By Caribbean News Global contributor
BRADES, Montserrat – The Immigration Department under the portfolio of the office of the premier Joseph E. Farrell will be implementing automated services through an Online Immigration and Customs Portal at the John A. Osborne Airport and at Port Little Bay.
This initiative is led by the Montserrat Immigration and Customs Departments and is expected to improve operational efficiency and reduce passenger processing times.
The office of premier Farrell explained that there are two key components in the implementation of automation processes:
- The introduction of an online service that will allow arriving passengers to Montserrat to provide their Embarkation/Disembarkation information up to 72 hours prior to arrival and is expected to take effect on September 1, 2024.
- The installation of Kiosk Machines at ports of entry to complement the introduction of the online forms. These kiosks are expected to be available by January 2025. Arriving passengers who were unable to complete the online form can do so using these machines on arrival.
A series of awareness programmes will be done to provide the public with information on how to interface with the system.
The Online ED Form was developed by the CARICOM IMPACS team and supported by our local technicians at the Department for Information Technology and e-Government Services (DITES) in the ministry of communications and digital transformation. T
These automated services are enhanced by passport scanners under the Overseas Territories Regional Crime Intelligence System (OTRICS) upgrade, currently being implemented.
Several organisations to include FCDO, CARICOM IMPACS, and the OECS Commission through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Integration through Growth Harmonization and Technology (RIGHT) project have made this initiative possible.
Meanwhile, the governor’s office and the government of Montserrat will work with Developing Market Associates (DMA) Invest, the leading Agency behind the successful UK-Antigua Trade and Investment Mission earlier this year, and GreenCrowd to identify local barriers to investment, create a more enabling business environment for UK companies in Montserrat, and bring UK businesses and stakeholders together on island to support deal facilitation.
The initiative, funded by the UK Government Green and Inclusive Growth Centre of Expertise, will deliver:
- A sector and gap analysis to identify critical legal and regulatory barriers to investment in Montserrat. Recommendations from the analysis will be used to inform and update GoM’s policies and processes to facilitate UK investments.
- Physical and digital assets for investors, including an Invest in Montserrat website as a one stop shop for interested investors.
- A renewable energy roadmap to derisk private sector investments in this area.
- It will facilitate Montserrat’s attendance to the UK-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum, providing a platform to connect Montserrat with the wider Caribbean community and UK businesses. A stand-alone impact investment round table for Montserrat will support GoM’s UK investor outreach.
- A dedicated five-day UK-Montserrat Trade and Investment Forum hosted in Montserrat, bringing UK investors to Montserrat to explore and initiate trade and investment opportunities.
Based on previous work conducted by the implementing partners, it is envisaged this project will bring a minimum of two formal investment agreements in Montserrat (within 24 months) and a minimum of two medium to long-term sustainable inward investments established in Montserrat.
This joint initiative will be led in the governor’s office by the head of programmes in close collaboration with the ministry of finance, the cabinet secretariat, government of Montserrat and the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT), FCDO and UK Export Finance (UKEF).
DMA is widely considered to be one of the world’s leading trade and investment promotion bodies for economies outside the G20.
GreenCrowd is a growing international partnership comprising professionals with deep expertise in finance, structuring, capital raising, commercial and project advisory, law, engineering, stakeholder engagement, energy and sustainability policy.
