Immigration facilities at ports of entry should be upgraded – Forensic audit report
The Ogle International Airport (OIA)
The Ogle International Airport (OIA)

By Alva Solomon

IMMIGRATION facilities at the Ogle International Airport (OIA), where there is an increase in passenger traffic, should be upgraded to handle the growth in movement, specifically arrivals.This was among several recommendations made regarding the country’s ports of entry by accounting firm Maurice Solomon & Co. in its forensic report dated March 16 and forwarded to the authorities.

The audit, undertaken for the period January 2012 to May 2015, was carried out at a time when the Department of Citizenship was newly formed, and its duties and functions absorbed those that had fallen under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

According to the auditing firm, considering the increase in passenger arrivals at the national ports of entry: the Ogle International Airport (OIA), the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), and at Moleson Creek on the Corentyne, there is need for reviewing the facilities at these locations.

The report specifically singled out the immigration booths at the OIA, stating that priority should be given to upgrading departure and arrival areas at the OIA with state-of-the-art facilities for relevant services, including baggage handling, customs inspection, and speedy immigration procedures, with additional immigration booths being installed for improved service.

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
In other recommendations, the audit firm called for a review of citizenship and immigration legislation. The auditing firm noted that there exists three pieces of legislation which govern citizenship and immigration matters. These are the Guyana Citizenship Act 14 of 1967, Chapter 14:01; Immigration Act 42 of 1947, Chapter 14:02; and the Aliens/Immigration and Registration Act 37 of 1947, Chapter 14:03. The auditing firm said these pieces of legislation should be reviewed and revised as necessary, citing as example areas wherein examinations are usually given in other jurisdictions to foreign applicants in their attempts to gain citizenship.

The audit firm also recommended measures for the effective functioning of the Ministry of Citizenship, stating that that ministry, with all its divisions and administrative personnel, should be located in one building; or, alternatively, a combination of buildings in one compound, which it noted would facilitate good communication and easy access to key players, especially at critical times when necessary.

As regards enhanced services, the auditing firm recommended intense training of the staff under the ministry’s portfolio. According to the report, in tandem with the decentralization of services, and to ensure that the functions of each division are competently performed, effective training of all staff should be carefully crafted to meet the needs of staff at different levels, and should be carried out over time.

The recommendation is that training programmes can include items relevant to procedure manuals for processes and activities which are considered key to the successful functioning of each section or division.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.