'Guy Hill the most qualified for post!' - De Castro writes to Premier
“He has been appointed to act for a year and his extension will be ended on September 30, 2014. As of to this date there is no word whether he will be appointed or not. But the rumours on the street is that there are some other people being considered,” said de Castro in a comment to this news site today September 10, 2014.
“This is the first time we will have someone with real qualifications,” he said. “But you see he works according to the law and they cannot control him,” he said. “The always got controversy with anybody who follows the law,” he said.
“We need qualified people…we don’t want politically appointed people. These are non-political jobs,” said de Castro.
“It would be shameful to lose that kind of person. And writing to Dr. Smith himself just like that won’t mean anything so I am publishing it for people to see. I sent a copy to the Governor so we are hoping that we get some kind of reaction,” said de Castro.
The full text of de Castro’s letter is below:
September 1, 2014
Dr. the Hon. D. Orlando Smith
Premier & Minister of Immigration
Government of the Virgin Islands
Central Administration Building
Road Town, Tortola
Virgin Islands, VG 1110
Dear Premier
I am writing to you as a concerned citizen of this Territory regarding what can, and maybe, a big and disastrous situation that is possible to affect the citizens, belongers and other concerned residents of the Virgin Islands.
I am referring to the fact that we are all aware that the present Acting Chief Immigration Officer, Guy Hill’s appointment will expire on September 30th. I have reasons to suspect that his appointment will not be confirmed as Chief Immigration Officer but will be transferred to another department so that the present Acting Deputy Chief Immigration Officer or some other individual will replace him.
I am hoping and praying that this suspicion is not true. It would be unfair to show such disrespect to the people of this Territory, as this is the first time in about thirty to forty years that we have a person in this position that is fully qualified to hold the position.
I would want to believe that you are aware that he has spent twenty five of his twenty seven years of government service in the Immigration Department. In addition, when he took a course in Criminal Justice at the University of Texas, requirements of that course were training by many Federal Law Enforcement Agencies.
When I read the Vision of the Department of Immigration, the action being contemplated by your ministry there seemed to be a conflict. The vision reads as follows; “By 2011 The Immigration Department will be comprised of highly trained and motivated officers, utilizing advanced technology in providing exceptional services to the Public”. What year this vision was published is not known to me but it was sometime before 2011 and it is now 2014. It is now a known fact that we do have an Individual at the top at this time than can finally accomplish this goal if it is not yet accomplished.
Let me remind you of some of Mr. Hill’s qualifications and training. U. S. I. N. S at San Juan. Passenger Analysis Training; U. S Drug Enforcement Agency, Surveillance Operations; U.S. postal Inspection Service, Investigation; U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service, Criminal Investigation; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Conspiracy Investigation & Overview; U.S. Internal Revenue Services, Financial Investigation; U.S. Border Patrol Border Patrol Administration; United States Coast Guard, Search & Rescue training; ROVERTECH International Inc. (Security & Detection Consultants) Observation al techniques & Behaviour Analysis; Bond Solon Training, Court room Testimony; Immigration & Nationality Directorate, UK @ Antigua, Regional Immigration Training (OECS Officers); Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training, Interview & Interrogation; 3M Canada, Border MANAGEMENT System Training; Federal Bureau of Investigation, WMBT training; Skillpath Seminars, How to Excel at Managing and Supervising People; Canada border Service Agency, Fraudulent Document training; U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Forensic Document Lab seminar; The Protocol School of Puerto Rico, Protocol & Diplomacy Training; Attorney General’s Chambers (Virgin Islands), Human Rights Training Seminar.
And his Performance Appraisal at the Immigration Department from 2009 until mid-2014 ranged from 2.50 to 2.63. His overall Performance rating for each year is recorded as “Exceed”.
I am making this letter public so the Citizens of this Territory can be aware of the caliber of the person that is being considered to be replaced. I could never understand why Governments of this Territory are always ready to replace people that do their job based on the Laws of The Virgin Islands.
I am hoping and requesting on behalf of all concerned persons that you re-consider your intention, if it is at all true.
I am,
Yours truly
Donald E. de Castro
Cc. His Excellency the Governor
The News Media
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36 Responses to “'Guy Hill the most qualified for post!' - De Castro writes to Premier”
PLEASE FIX THIS DAMN THING!!!
Mr. Hill is a man of integrity and would challenge such a directive (respectfully) and so because this does not conform to their agenda, I fear they would replace him, but that would be another sad day in the Virgon Islands.
NUFF respect Mr. Hill
As for appointing the acting deputy chief that would be a grave mistake because government going to have he like a "puppet on a string" after those who breaking immigration laws run to them with their half truths and playing the friendship card. All he going to do is rubber stamp and sweep everything under the carpet. The territory does not need that.
Mr. Hill deal with the people that break the immigration laws and treat the others with respect. I wish you luck on being selected for the post in which you seek.