[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n protest against the Border Control agency proposed by government, customs officers held a sick-out on September 6 and 7. The proposed entity would see the merging of four departments: immigration, customs, quarantine and the marine police. The Civil Service Association represents the customs & excise department. During a televised interview, general secretary of the CSA, Claude Paul, explained his members have difficulties with the merger proposal that seeks to create a statutory body of the border control entity.
This was outlined in Cabinet conclusion 247, which established the Saint Lucia Border Management Authority as a statutory body. On August 20 the prime minister, Allen Chastanet, said: “I have no idea where the idea of a statutory body came from.” The two-day sick-out may have been the reason for the government’s apparent change of heart. A press release by the office of the Prime Minister on Thursday informed that a team has been appointed to “undertake extensive and in-depth dialogue on the establishment of a single Border Control Management entity. The team is to engage and discuss with all stakeholders on the appropriate structure for the proposed Border Control Management agency.
The Cabinet-appointed team is expected to submit a detailed report to Cabinet by December 2018.
The press release continues: “In order for this to have meaningful effect, the Cabinet has also taken the decision with immediate effect, to revoke Cabinet Conclusion 247 of 16th April 2018 which previously addressed the establishment of the entity.”
On Friday, Mr. Claude Paul spoke to the STAR: “CSA can confirm receiving correspondence from the Ministry of Finance which advised us that Cabinet conclusion 247 has been revoked. The CSA is happy about this first step that has been taken, will look forward to, and continue to monitor the situation as far as the actual consultation is concerned, given that in the past, consultation has not been the strong point of the government. Our idea of consultation is not merely the provision of information but a chance to be engaged in a meaningful way so that we can actually influence an outcome that is beneficial to our members and to the country.”
