VI Gov’t inks border management contract with Canadian firm
On Monday, December 2, 2019, the Government of the Virgin Islands officially inked the contract for the state-of-the-art system with Canadian Bank Note Company Ltd (CBN).
“I must say I am happy to be the beneficiary of all the hard work that went into where we are right now. Immigration is a very difficult and troubling area right now, and this system will go a long way to help us take immigration under control as we reform Immigration, Customs and so forth,” Hon Wheatley said during the ceremony.
“This is going to be almost a red-letter day for the BVI to have this finally in a place, where we could know and monitor our borders and to be able to get our statistics for tourism and having it readily available. It is going to speed up transactions at our ports, also to know who’s coming to your Territory before they even arrive and be prepared for them whether they be celebrities or even criminals,” he added.
BVI will receive the ‘very best’
CBN’s Vice President of Business Development International Mark Houlton said the Territory would be receiving the “very best in the latest technology from CBN.”
“We have leveraged all the experience that we have obtained through your neighbours in bringing you that solution. It will be a seamless, integrated solution and we are looking forward to working with the immigration, passport, and e-visas teams into brining one single solution containing all of the information you need to control your borders.”
He said given the experience that CBN has working in the region, “we understand the traveller experience is equally important as national security and so facilitating the traveller experience in a controlled and efficient way will help you with your tourism objectives to continue to build this strong tourism industry that you’ve got here.”
Houlton mentioned that there would be new technologies such as kiosks at the ports of entry that would enable travellers to enter faster. Additionally, he said, the system will allow electronic visas capabilities that in turn would be integrated into work permit systems and for law enforcement.
System ‘needed’- Premier Fahie
Meanwhile, Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said the system is “needed” in the VI.
“I always say no one does what’s expected, only what’s inspected, but the issue is we do not have the statistics now to inspect. This now will let us know who will be coming, who is here and who is leaving,” he noted.
The sum of $6.4 million was pumped into the border control system, Wheatley said in the House of Assembly on June 13, 2019.
About CBN
According to Bloomberg, Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited produces banknotes and payment systems, passports and passport systems, lottery tickets and electronic lottery games, postage stamps, securities certificates, and other high security documents and related systems. The Company markets its products to government agencies and authorities, as well as institutional and other customers worldwide.
CBN, on its website, said a successful border management solution strikes the fine balance between protecting a nation from unwanted visitors and extending a warm welcome to tourists, business travelers and returning nationals alike.
“It’s a combination of constantly evolving technology, sophisticated techniques to defeat security threats and the ability to efficiently identify trusted visitors. With an international reputation and trade dollars on the line, a proactive approach is the best option.”
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10 Responses to “VI Gov’t inks border management contract with Canadian firm”
legally resided in the BVI, that SHOULD make you concerned. BVI needs to be punished for all the dirty filth
and hateful things. I am encouraging the US government to deny BVI belongers including police, the governor
and past and current Premiers as well as those who hate Americans but just want them in the BVI for their money.
Once implemented, BVI people can stay in the BVI. But those who have done serious wrong will be prosecuted.
You are crazy - you alienate everyone else and your nest is full of s---.
1- There is a 2019 report out that says 40% of Americans can't come up with $400 for an emergency.
2- It is reported that 1% of the population owns 43% of the wealth.
3- In California cities, people defecate in the streets.
4- There has been more than 350 mass shootings in 2019.
5- Deaths of despair due to drug /alcohol abuse and suicides are rising.
6- Many, many racists infest the streets and the internet to promote a racist country to call their own, and from which
they can travel to the stars (God forbid). Most of these people have no more than a high school education and can
barely read and write.
7- World leaders are publicly laughing at your president.
Should I go on? Seems it is you guys who are crazy and have the s--- problem.
Everyone does. No one is perfect. Sure some bad seed did some bad things to some good people who were in
the BVI. No need to jump up and down and to swear. Just lob an H-bomb on Road Town. And have a drink.
It's the right thing to do. And they will never have to worry about foreigners retaliating ever again.
That's right.