Police detain Chinese for work permit abuses
By JUNITA SOL
THE NCD organised crime unit has uncovered another illegal immigrant case whereby a managing director of a famous entertainment centre in Port Moresby was found to have no proper passport and work permit and will be leaving the country on the first flight out this week.
Criminal investigations divison (CID) officers said this is the second time that they, with help from the departments of Labour and Immigration, have actually apprehended and charged persons alleged to be illegally living and working inPNG.
The alleged has been arrested and charged with not possessing a passport and a legal work permit issued by the Labour Department.
He hails from the Fujian province of China and was blacklisted by the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations last week.
He is now at the Boroko cell and will remain there until arrangements for his departure are finalised.
According to Labour and Industrial Relations Secretary David Tibu, the alleged was issued a photocopy of a passport on Dec 14, 2003, and got his first work permit on April 5, 2004, however, his employment record showed that he started working for that company on May, 2002.
When he requested for a renewal, the department withheld his original work permit and asked him to provide the original copy of his passport and state why his employment records showed that he was already working even before getting a work permit.
Mr Tibu stated in a letter to the police organised crime unit dated June 24, that the officer in charge of signing work permits at that time was not aware of the proper procedures thus he did not check the work permits when he signed for the renewal of the alleged’s permit which was released to him on Dec 18, 2007.
Police investigations showed that the alleged didn’t have original copies of his passport and work permit and when questioned to provide the original documents, he gave excuses, saying his passport was with the Immigration Department.
“This went on from February this year until today. We have searched the immigration office and have not found his passport,” a CID officer.
Mr Tibu added that since the alleged and his company could not offer any explanations as to why his employment records started way before he was issued a passport and work permit, his permit is now terminated.
Mr Tibu has also advised the director general of the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Services (PNGICS) to cancel the alleged’s resident employment visa and make arrangements for his immediate departure.
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