Passport Office working overtime to deal with backlog

Senator Fred Mitchell.

As of Friday, July 24, 2015

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell says authorisation has been obtained for staff at the Passport Office to work overtime to deal with the backlog and the anticipated demand for passports ahead of the public holiday in August.

According to Mr Mitchell, overtime hours were initiated two days ago and there are plans to bring in additional manpower to assist the staff.

While in Grand Bahama on Friday, the minister held a press conference at the BIS Office to clarify a number of things concerning the delivery of passports.

He stressed that the Passport Office is trying to do the best it can to deal with the situation concerning the backlog. In Grand Bahama, there are some 1,500 passports still outstanding.

“There is a problem with the backlog in Nassau and Grand Bahama,” Mr Mitchell said, “and we got permission from Ministry of Finance to work overtime. We think it will break the back of it.

“And we are particularly sensitive to the fact that the public holiday is coming up on August 3, and so we know just before the holiday there is always a demand for passports,” he added. “And I am trying bring in extra manpower on the evening prior to the weekend to see whether or not we can anticipate what the demand is going to be and to lessen the shortage that exists.”

Mr Mitchell is urging Bahamians to be respectful and patient with staff, and for staff to do the same.

“There has got to be mutual respect,” he said. “We are trying to do the best we can; our best may not be good enough but it is the best we can do at the moment, and I am just urging people to be civil and patient in the circumstances.”

He also warned that November 15 is the deadline for all Bahamians to have e-passports as the handwritten passports will not be accepted at the border for passage to another country beyond the deadline date.

As a result of this, Mr Mitchell said there has been great demand for e-passports. He also noted that passports for minors expire every five years which is also contributing to the demand and backlog they are experiencing at the Passport Office.

The Foreign Affairs Minister said there is confusion in Grand Bahama concerning the cost of passports. He said the fee for passports remains at $50 and the wait time is approximately 12 weeks.

“It is longer than we would like because it is up from six weeks just last year, but it has been an unusual demand for passports, especially during the summertime when people are travelling,” he said, adding that those requiring a passport within 48 hours will have to pay a $200 fee.

In order to avoid passport troubles, Mr Mitchell advised persons to apply for passports 12 weeks in advance of their travel plans. He said persons and large family groups travelling together should check to ensure that passports are valid before booking travel arrangements or going to the airport.

“We are trying to sensitise people to this because often it is discovered at the airport that someone’s passport has expired,” he said.

Mr Mitchell also explained that the $200 fee in addition to the $50 fee will apply to those who have lost two passports within 12 months.

“We found in the Consulate Office overseas that there are chronic losers of passports, and it usually happens in the South Florida area,” Mr Mitchell said. “We have issued warnings for Bahamians not to leave their passports in the glove compartment and in a briefcase in their vehicle because Bahamians, it appears, are targets at shopping malls in South Florida.”

SP 8 years, 8 months ago

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Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 8 months ago

What most Bahamians do not understand is that other governments around the world, like the U.S., Canada and the U.K., are very carefully observing the out-of-control nature of our passport issuance procedures. Already Canada has put the Bahamas on a list with 30 other countries whereby a Bahamian passport alone will not be sufficient to gain entry into Canada, even though Canada and the Bahamas are both Commonwealth countries. The Canadian government now plans to do its own due diligence and vetting of Bahamians to determine for themselves which of us can have travel privileges to Canada. The Canadian government simply believes it can no longer trust the chaos in the Bahamian passport office under Fred Mitchell's portfolio to issue passports to bona fide Bahamians who do not present a security risk to Canada. This is what happens when Christie appoints a an incompetent bungling idiot like Fred Mitchell to oversee the proper management of the affairs of our passport office....our passport office has imploded into absolute chaos under his watch...and we the Bahamian people suffer by having our travel wings clipped, not only by the chaotic processing delays within our imploded passport office, but also by other countries like Canada that are rightfully very fearful of the security risks the mismanagement and resulting chaos presents for them. Fred Mitchell should hang his head in shame and resign from the cabinet. He is now nothing a serious national embarrassment for all Bahamians. His recent comments about deporting Sarkis Izmirlian are but one example of his scornful, belligerent attitude; his lack of diplomacy and airs of superiority are traits that this wannabe intellectual will never be able to overcome and are very much ill-suited to his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs. The reputation of our nation in the eyes of others has been seriously damaged by his shameful conduct on so many occasions. Many of our foreign friends find him utterly disgusting and repulsive in so many ways. How much longer are we Bahamians going to be made to continue to suffer as a result of Christie's tolerance of this grossly incompetent and disgraceful buffoon?

Reality_Check 8 years, 8 months ago

Sadly, the picture from Canada's perspective is much bigger and much more serious than the one you have painted. The Canadian banks operating in the Caribbean/West Indies have pointed out to the Canadian government that organised crime is growing rapidly in countries like ours because of the corrupt ties between certain of our cash greedy senior politicians and well-known racketeering mobsters who now have extensive cross-border criminal activities within our part of the world. The Canadian government was flabbergasted when the Christie-led PLP government unconstitutionally ignored the will and wishes of the Bahamian people as expressed in the duly held referendum we had not too long ago. From Canada's perspective, the corrupt Christie-led PLP government now presents a security risk that they must react to in an appropriate way, even if it means innocent Bahamians must suffer in the meantime until they replace their government with one much more acceptable to the global community.

MonkeeDoo 8 years, 8 months ago

People that support this Government (other than Franky (Snake) Wilson ) only go to the Flea Market in Miami, or don't go anywhere, so this is no hardship for them. The people with kids wanting to go to school in Canada will also find themselves up a gum tree. If the government ever bring that legislation in and truly legalize the web-shops , it will be more than this kick in the arse we get.

sheeprunner12 8 years, 8 months ago

How's that MOFA email for backlog passports helping??????? ........ I used it and got a standard issue reply ............. but no answer on when my passport will be ready ....... was that another PR stunt by Fweddy?????????????......... any responses..........

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