Home Affairs Minister Dr. Virginia Albert-Poyotte has disclosed that retrofitting work at a new location for the Immigration Department is ongoing, and the move should occur ‘in a few weeks.’
There has yet to be any public disclosure regarding where the new location is, but the Minister told reporters it is in central Castries.
“That’s just a few months – a few weeks,” Albert-Poyotte responded regarding the relocation time frame.
“The retrofitting work – they are working basically in the night because there are tenants occupying the building so you find that they cannot make too much noise to disturb the existing tenants,” the Babonneau MP stated.
She disclosed that she had seen some photos and declared that the new location would be a better environment.
“The passport office has been a long, drawn-out issue for almost about a year, and from the time we introduced the e-passports, it takes a little longer for them to process the passports. That’s what our Immigration Officers informed us,” the Home Affairs Minister explained.
In addition, Albert-Poyotte noted that the current Immigration Department office presents some health issues, that necessitated deep cleaning and air quality tests.
“Government has spent quite a bit of money on this building,” the Minister told reporters.
Regarding the new location, she said the authorities were putting pressure on the landlord to expedite getting the Immigration Officers into the new environment.
On Thursday, the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) announced the temporary closure of the Immigration Department from the following day for deep cleaning in response to occupational health and safety concerns.
It will re-open on Tuesday, May 30.
The Home Affairs Minister said the government was putting all measures in place to demonstrate that it cares about the welfare of the Immigration Department workers while continuing to serve the public.
“People really need their passports to travel and we would not want to deny the public of the services that they need,” Albert-Poyotte explained.
I wonder what’s the big secret in naming the new location in the center of town…….Smh……and they even have tenants there too. Workers disturbing the tenants……..lol….wow…….what a jokey country…….lol…
Circus masquerading as a country.
I never thought I would be reading such CRAP from a lady with Dr. infront her name. Another book smart leader. SMH. Also did the journalist miss the part where she said Govt has spent quite a bit of money. If the building is not yours How U spending money to fix it. Whoever is fooled by these pp; AWAH. So Lucians have to suffer for a passport they paying for because all u wanna give somebody money. I give up on these clowns we have as leaders. ALL U CYAH BUILD A HOSPITAL, CYAH KEEP A PASSPORT OFFICE OPEN, But everything in place for FETES, Jazz and Carnival. And then we wonder why the yutes are the way they are. LOL
Immigration officers need to tell the public what really going on there! We the public don’t trust this Poyotte lady…she appears highly incompetent. Cmon officers spill the beans on here.
She disclosed that she had seen some photos and declared that the new location would be a better environment. Imagine, the location in the center of Castries, the lady never visit the location 🤔. So much for taking the ppl seriously……smh….