By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

AFTER spending some $30m, the Department of Immigration will soon have a fully online application and cashless system, Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson said yesterday.

The department has also installed a facial recognition thermometer at its entrance to help limit the spread of COVID-19.

Mr Johnson made the announcement during a press conference called to update the public on its strides in modernisation.

“Very shortly, after spending almost $30 million to digitise the Immigration Department, we should be able to at least upload our applications,” Mr Johnson said. “This will do away with the complaints of people being unable to find their documents and a number of other things. I am happy that we have industry supporting us and a number of public education campaigns will be introduced.”

The minister said there is no reason people living abroad should not be able to do business with the Immigration Department via this online, cashless method.

“Our number one industry is tourism,” he continued. “Our second industry is financial services, but, one of the most important industries we serve is our clients and the Bahamian public and so in very short order, we will go cashless.”

He also said: “There is absolutely no excuse why the person who lives on Cat Island, the individuals who were born to non-Bahamian parents and in Port-Au-Prince or the student in Canada should not be able to upload their applications online, pay online, get an instantaneous receipt and have a system that builds in an algorithm to say to you when you will get a response.

“That is the new way of doing things. If you travel to Canada, Dubai and other places, that’s how they are doing it.”

Besides the online system, the department has partnered with SunRise Communications Ltd to introduce a new facial recognition thermometer camera to assist in the fight and early detection of COVID-19.

The device, placed in the department’s foyer, performs contactless temperature measurement and facial recognition.

The technology will also be deployed at Mount Royal House, Monarch House, Prince George Dock office, Carmichael Road Detention Centre and Lynden Pindling International Airport.

The systems were purchased at a cost of $1,500 each.

Mr Johnson said the department has other measures to mitigate the spread of the virus.

“We want to safeguard our most vital resource and that is our employees. . . There are a number of initiatives put in place in terms of social distancing and properly cleaning your hands, coming to the department by appointment only,” he said.

“Like the US Embassy, when you come to the Bahamas Immigration Department, you will come by way of appointment. We will not tolerate abuse. We have an obligation to provide courteous and efficient service to members of the public. We have a complaints process and we will be soon bringing on someone to head up our complaints and corruption section. So we will treat members of the public with the respect that they deserve.”

He thanked staff for assisting in the department’s upgrades and preventative measures. The department is currently recruiting 120 officers and promotions are now before the Public Service Commission for approval.