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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1976

IMMIGRATION AND REGISTRATION OF PERSONS DEPARTMENTS COMBINED

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THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AND THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS DEPARTMENT WILL BE AMALGAMATED ON APRIL 20 NEXT YEAR.

THE PRESENT REGISTRATION OF PERSONS DEPARTMENT WILL BECOME A DIVISION WITHIN THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AND WILL BE KNOWN AS THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS OFFICE.

THE PRESENT COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION, MR. J.V.G. MITCHELL, WILL GO ON PRE-RETIREMENT LEAVE ON APRIL 20, 1977. ON THAT DAY, MR. J.M. ROWLANDS, DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION WILL ASSUME CONCURRENT RESPONSIBILITY AS THE COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION.

COMMENTING ON THE AMALGAMATION, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THIS IS PART OF GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUING EFFORTS TO STREAMLINE GOVERNMENT MACHINERY TO PROVIDE A MORE EFFICIENT SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC. THE AMALGAMATION OF THE TWO DEPARTMENTS WILL ALSO RESULT IN RATIONALIZATION OF PROCEDURES AND RESOURCES, AND WILL GENERALLY IMPROVE COST-EFFECTIVENESS.

THE FUTURE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS OFFICE WILL HOWEVER CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN THE SAME BRANCH AND SUB-OFFICES FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL CONTINUE TO APPLY FOR IDENTITY CARDS AND AMEND THEIR REGISTERED PARTICULARS AT THE SAME OFFICES AS THEY DO AT PRESENT.

CONSIDERATION WILL, HOWEVER, BE GIVEN TO WHETHER THE SERVICES AT PRESENT PROVIDED BY THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS BRANCH AND SUB-OFFICES COULD BE SIMILARLY PROVIDED BY IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT BRANCH OFF ICES.

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