By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Around one-third of recent Immigration Department recruits were caught off-guard after being informed they must remain in New Providence for at least two years to gain on-the-job experience — a decision that has left many scrambling to secure housing in the capital.

Of the 68 officers who graduated in the most recent intake, 21 are from the Family Islands. According to a well-placed source within the Department, several of these Family Island graduates were left struggling to find accommodation after learning they would not be allowed to return home.

“Some of them had already purchased tickets. Some of them had already lost their apartments and were living with other squad mates, and they were of the view that once graduation was completed, they would have been able to return home,” said the source.

“On Friday, they were advised that none of them were going home and that they would remain. They would have to remain in New Providence with no rental assistance or any additional assistance being offered by the Department, and some of them were just very concerned.”

During a meeting with the most recent squad, the day after their graduation, Stephen Laroda, director of Immigration, informed them that their work as trainee Immigration officers began immediately after graduation and would continue for at least two years. 

During this period, they are expected to work in New Providence to gain experience before being considered for placement on a Family Island.

The confusion about whether the new officers would be allowed to return home stemmed from the previous squad that graduated in August, which was permitted to return to their home islands after graduation. The new group of graduates assumed they would be granted the same privilege, which they expressed during the meeting.

Mr Laroda, however, informed them that “some adjustments” had been made since then, and the Department of Immigration would no longer allow such transfers immediately after graduation. Graduates were told that those with personal issues justifying their return home could present their cases individually.

Highlighting the benefits of training at the country’s largest gateways, Mr Laroda told the recruits that transfers to the Family Islands would only be approved once he was confident they could adequately support the Department.

“I have no difficulties with you going back, as long as you're competent and proficient enough to be able to hold your own and support the organisation. You ain't ready for that yet. Trust me when I say that,” said Mr Laroda.

Graduates were also informed they would not be eligible for a housing allowance while stationed in New Providence, as they were hired in the capital. However, they would qualify for housing assistance if transferred to a Family Island in the future.

An officer who has been with the Department of Immigration for more than 20 years said the information given to the graduates was “nothing new”.

Speaking to Tribune Business under condition of anonymity, he explained that when he relocated from a Family Island to New Providence in the early 2000s for training, he also had to remain in the capital for several years after graduation to gain experience.

He added that, over the years, he has been transferred to several Family Islands at the Department’s discretion — though none of those postings were in his island of origin.