Dennie Quill, Contributor
HANDS UP! How many of you have seen the new immigration forms which were introduced at our airports recently?
If you travelled recently, you would have noticed an 'improved' immigration form. Did I say 'improved'? One expects that if the old form is being replaced, the new one would be designed in a manner to improve on what was there before.
SCATHING CRITICISMS
I would love to hear what you think of this new version. Observing the paucity of information required to be entered in the new forms, I asked an immigration officer what he thought about this change.
He was scathing in his criticisms. He pointed out that passengers are no longer asked to record their nationality or sex.
Thank God, I am not the only one who believes the newly-patched together form misses the mark. In fact, the officer thinks the Jamaican immigration form is distinguished by its uniqueness in not requiring what he believes to be pertinent information.
I can think of several agencies which might be interested in getting a handle on who is coming and going through our ports.
Tourism officials may want to know where visitors are coming from, how long they are staying and whether they are choosing to stay in hotels or with friends..
The Statistical Institute may require this kind of data for its surveys.
I can imagine that law enforcement agents may be very interested in this information. For example, they may want to find out whether Carol Jacobs is a man or woman since they want to find a 20-year-old carpenter with that name to assist in their investigations.
Unless someone can demonstrate the usefulness of this new form, I believe they should be recalled and a replacement considered.
Perhaps some of the old ones are lying in some important person's office. We could use them, so please don't dump them.
The world changed dramatically after September 11, 2001 in the aftermath of the bombings in the United States. Suddenly, airports have become a focal point in the war on terrorism because that is where much of the 9/11 drama was played out.
Airport screening has taken on new intensity in the interest of protecting the flying public in this era of heightened security.
I can't imagine what was wrong with the old form. It worked beautifully. Jamaicans traveling overseas would retain the carbon copy and present it on their return home. Vital information such as how much time was spent abroad and countries visited were all included.
WHO APPROVED THE CHANGE?
Change is important. But there is an old saying, 'If it ain't broke don't fix it'. One can imagine the costs involved in bringing about this change.
Quite likely a consultant was called in to study the old form and to recommend these changes. But who approved them? I am not sure whether ministers of government are required to deal with such mundane things as travel documents, but the immigration form is worth studying. Clearly not enough consultation was done, judging from the criticism which came from the immigration officer.
Some countries have chosen not to ask about nationality in light of charges of racial profiling. But honestly, can anyone who is charged with securing a nation's airports not pay special attention to passengers from certain countries which overtly support terrorism?
The immigration form may be insignificant in the scheme of things, but the manner in which the change was effected, points to a greater problem of the administration where change is made without consultation and where the newfangled approach is less adequate than what obtained before.
Dennie Quill is a veteran journalist who may be reached
at denniequill@hotmail.com
