No special treatment: Kantha

By HELEN TARAWA
THE Migration Office has encountered many cases of missionaries overstaying their visa or breaching the country’s laws in some other ways.
Acting Chief Migration Officer Solomon Kantha, pictured, said they had been lenient when dealing with missionaries in the past.
“We recognise the importance of their work in the country,” he told The National.
“Most of them work in very remote places and in the context of where they are located.”
But he said some were found to be paedophiles (but) while some had entered the country as missionaries but later started businesses.
“In terms of the breach of conditions of the visa, we have no involvement in any other issues,” Kantha said.
“We strictly make assessment and determinations based on the breach on the Migration Act and conditions of the visa.”
Kantha was commenting on the recent deportation of a Kiwi missionary who was based in East New Britain.
He said he had been writing to the Catholic Bishops Conference to improve on the process of renewing the visas of missionaries.
“Missionaries are just like any foreigner in any category of employment.”
On the deportation of Catholic lay pastor Douglas Tennent, Kantha said the foreign affairs and immigration minister made the decision based on the conditions of the visa issued to the Kiwi.
“We’ve had similar issues which led to the minister cancelling the visa.”
The acting chief migration officer confirmed that a committee was reviewing the case but in view of the general election, there would be some delay.