Immigration officer gets leave for judicial review

Immigration Of-ficer IV Nirmal Bhag-gan obtained leave yesterday before Justice David Myers to apply for Judicial Review against his bosses, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Security and the Chief Immigration Officer. He also got the judge to put a hold on the posting abroad of Im-migration Officers Gangaram Bhaggan and Anthony Hosein, pending the hearing and determination of this matter. In his affidavit, Bhaggan stated that he was invited by his department  to indicatehis interest in serving in one of the overseas missions, and by letter dated May 9, 2002. He unequivocally indicated his interest in serving abroad as an Immigra-tion Attache. However, others, some who were junior to him, were selected and he was by-passed.

He further alleged that another branch of security  had advised his department that he had not “satisfied the eligibility criteria with regard to positive security vetting.”  Bhaggan said that he had never seen an adverse report made against him from any department. He also complained to the court that the committee which makes such recommendations did not meet, yet officers were selected. Appear-ing for him was attorney Seenath Jairam SC, leading Rishi Dass.