For the first time in the history of Sierra Leone and under the leadership of Dr. Patrick Coker as President of National Olympic Committee (NOC), immigration officials on Friday, 22nd July 2016 briefed the country’s joint Olympic and Paralympic delegation to this year’s Olympic and Paralympic games in Rio, Brazil.
When addressing the delegation, Abdulai Sheriff Kargbo, a senior immigration officer explained the primary responsibility of all immigration operatives all over the world is to regulate the movement of persons embarking and disembarking the country.
He said immigration laws globally are generally interrelated and operate under the same legal framework. He also stated that countries all over the world are working assiduously to achieve positive objectives in combating transnational organized crimes, such as irregular migration, terrorism, human trafficking, and human smuggling and drugs trafficking.
He said entry into Brazil is regulated by the National Immigration Council established by the Immigration Laws of the country and is responsible for the regulation of visa and the monitoring of the movement of persons in and out of the country.
He revealed that Immigration Law No. 6, 815 of the Immigration Council was promulgated on 19th August, 1980 and is implemented under Decree No. 86715181 and determines the conditions of foreign nationals visiting or migrating and staying in Brazil. He said since then, no substantial amendment has been made to that decree.
Kargbo went on that one of the key clauses of the Brazilian Immigration Act indicates strong prohibition of the legalization of clandestine and irregular foreign nationals and the transformation into permanent visa of their transit, temporary residents subject to articles 13, 1, 11, 111, 1v and VI contrary to the visa regulations.
He also stated that if a person over stays in Brazil, that person would be subjected to a fine of R$ 8.28 per day with the maximum fine being R$ 828 whether you overstay 100 days or 10 years the fine remains the same.
He therefore admonished the athletes and officials not to think about absconding because the repercussion will be very severe, pointing out too that Brazil is currently going through serious economic and political upheavals. He noted that if the athletes and officials attempt to abscond, their actions will send bad signal about Sierra Leone to the entire world.
Other members of the immigration department made vital contributions.
Speaking on behalf of the Sports Ministry and the National Sports Council, the Deputy Director of Sports, Shamshu Mustapha thanked the NOC and the Immigration Department for the seminar.
He affirmed both the Ministry and the Sports Council’s abhorrence to human trafficking, asserting that both institutions will never support athletes or officials who abscond during assignments.
“Now that you have the opportunity to represent Sierra Leone, you should be thinking of winning medals or improving your individual times. Please refrain from absconding and focus on your performance. I wish you all the best and hope you have a wonderful competition,” Mustapha bade farewell to the athletes and officials.
On the other hand, President of NOC, Dr. Patrick Coker admonished the athletes to put up the best of their behaviours, avoid over eating and that they should also be mindful of drugs and anti doping.
The decoration of pins to officials and athletes of both the Olympic and Paralympic games were done by Dr. Coker and the Chairman of the Sports Commission, Umaru Kakay as part of the programme.
By Bernard Turay
Monday July 25, 2016
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