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Existing Challenges too much for Immigration staff

Immigration staff at airport says they are faced with health and safety issues that needs to be addressed. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - As documented in the 2011 Annual Report for the Immigration Department of the Virgin Islands (VI), concerns raised by the territory’s Immigration Officers stated that existing challenges at the main port of entry are too much for Immigration staff to handle.

According to the report, which was laid before the House of Assembly on July 24, 2012, some of the challenges raised by immigration staff included overcrowding and health and safety issues in relation to the existing working conditions at the T. B. Lettsome International Airport.

In an example relating to the airport, the report stated that when two large planes are on the airport at the same time, the lines are often extended from the inside to the outside of the terminal building. They described this problem as a major challenge.

It read that, because the port is generally open, the easy access of mosquitoes poses a major health threat, to staff and passengers alike.

It further stated, ports are generally open without air conditioning and officers are frequently exposed to fumes from arriving boats and aircraft.

The report added that the openness of the port also presents a security risk, where unauthorized persons can enter the compound at anytime, and would like for these issues to be addressed.

12 Responses to “Existing Challenges too much for Immigration staff”

  • Edward (09/08/2012, 15:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    And the government wants to build a BIGGER airport runway that will make the lines even longer?
    • wet well (09/08/2012, 20:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      please you all need to just stop..the new runway is a done deal
  • Edward (09/08/2012, 15:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    And the government wants to build a larger runway that will make the lines even longer!
  • weed (09/08/2012, 15:47) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The best of these government workers is complainting about everything
  • pat (09/08/2012, 20:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Maybe the working conditions contribute to why some of them are so rude!!
  • Well Sah (10/08/2012, 09:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    What do they consider a big plane that have the lines long.. Is it those American Eagle they talking about?????
  • rodent (14/08/2012, 09:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The simple solution is to estimate the amount of passengers and have 1 official per 5 passengers. Not only will this make the officials happy but more importantly it will make it hassle free for the tourist.
  • frequent user of Immigration (17/01/2013, 16:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Right, it's the 2 planes at ont time that are causing the line up and forcing the doors to stay open while punishing those ever so nice immigration officers with their poor poor working conditions......cause that happens every day and if the doors being open creat such an invasive unsafe working environment then why the are the doors open for hours in between the big planes landing... Are the pleasant immigration officers worked so hard for 20 minutes when a big plane comes through they are so exhausted they can't get off their chair and close the doors? Cause those doors are open all day long, every day, even when there are no planes for hours at a time....I suppose staffing each and every one of the 4 available booths with more rude, unfriendly, power tripping immigration officers in an effort to maximize the available resources of booths and officers and expidite a situation like this is not the solution........Right? Of course not because the usual 1 maybe 2 booths that are staffed on any given day and time with inefficient rude, unfriendly, power tripping immigration officers isn't the problem...... Nooooo. Here is a comment for those friendly immigration officers with those poor working conditions. Baby want a Bottle?


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