System gifted by U.S. will enhance border management operations: minister

American authorities have gifted a portable system to process those entering the country via passenger lines ships, says Minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal.

The Communications, Science and Technology minister said that the equipment was presented on the Maldives Immigration’s request over issues with processing passports of those that travel via passenger line ships.

Maleeh added that the American government is prepared to enhance the system and improve its functionalities to meet the immigration’s requirements.

Maldives Immigration, during a meeting with the parliament’s national security and foreign relations’ committee earlier this month, expressed concern over plans to launch ferry services between Maldives and Cochin, India.

They said that the main problem is a lack of official records of the people entering the country via sea.

It said that despite a system being established in 2013, that there is no module to collect such information in the past seven years.

The relevant authorities had assured them that these concerns will be shared with the US State Department and other relevant parties.

Minister Maleeh also spoke on the personal identification secure comparison and evaluation system (PISCES), developed by US’ Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation.

Maleeh stated that issues with the system were noticed shortly after he took over in November last year, including lack of maintenance and dependability if shutdown.

The minister said that he had notified the matter to the relevant authorities, which led to the foreign ministry -under President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s guidance- bringing the issues to the attention of American authorities.

He added that the US State Department had attended to this “quickly” and brought all necessary updates.

Minister Maleeh also noted that the previous government had not used the system to its full potential.