Congestion and the spread of Covid 19 permeates the Central Immigration Office in Georgetown

In February 2023, I visited the Central Immigration Office, in Georgetown, around 9:15 a.m. I waited in line at the building’s entrance for the officer to check my documents, after which he then directed me to a line inside of the building to pay the cashier, which had about 100 persons, including infants, children and public servants. I joined the line from the yard at the back entrance. Some people left due to work commitment etc.

After more than two hours in the line, already exhausted, this was compounded by having to sit in a set of about thirty five chairs. I and others moved from chair to chair, some slightly wet. Each person got up and went to another chair similar to musical chairs until I reached the cashier. This activity was unhygienic, tiring and could lead to cross infection and contamination. The washroom was unsanitary.

That was not the end of the ordeal for the public, after paying, another line had to be joined, and after 2 and a half hours with each person having to go through the same procedure of sitting from chair to chair before they were summoned for their pictures to be taken and slip given to them for their return. The entire process ended at 4pm.

I would like to suggest the following: (a) Decentralization and functional Immigration offices through Guyana

(b) The option of online application submission and payment and only visiting the office only for pictures to be taken

(c) That the passport office be open from 8 am to 4 pm for application processing, to avoid the congestion, the spread of Covid 19 and reduce the time of waiting.

(d) Replace the musical Chairs with a number system for payment

(d) More than one officer should be present in the cashier booth attending to the public.

Sincerely,

June Ann Payne