By CLINT CHAN TACK Friday, October 30 2009

CABINET yesterday approved the establishment of an immigration detention centre to help ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to curb the number of illegal immigrants entering Trinidad and Tobago. National Minister Martin Joseph made this announcement at the post- Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s.

Joseph said that in July, Cabinet agreed to the transfer of a facility at Aripo, North Trinidad from the Ministry of Social Development to the Ministry of National Security for this purpose. The facility can house a maximum of 150 detainees and will be operational on November 15. The minister added that previously, illegal immigrants were kept at the Maximum Security Prison in Golden Grove but this was not in keeping with international best practices although the prison “is the nation’s most modern correctional facility.”

Joseph said there are currently 96 illegal immigrants detained in the country who have either voluntary return or deportation matters pending. Of this number, 26 are women and 70 are men. He said 20 of the female immigrants are Colombians. Of the men, Joseph said, there are nationals from Senegal, Guyana and Colombia.

The centre will be staffed by Immigration Division officers, detention officers and civilian support personnel. Immigration officers will ensure the detainees’ immigration matters are handled while the detention officers will deal with their custody and care. Joseph added that detention officers will be precepted as special reserve police officers in keeping with Section 16 of the Immigration Act which allows them to arrest and detain illegal immigrants for an inquiry or deportation.

The minister said the centre is being established in accordance with international guidelines for humane detention that are in keeping with the 1966 United Nations International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. Joseph added that the National Security Ministry is in talks with the International Organisation for Migration regarding the protocols for voluntary repatriation of illegal immigrants.