CARICOM Travel Card to be implemented in 2009

BASSETERE, ST. KITTS, OCTOBER 7TH 2008 (CUOPM) – The recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between IMPACS and the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD) and the accompanying standard operational procedures which addressed customer service training to be provided to Immigration and Customs Departments were among issues discussed at the recent meeting of Regional Chiefs of Immigration and Comptrollers of Customs.

Acting Comptroller of Customs, Mr. Rodney Harris and Inspector Luther Kelly of the Immigration Department attended the September 9th to October 1st meeting in Grenada which also discussed the Advance Passenger Information System and the Advance Cargo Information System.

The implementation of the CARICOM Travel Card (CARIPASS) as approved at the Twenty-Ninth Conference of Heads of Government Meeting in July 2008 was the main focus of the Agenda.

The Travel Card, which is set to become operational in participating states in 2009, is a voluntary regime which would allow eligible CARICOM Nationals and legal residents to clear Immigration using designated electronic gates in Immigration halls. The CARIPASS is expected to support expedited travel throughout participating CARICOM Member States.

Recommendations from this meeting will be presented to the Seventh Meeting of the Council of Ministers responsible for National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE) scheduled to convene in November.    

In attendance were Chiefs of Immigration and Comptrollers of Customs or their representatives from CARICOM Member States including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago; as well as representatives from Anguilla, Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands.

Delegates also included Directors and other Senior Officers of the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and the Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC).