, Black people are seen and still treated, unfairly and unjustly, as less than, like the rona virus, will change no time soon. Sad, but a human fact. Nothing will change until that man heart changes and his actions follow.
If we need any imported labour, best we do it with the best system in the world so it’s one thing of ideally many, we can say we lead in. With blockchain and other tech we really can increase the BVI’s checking integrity of people and data while making the service as quick and efficient as possible, to beat our competitors