The Minister for Immigration and Border Security, Hon.Westly Nukundi Nukundj has made his stance clear on removing any foreigner who is found to be of threat to National Security.
Minister Nukundj’s comments come as Immigration officials deported a fifth person of Bangladesh origin on Thursday (05/03/20). Belal Hossain was seen off by Taskforce team of the Immigration and Citizenship Authority (ICA).
The deportee was detained at the Bomana Immigration Detention Centre for over a month was and presented his deportation order at the Jackson’s International Airport today by the Immigration Taskforce Team.
Hossain was operating a tucker shop business, Adil Holdings Limited at 9 mile Kela Mountain in Port Moresby was found to have breached labour and IPA laws and consequently immigration laws.
Hossain and the four others deported last week where all part of a Human smuggling racket that is now being investigated by authorities.
Minister Nukundj said investors are welcome to do business in PNG however; they must be responsible and abide by the laws. Those businesses must comply with Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) Regulations and pay tax to the government for doing business in the country.
“We are executing the directives and visions of our Prime Minister to Take Back PNG. Those that have been deported have been found to have breached immigration and labour laws and have operated businesses under false pretext and are of high risk to the security of this country”.
Minister Nukundj also emphasised that Papua New Guineans’ found to be harbouring these people will face the consequences of their actions.
All five deported are part of the twenty (20) that were apprehended and interrogated by the team made up of Immigration, Labour and Police .A total of 20 have been apprehended by officials in a joint operation in Port Moresby in February this year.
Operation Restoration commenced right after Prime Minister Hon.James Marape’s visit to Immigration and Citizenship Authority (ICA) on January 13th 2020.
During that visit the PM said his Government will move swiftly to address the issue of illegal immigrants once and for all. The Prime Minister issued warning to any illegal foreigner living and doing business in the country.
This exercise has started in Port Moresby and will continue to other centres of the country in the coming weeks and the Minister says the Marape-Steven Government is serious about address this issue.
(Picture credit: Office of the Minister for Immigration & Border Security)