The Tribune

AFTER a successful exercise to facilitate the collection of new e-passports at a special collection centre, the Passport Office has announced that the passport collection/issuance centre returns to the regular headquarters on Thompson Boulevard/University Drive, effective Monday.

Chief Passport Officer Superintendent Clarence Russell said: "The special collection exercise during the month of July and the first two weeks of August at the Anatol Rodgers Gymnasium has been an unqualified success, having issued well in excess of 3,000 e-passports to today's date.

"We were able to significantly reduce the number of uncollected passports that had already been processed and the Passport Office staff worked hard to accommodate the general public's summer travel plans.

"We are now satisfied that Bahamians who needed to upgrade to the new e-passports along with those who had special travel plans for the summer holidays or otherwise have now been accommodated in the most efficient fashion."

Mr Russell thanked Minister of Foreign Affairs Darren Henfield for his assistance in publicising the special collection exercise through his appeal to the public.

"For those few who still have passports awaiting collection, the ministry's Passport Office on Thompson Boulevard is open from 9am to 4pm, Monday through Friday," Mr Russel said.

"We additionally take this opportunity to expressly thank the Hon Minister of Education (Jeff Lloyd)," Mr Russell continued, "as well as his management and staff of the Anatol Rodgers School, for the privilege of utilising their facilities.

"We likewise thank the minister of national security for the security provided daily by both the Royal Bahamas Police Force and Royal Bahamas Defence Force details, throughout our operations.

"We commend the public for their patience and support in this endeavour," Mr Russell said.