Dear Editor – Please editor allow me space to kindly call on the Director of Immigration to clearly clarify the piece of legislation regarding the issuance of entry visitor’s visa to foreigners coming to visit our country.
Currently it seems to us that all sorts of advice as well as new conditions and procedures are set for different countries and people.
For example if there is a female Chinese citizen applying for entry visa, the Immigration section will have to send her application to the investigation section and the police to investigate her file.
But if you are a male Chinese foreigner or other female applicants from Philippines, Indonesia etc applying for an entry visa, that law does not apply to them. They got their approval instantly.
Previously all applicants (regardless where they come from) for visitors visas were treated the same, filled up the application form, pay the fees and submit to the Director of Immigration office for approval.
That process only takes about one (1) or two (2) days to have it processed and approved.
These days under the new head of visa and permits section, it takes weeks if not months for a very simple entry. Simply because you hardly see him in his office, most of the time he is out perhaps doing his own job.
The law governing these process and procedures are crystal clear. It is the supreme authority which dictates all requirement and procedures.
It does not require new entry visa applications to be sent to Police investigation squad to be investigated, there shouldn’t be discrimination when applying the laws to suit others and unfairly treated others.
We are all subject to the same law and regulations as well as signatories to International treaties and Conventions which allows freedom to travel etc.
Secondly, what have you got to investigate and who are you going to investigate, as most of the new visitor’s visa applicants are still at their country of origin, therefore you have no jurisdiction over them.
Or are you going to investigate that bare application form normally filled with hardly any data or a clue for you to base your investigations on?
This is absurd and ridiculous, unnecessary, uncivilized, primitive thinking and definitely hazardous to the advancement of our tourism industry which the current government is vigorously pursuing.
Let us not speculate or contemplates or filled our minds with illusionary imaginations and speculations.
So Mr Director tell us, does the law requires all new entry visa applications be sent to the Investigation Section and Police special Squad to be thoroughly confer to and investigated before you sanction their approval?
Or is that law only applied to certain people and why? Is it a provision or requirement under the Immigration Act? If so, why have you not tell us or simply inform the general public about it.
I thought we have introduced the new Immigration Act to speedup the process, tightened loopholes and create revenue for the government through fees etc.
However Mr Director, that is not the case right now, it is indeed the opposite that is happening.
I think there are important issues your Department urgently needs to address and improve on, rather than spying on foreign girls and women.
These include entry visas and extension visas and Permits delays from weeks to months, reported cases of lost submissions/applications, misplaced by your staff, your filing system is absolutely chaotic, we can see officers running to and fro trying to locate files, reported cases of some of your staff and officers demanding and asking for money from clients before they fast-track the system to releases their visa or permits or passport etc. reported cases of your investigation officers asking or demanding favours from logging companies and clients under investigation.
Your office phone 22179 keeps ringing for hours with no one dare to answer to queries and right now your staff are spying on foreign girls and women coming to our country which is indeed interfering in their private life and affairs.
Therefore Mr Director of Immigration, please ensure that your staff preach the right laws and regulations governing the immigration procedures.
They must not implement their own bush laws and regulations.
They must improve their performance and just do the right thing and treat everyone fairly with honesty.
But lest we forget, those who have over-lived their usefulness should now be given marching orders.
I have decided to write this note on behalf of all frustrated clients who complain dearly at the Immigration corridor hoping that a better improve system is put in place and for staff to be energetic and focused more on their jobs and responsibilities.
Henry J Star Dora
Honiara
