Roadtown, Tortola - Chief Immigration Officer Mr. Dennis Jennings is high in praise for the work of immigration officers, particularly those responsible for the detection of false documentation presented by visitors to the Territory.

In a recent GIS Radio Report, Mr. Jennings attributed recent successes in this regard to the border protection training workshop held in July last year, in which the participating officers were exposed to a session on detecting impostors and fraudulent documents.

Pleased with the results of that training session, Mr. Jennings said more training will help to further increase the efficiency with which officers perform their functions. “In observing officers at work and the feedback that I am getting from them, I am assured that they are in fact putting this training to good use and what we want to do is to have follow-up as soon as possible to ensure that they remain sharp,” he said.

Looking ahead to training initiatives for 2009, Mr. Jennings said particular emphasis will be placed on officers responsible for surveillance, ensuring that they are able to prepare case files. “We want to ensure that when we go before the court that officers are in a state of readiness to deal with such matters,” Mr. Jennings said.

Noting that the external training opportunities for 2009 have not yet been finalised, the Chief Immigration Officer said the intention is to do whatever is necessary to improve the skills of officers.

As the department continues to augment efforts to improve the efficiency of its service, the Chief Immigration Officer is also urging officers to keep abreast of the Territory’s policies and laws and to ensure that their decisions are legally sound.

Mr. Jennings said it is important that officers base their decisions on the laws and policies and ensure that they hold up in court if necessary.

 “I continue to impress on them the importance of continually reading the laws and familiarising themselves with the policies so that when situations arise, they would be able to relate it to law and policies and make a decision with the least difficulty,” Mr. Jennings said.

He also cited a need for officers to familiarise themselves with developments in other parts of the world. Mr. Jennings added that it is important “to keep pace and be apprised of what is happening and make determinations that would keep our Territory safe from people who are coming to perform illicit activities,” he added.

Acknowledging that the job of an immigration officer is quite difficult, the Chief Immigration Officer pledged to do whatever is in his power to ensure that officers remain on the cutting edge and are able to properly secure the borders of the Territory.

The Department of Immigration which falls within the portfolio of the Premier’s Office is responsible for securing the borders of the Territory through the delivery of efficient and impartial service.