KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of National Security, Dr Horace Chang, says additional automated border-crossing (ABC) kiosks will soon be made available at the island’s two international airports.

Speaking at the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) Border Security Conference yesterday held at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel, Dr Chang said the increase in the kiosks will positively impact the processing of incoming passengers at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston and Sangster International in Montego Bay, St James.

 “This will contribute to an overall improvement in services being offered at our ports of entry, including a significant reduction in the wait time in the immigration hall,” he pointed out.

Dr Chang noted that the ABC kiosks, which were introduced in 2014, have boosted PICA’s capacity to process incoming travellers to the island.

 “Recent figures show that wait time within the immigration halls has dropped from a minimum of  three hours to under 80 minutes during peak times over the last two years,” he said.

The kiosks are a partnership between the Ministry of National Security and PICA, with the objectives of enhancing travel facilitation and achieving increased border security. 

The minister expressed gratitude to the border security officers of PICA for their role in improving the borders of the country.

 “A safe and prosperous country is largely dependent on safe borders, and it is your efforts which are responsible for keeping undesirables out of our respective countries while welcoming all legitimate travellers and facilitating commerce,” he said.