Immigration conducts Induction Training Program for newly recruited officers

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) officially opened its Induction Training Program for its newly recruited officers in Honiara today.

A total of 22 new officers were recruited to work as Passport & Immigration officers, as part of the Ministry’s reforms to increase their human resource capacity to cater for the demand of services in the immigration division.

The four-day training will give the opportunity for the officers to have a fair understanding of the Ministry and Immigration Divisions roles and functions, to understand immigration Division laws and to learn about the functions of national and border security.

Speaking at the opening, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration, Mr. Riley Mesepitu reminded the officers of the importance of their roles and responsibilities.

“You will be responsible for managing and facilitating the entry and exit of people to and from our country. Your duties will require patience, professionalism, and empathy as you will be working with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.”

“You will be equipped with the skills, knowledge, and tools necessary to carry out your duties effectively. I encourage you to take advantage of this training to learn as much as possible.”

With the Pacific Games only few weeks away, the Immigration Division plays an important role with the influx of people expected to visit the country.

The recruitment of the officers was done following the swift approval of the Ministry of Public Service to ensure that the officers have ample time to be prepared for the games.

Acting Director of Immigration, Mr. Chris Akosawa said the officers will be deployed to various sectors of the immigration division upon completing the training.

“We will be commencing our operational plan for the Pacific Games on the 6^th of November. These officers have a crucial part in delivering the plan as upon completion of the training, they will be deployed to the various sectors in the main office here at Honiara, at the airport and even the Western province.”

“So, the 22 new officers will join our current staff for additional manpower as it will be a one-month operational plan.”

Mr. Akosawa also confirmed that with their new reform and restructuring, 85 officers are expected to join their workforce by 2026 to meet the demand of officers needed to carry out duties in the immigration division and border security.

Officers who will be deployed to the province will also be given trainings after the Pacific Games.

SIBC News understands, the Australian Border Force through the support of the Australian Government is also supporting the Ministry with the training.

ENDS//

By Eliza Kukutu