Chief Immigration Officer Linda Evans last Friday, 11 October 2013, led Governor Helen Kilpatrick, CB, on a review of the services offered by the Department of Immigration.

Accompanied by senior immigration staff, the tour group discussed issues such as investigations, visas, border control, training and human resources.

The familiarisation tour was of special interest to the Governor, whose previous position was with the Home Office in the United Kingdom.

“I’m pleased to see all the good work that goes on in the Immigration department,” she commented.

Current developments include a pre-clearance pilot scheme which has facilitated 4,000 passengers in recent months; a pending review of passenger-flow at airports to ensure a good experience for travellers; and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the courts.

Other matters discussed included: overstayers, debt-collection and document falsifications. Sharing her own experiences, the Governor noted, “People think of more and more imaginative ways to try to beat the system.”

Generally speaking, the Governor Kilpatrick said the Immigration Department is, “Keen to balance having responsibility for making sure the community is safe and secure by keeping out people who haven’t got the right to be here.”

“Yet they also wish to provide a very efficient service to those who have the right to be here… and who we want to welcome to the Cayman Islands,” she concludes.

Photos:  Photo credit – Lennon Christian / GIS

1 Governor Helen Kilpatrick with (L-R) Chief Immigration Officer Linda Evans and Deputies Bruce Smith and Gary Wong.

2 Mrs. Kilpatrick met staff of the Enforcement section.

3 Governor Kilpatrick speaks with Immigration’s Human Resource Manager Michelle de Alvarenga.

4 Chief Immigration Officer Linda Evans explains behind-the-scene operations.