The Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN) has said its officers are expected to be guided by a Code of Conduct and other policies. Commissioner Abla G. Williams said the code of conduct, about 4,000 copies printed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), are guidelines for BIN personnel.

She made the disclosure during the Bureau's one-day first quarter retreat dubbed: "BIN Strategic Work-plan Retreat," held Saturday at the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary in Paynesville.

The treat, which brought together senior level personnel of the Bureau, focused on 3 key areas to include Work Plan for 2013 with the emphasis on Administration, Naturalization and Operations; Manpower Establishment Plan with the focus on placement of staff in each section or unit, schedules/responsibilities of duties, ranks criteria that determine placement; and Security Sector Results Matrix-BIN Areas of Intervention to strengthen recruitment across institutions, especially women; deliver situation training on joint responses to major disasters; as well as ensuring that all counties, zones, depots, and sections have operational mobility and equipment.

Other areas are constructive engagements with the MRU, ECOWAS, WAPOCO, AU, Interpol and other international policing bodies; and establishment of local, regional global activities coordination/cooperation offices within BIN with channels of communications specified in clean SOP and defined strategy.

Strengthening the processes of monitoring, reporting and penalty enforcement for corrupt practices; reinforce community forums for BIN and conduct community sanitization exercises regarding SALW formed part of the discussions during last weekend's retreat.

The Bureau could be the first para-military body here to ensure that its personnel are practically guided by a Code of Conduct. Meanwhile, the BIN Commissioner has spoken of the need for a prospective relocation, but did not disclose where, when and how this would happen. writes TKS.