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Maria Marin Moves Over to Refugee Dept
posted (May 9, 2016)
The Head of the Refugee Department which is handling the applications coming in is Maria Marin, who happens to be the former Acting Director of Immigration. As we told you last week Wednesday, she was replaced by Career Foreign Affairs Officer Diana Locke. Marin reported to work at her new post on Thursday, and in the evening, we asked her new boss, Immigration Minister Beverly Castillo, about the need for the change.

She told us that the change is an infusion of new blood, and is not in any way a demotion for Maria Marin:

Hon. Beverly Castillo, Minister Responsible for Immigration
"I believe that with all that has happened in Immigration, I know that we are in the media spotlight on that matter and for me as the new minister responsible I thought we should inject new blood, bring new focus and move forward in a positive way in trying to restructure, to enhance and to build on what we have in Immigration for improvement of service delivery."

Daniel Ortiz
"Can you talk to us about the conversations you've had with Ms. Marin and what was the sentiment she had when you informed her of your decision that a change would be in your mind appropriate?"

Hon. Beverly Castillo, Minister Responsible for Immigration
"Ms. Marin felt that as a public officer that she should have been treated fairly and we ensured that the public services commission, recommendations were made for her to be appointed to that of a head of department and Ms. Maria is now the head of the Refugee Department. So she still is i Immigration and she is still going to be very valuable in terms of her intuitional knowledge of what is inside Immigration right now."

Daniel Ortiz
"So is this a promotion or demotion and if it is, is this in any way the new regime for Immigration sanctioning her?"

Hon. Beverly Castillo, Minister Responsible for Immigration
"I believe it's a promotion. Ms. Maria up to last week I believe was the acting director of Immigration. She is now the director of refugees. And so that is a promotion to a head of department position and coincidentally she was promoted to that of the director of immigration and then transferred to that of director of refugees."

Marin had been running the Immigration Department since early 2013.

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