The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRESS secretary Keishla Adderley sidestepped questions about the leadership of the Department of Immigration yesterday.

Acting Immigration director Keturah Ferguson is expected to be put on leave and replaced by former director William Pratt.

“I am not able to confirm that,” Ms Adderley said yesterday. “The relevant authorities will make an announcement on that at the appropriate time.”

Former Immigration Minister Keith Bell was criticised after a series of leaks showed top immigration officials were concerned about his alleged intervention in matters related to work permits, citizenship and law enforcement operations.

Branville McCartney, the former minister of state for immigration and past leader of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), said on Friday that sidelining Ms Ferguson “reeks of victimisation”.

“That stinks,” he said. “I’ve had the good fortune to work with Keturah when I was at immigration and found her to be an excellent, excellent civil servant in the department, someone who is well equipped, who knew her job.”

“As a matter of fact, I mean, when I went there as a minister, she helped to guide me. We all have this concern or thought when you become a minister of a particular ministry, you’re the expert. Well, that’s not the case. I wasn’t an expert in immigration, although I did some of it in my law practice. But I had to be guided. She was the person who guided the situation.”

“With her being asked to resign or step down or retire or whatever it is, it stinks. That I don’t think it bodes well for the government in the circumstances.”

In July, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the government would review how immigration decisions are made to strengthen the process. However, little has been revealed about the purported review, including who is conducting it.