KB Home Center fined $6,000 for Hiring Haitians illegally

By Deandrea Hamilton

Editor

#TurksandCaicos, January 19, 2022 – “New sheriff in town”, Minister of Immigration Arlington Musgrove in a statement Tuesday doubled down on his public pledge to end illegal migration, and a popular retail store has been convicted with hiring illegal migrants; they’ve paid a fine of $6,000 for the breach.

KB Home Center locations off Leeward Highway and Five Cays were found to have three Haitians working without permission; all workers were detained and repatriated back to Haiti, said the statement.

Tito Forbes heads the Immigration Task Force and said the operation was informed by the Immigration Intelligence Unit.  It led to a detailed investigation, he said, the result of which is conviction of “a business here in Providenciales for employing illegal workers.  Businesses that employ illegal workers are a huge part of our challenge.  Migrants risk their lives trying to get to TCI because they think they can find work and live here illegally”.

Ananda Ltd Trading or KB Home Center was charged and plead guilty to three counts of employing a prohibited person.  The company was sentenced at court to a fine of $2,000 – or 30 days imprisonment – on each count.

Minister Musgrove said, the TCI is working hard to combat illegal migration, and businesses offering employment to illegal migrants are only harming the efforts of our country in tackling this issue.

The public is reminded that it is an offence to harbour or assist illegal persons and that persons found guilty engaging in such activities are liable to a fine of US$20,000 or a term of imprisonment of four years, or both in accordance with the Immigration Ordinance 2018 Revised or any law.