GOVERNMENT MUST recall former immigration officers now serving in the Jamaica Constabulary Force to deal with a shortage of airport immigration staff, demanded Derrick Smith, Opposition spokesman on national security.
Long queues and flight delays are being blamed on the shortage.
Passengers at Kingston's Norman Manley International Airport and Montego Bay's Sangster International Airport have had to queue for over an hour during peak times in the Easter holiday period, causing flights to be delayed by up to 15 minutes.
"It is (a) bad first impression for visitors and for nationals it highlights the level of incompetence in the public sector," accused Mr. Smith.
It was "serious incompetence on part of the government and a national disgrace", and
government should have anticipated the problem prior to the winter tourist season, he said.
RECRUIT EXTRA OFFICERS
The Ministry of National Security gave the green light to recruit extra officers in November but at this time no extra officers are serving at the airports. Leighton Wilson, director of immigration admitted to The Gleaner in February that adequate staffing levels would not be achieved until mid-year. But said Mr. Smith, the situation has not improved since November.
Donovan Nelson, communications adviser at the Ministry of National Security, yesterday defended the government's position: "Immigration officers are being trained right now and will be put on the front line as soon as training is completed," he said.
Airlines told The Gleaner that they were continuing to receive complaints from passengers as the absence of extra officers continued to cause long queues and delays.
