Immigration chief admits lack of controls

Santo Domingo.-The Immigration Agency isn’t enough to guarantee the country’s migratory control, its director Sigfrido Pared says, for which he proposes creating the Immigration and Foreigners Ministry, with wider jurisdiction and budget.

“We have much immigration, emigration and much transit. Every year five million tourists visit us. We need an institution that has more responsibility in migratory issues to respond to this problem,” the official said.

He said while Law 285-04 designates the Interior and Police Ministry as head of the Immigration Council, it’s the Immigration Agency which conducts the day-to-day and annual plans. “We must promote the institution so it obtains the levels of importance that its responsibility requires.”

Perez said Immigration wasn’t given much importance before Haiti’s devastating earthquake, but as a result of that it has been realized that Immigration isn’t the exception to the normal parameters of an agency with little personnel, under-budgeted and limited jurisdiction. “We must extend the coverage of its migratory responsibility and to have an institution that can respond to the present needs.”

Quoted by newspaper El Caribe, Pared said that as a result of Haiti’s tragedy the measures were relaxed, but the operations have returned to normal this year.