Cay Hill: -- Construction work halted at a construction site yesterday in the Cay Hill area after controllers from the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) immigration and zero tolerance raided the site. The controllers found 19 persons working at the location two of which ran away while 17 was taken to the SVB head office where they were interviewed.
Head of SVB Reginald Williamsburg said one company was found working at the site with some 19 workers. Of the total, only two of them were insured at the Social Insurance Bank while the others were not. Willemsberg said 12 of the workers were detained by the immigration department because they were all residing and working on the island illegally.
On the scene, working was Walters Electrical NV owned by Nathaniel Walters and his brother a registered contractor. The company may have to end up paying close to Naf: 60,000 for hiring of illegal workers.
While an un-determined amount of monies would have to be paid to SVB. The Social Insurance Bank would also issue a fine to the company for not declaring their workers.
The controls Willemsberg said would continue during the week.
SMN News understands the controllers also visited a garage in Arch Road but found no one due to heavy rain. At that location, a dwelling is under construction.
Police Spokesman Johan Janchi Leonard said 15 persons were taken to the police station. He said 12 of them were handed over to immigration for processing and four were later released, three Haitians and one Guyanese. While eight are presently in custody pending deportation, seven of the detained are from Jamaica and one from the island of Dominica. Leonard said he could not say if fines were issued to the employer.
In an invited comment, Chief Prosecutor Taco Stein said his office is yet to receive the report that is to be made up by the police. Stein said based on the law the employer would be fined Naf.5000, 00 for each undocumented worker.
