Immigration officials are at a conference in Wellington this week to discuss border security issues.
The four-day Pacific Immigration Directors Conference board management meeting is attended by a number of people, including the chair of the organization, two representatives from Polynesia, and one each from Melanesia and Micronesia.
Kave Ringi said his country faces many challenges.
“We don’t have a border management system and we also don’t have a permit management system in place, so everything is actually done manually, so our border is open to abuse. Lately I’ve noticed that people from particular countries have noticed that because they’re desperate for employment and if we’re not very careful, and without the support of our colleges in the region, we’ll be swamped.”
Meanwhile, the PIDC chair, Auseugaefa Poloma Komiti, said apart from strengthening individual countries’ border security and management, sharing information, developing a regional network, and training are also crucial.
Today, 99 percent of the funding for the organization comes from Australia and New Zealand, while contributions from Pacific nations are optional.
He said they are reviewing whether these contributions should become mandatory.
“We’re wanting to move towards a formula where all the members of the PIDC contribute, whether it’s one percent of the total budget or whether it’s a higher percentage, but by contributing an assessed contribution it’s also about ownership, it’s our organization, right now some countries put in voluntary contributions, but most don’t, and that’s what we are on about here,” said Auseugaefa told Samoa Observer.
