Caribbean News
BVI Government Signs MOU For Increased Border Security
By Sherrica Thompson
Staff Writer
#BVI, December 14, 2022 – In a regional effort for security and border protection and for the exchange of Advance Passenger Information (API), the Government of the British Virgin Islands has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS).
The signing was done between Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. Natalio Wheatley and Lieutenant Colonel
Premier Wheatley said he was elated about the partnership.
“I am happy that the Virgin Islands is formally joining… the regional effort for security and border protection, through the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding for the exchange of Advanced Passenger between the Government of the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security.”
According to Wheatley, “the API System allows some of the screening that must be done on arriving travellers to be completed before they arrive on our doorsteps, and this will allow for faster processing.”
He added: “We can have a greater level of comfort because we know that the persons we are admitting into the Territory have been screened against international databases by the API System. We also feel good knowing that we are passing forward the same benefits to countries that receive travellers from the Virgin Islands when we transmit API to the system.”