Previous Story
It’s still business as usual for Immigration officers
|
Posted on Sep 11 2008
Despite the uncertainty in their employment under the federalization law, Immigration officers and staff are going about their usual business as much as they can, according to Immigration Services director Melvin Grey.
“We’re just keeping the doors open,” said Grey in an interview with Saipan Tribune.
He said everybody knows the visitor numbers are down so it is really tight all the way around budget-wise.
“There is no revenue for the government coming in. Budgets are tight. Every dollar counts. We are just doing what we can,” the director said.
Grey noted that they’ve turned things around at the Immigration Services, especially in the first six to eight months of the administration.
“Again, the foundation is always been there for CNMI Immigration. It is just a lot of times, it wasn’t administered or followed as probably should have been done,” he said.
Grey said Immigration is a solid organization with good employees.
“We just got back on track. It was just a matter of putting it back together and saying no, this is the line we follow, go in this direction and these are the standards, stick with it,” he said.
The director said the office under his term has witnessed tremendous appreciation and cooperation from the public, the visitors and the employees themselves.
“It is just one unusual circumstance, like we got a win, win, win for almost all the way around here. Very few general complaints. It’s been quite enjoyable,” he said.
Grey earlier stated that the federalization law will wipe out the careers of local immigration officers.
