Acting Permanent Secretary in the Division of Defence and Security, Timothy Maynard.
Some of those in attendance at the Customer Service Training Workshop for Immigration and Customs Officers.
Immigration, Customs officials warned against accepting bribes
Tue, 01/10/2017 - 12:00am
Frontline personnel are being cautioned to constantly guard against taking bribes to “look the other way”.
“In this era of technology, terrorism and rampant global crime, ‘looking the other way’ poses a clear and present danger to the safety, security and stability of our country and its citizens and visitors alike and that includes you and your colleagues,” said Acting Permanent Secretary in the Division of Defence and Security, Timothy Maynard.
Addressing a roomful of officials from the Immigration and Customs Departments yesterday at the Compete Caribbean office for a Customer Service Training Workshop, he reminded the group that they must shield themselves from taking inducements to bend rules and regulations for personal gain.
“It hardly needs mentioning that good customer service rules out the acceptance of gifts and rewards for performing a service for which you are already paid a salary. As public officers, our reward should be in knowing that we have delivered a quality service to a customer,” he reminded.
Noting that as public officers with the authority to either grant and take away rights and privileges from citizens, he insisted that this ability should never entitle them to use their authority to harass, belittle or humiliate others.
“We always need to show respect, exercise proper judgement, pay a listening ear and go the extra mile. The authority with which we are entrusted must always be exercised for the public’s benefit,” Maynard added.
Noting that the island’s economic and social survival still heavily relied on the provision of top quality service to customers, especially within the tourism and international business sectors, the Permanent Secretary stated that it could not slip up in facilitating ease of service for the public in a welcoming way.
However, he pointed out that this did not mean that they must be either fearful or timid when doing their job.
“If the occasion warrants refusal of entry or someone’s luggage to be searched, it has to be done with courtesy and professionalism. If for some reason we have to question someone for a little longer at an Immigration booth, then this should be done, but while paying due regard to the feelings of both the customer standing in front of you as well as others waiting to be served,” he said. (JMB)