Antigua and Barbuda’s Immigration Department has defended a previous policy of seizing passports of non-national children visiting the country, following an outcry from the Guyana government.But the Ministry of National Security has announced an end to the practice, saying that it has replaced it with another type of security measure – bond and sureties.A statement on the matter was issued on the heels of complaints from Guyana’s Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett,Cheap NFL Jerseys, who said the government had received reports of the passports of Guyanese children being seized when they were travelling with their parents. She said she had written to the Antigua and Barbuda government seeking clarification on that policy.The National Security Ministry explained in its statement that it had to take steps to stop the growing trend where,Cheap Hockey Jerseys, during the summer months, a significant number of minors from certain Caribbean countries would travel to Antigua on the pretext of a vacation but would ultimately remain in the country and seek to gain entry into the school system.“Given the capacity challenges in the school system and in an effort to avoid further overcrowding of schools, the Immigration Department had implemented a policy of holding the passports of visiting minors as a guarantee of their departure within the specified time of their visit,” it said.However, it said that policy was recently reviewed by the ministry and the Office of the Attorney General and the practice has since been discontinued. The statement did not say when that occurred.“Instead, the Department will seek to fully enforce the provisions of section 21 (2) (a) – (h) of the Act…Some applicants for entry into the country may now be required to provide a bond and such sureties from the resident host as may be deemed appropriate,” the statement added.The Ministry of National Security complained that the continuous flow of immigrants into Antigua has had an overwhelming impact on the country’s social infrastructure,Cheap Jerseys For Wholesale, especially as it relates to healthcare and education.It pointed to data from the Ministry of Education which revealed that approximately 13 per cent of all government primary school students are non-nationals. Further, almost 30 per cent of students attending government secondary schools are non-nationals. Statistics also showed that 37 per cent attended private secondary schools in Antigua.Additionally,Cheap Soccer Jerseys, statistics from the Immigration Department of Antigua and Barbuda reveal that within the last nine months, over 14,000 applications were made and approvals granted for extensions of time to remain in the country. Nationals of the Republic of Guyana were the largest group of applicants seeking an extension of time to remain in the country,Wholesale Jerseys, the ministry added. (Source: Caribbean 360.com)