By John Myers Jr., Staff Reporter IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS are reserving the stamp of approval on the new US$2 million high-tech computerised immigration system which they have begun testing at the island's two main airports.
Leighton Wilson, director of Immigration Services in the Ministry of National Security said the system has been performing creditably, however, there were minor glitches with the processing of passports. He explained that the computer was taking between one and 15 seconds to process passengers' passports, resulting in minor delays at the immigration counter.
Ideally, he said the Immigration Department preferred a quicker time, between one and three seconds, which would set Jamaica apart from current systems in use by other countries. "We want to ensure that the system is at the level we are comfortable with...," Mr. Wilson told The Gleaner this week.
J$120 MILLION
The new system, which is being installed at a cost of US$2 million (J$120 million) courtesy of the United States Government, forms part of the Government's thrust to regulate the island's immigration system, as well as to stem the smuggling of illegal drugs, guns and ammunition, and curtail the scourge of crime gripping the nation.
To facilitate the new technologically advanced system, the Director of Immigration Services noted that two double-booths equipped with computer monitors and scanners have been installed at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, and four double-booths with similar equipment installed at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St. James.
BORDER CONTROLS
"The project is intended to help Jamaica maintain full control over its borders and will serve as a model for other countries around the world who seek to enhance their ability to regulate the orderly movement of people into and through their countries," the US Ambassador to Jamaica, Sue Cobb stated at the signing of the contract for the system's implementation in November, 2002. This, was particularly important, she said as "border security took on a new urgency for the United States as a result of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington in September (2001)." Mr. Wilson, in a previous interview with The Gleaner, had explained that when the computerised system is fully installed, the department's capacity and ability to keep track of visitors entering and leaving the island would be significantly enhanced, allowing for greater security and border control.
Prior to now, he said, the Immigration Department had no effective means of tracking foreigners coming into the island. The new state-of-the-art system will enable Immigration officials to store information on each visitor to Jamaica, such as the date and time of entry and exit, in a central data base. The system will also be able to store criminal records for purposes of local and international law enforcement.
