TIGHTENING UP ANTI FRAUD PASSPORT MEASURES

Chief Passport Officer Ambassador Nicholas Symonette
The following statement was issued by the Chairman of the PLP Fred Mitchell on the question of alleged fraud cases and Bahamian passports. The Minister’s statement came following the report in the press of the charges brought against six people for fraudulently obtaining passports, and a subsequent comment by the Opposition spokesman on Foreign Affairs Senator Darren Henfield. The Chief Passport Officer Ambassador Nicholas Symonette revealed that a decision taken by the previous administration weakened the system of checks and that the decisions have now been reversed to avoid the fraud.

11 February 2025

The FNM and Senator Darren Henfield are once again late to the table and crying wolf after the horse has bolted the barn. The reason the passport cases are before the courts is because of additional measures taken to protect the security of Bahamian passports since he lost office.

Senator Henfield should know that there will always be fraudulent attempts, but the question is what did he do to stop it when he was there. The record shows that he did nothing. It was left to the present PLP administration to put in place corrections to the defaults of his time in office. The PLP’s efforts are working, and allegations are being prosecuted before the courts. So the Senator can save his crocodile tears.

With identity fraud rising in the US to 842,000 reported cases in 2024 and worldwide reports rising similarly high, an increase in the number of cases in The Bahamas is expected.

We are advised that these cases are the result of the new protocol and strengthened relations with various stakeholders. The difference now is that the perpetrators are being charged before the courts rather than no action taken.

We see these cases as a sign that the new protocols are working and that the Passport Department is carrying out the mandate of protecting our national documents.

We encourage the Passport Department to continue its work and ensure that the tree is shaken until every bad apple falls.

We note the improved service and safety protocols that have been implemented to secure our national identity documents.

We are satisfied that working with domestic and international partners and with continuous upgrades in technology, the security of Bahamian documents is assured.

End