Immigration Officers Train on Upgraded MIDAS Border Management System

More than one hundred immigration officers are receiving training in the use of the upgraded Migration Information and Data Analysis System, known as MIDAS.  The training began on September 14 at the Central Information Technology Office and runs through Friday. About twenty-five officers are taking part each day, with one hundred and twenty-five officers expected to complete the training this week. Another group will be trained next month.  MIDAS is used to register travellers entering and leaving Belize and to manage information at the country’s border points. The sessions are intended to ensure that officers across the country use the system in the same way and that traveller information is recorded accurately and securely.  The training follows a recent upgrade of the system’s software and equipment. It is being led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with funding from the European Union and in coordination with the Department of Border Management and Immigration Services.  Officials say the upgrade, along with the training, should make processing more efficient for travellers while giving immigration officers better tools to carry out their work. It is also expected to strengthen security and improve the quality of the information used to manage migration in Belize.