Yesterday marked the official handover of automated passport control kiosk machines from the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission to the government and people of Saint Lucia.
The ceremony took place at Hewanorra International Airport, where eight kiosks were installed, with an additional two units at George F L Charles Airport.
“This is an effort made possible through a steadfast support of the European Union and our member states,” Director General of the OECS Dr Didacus Jules noted, showing the importance of regional collaboration in modernising travel infrastructure.
He highlighted the significant contribution of the tourism sector, explaining that it “now provides and contributes 45 per cent of the OECS’s total GDP, and it provides close to 30 per cent of employment.”
Jules described the kiosks as more than just hardware stating that they represent a new philosophy of border management.
“They will speed up the processing times for arriving and departing passengers, reduce congestion in the arrival halls, capture accurate and timing data for immigration, customs, and tourism officials, and strengthen border security through advanced screening and real-time information sharing.”
The director general stressed that the automation initiative balances efficiency and security ensuring that visitors experience Caribbean warmth and efficiency from the moment they arrive, while the government maintains robust control of who enters and exits our borders.
Jules added the vision for the OECS is to build a network of smart, seamless, and secure ports of entry across the OECS with ports that are as modern as anywhere in the world and as “welcoming as our people”.
“As we hand over all these kiosks today, we celebrate not just new machines, but a new mindset. One that embraces digital innovation at the heart of modern governments,” he expressed.
