Direct anger at Customs, not immigration officers

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I wish to respond to a letter written by Marie Thomas and published in The Gleaner on Monday, June 18, 2018. The letter, titled 'Poor treatment by immigration officers', describes an incident where the writer's children were allegedly subjected to poor treatment by immigration officers at the airport.

The Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) regrets the writer's experience and that of her children at the airport, but her concerns, in this instance, are misdirected, as she spoke about goods being checked in her children's luggage and fees levied for items in their possession.

Immigration officers in Jamaica are responsible for the processing and inspection of documents of arriving passengers at the nation's ports of entry. Unlike other jurisdictions, they do not handle matters relating to inspection of luggage and collection of revenue and duties, as this is the remit of another agency.

Again, PICA regrets the unfortunate experience of the writer's family.

ANDREW WYNTER

CEO, PICA