By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

IMMIGRATION Minister Fred Mitchell pointed to the collapse of existing software as the reason for excessive processing delays at the Department of Immigration and the Passport Office.

Mr Mitchell explained that new border management equipment was in the pipeline and that officials were in the finishing stages of upgrades to management systems; however, the timeline was a “little bit behind”.

At a press conference last week, he also renewed calls for Bahamians to apply for electronic passports amid reports that United States Customs and Border Protection no longer accepts the traditional format.

“Right now, we are being slowed down tremendously in immigration processing and passport applications,” he said, “because of the collapse of the existing software, which needs a lot of work done. We’re trying to get in the finishing stages so that we can move onto the next generation and we don’t have a huge problem facing us in the summer time.”

Mr Mitchell warned applicants to take advantage of the upcoming lull between the Easter and summer holidays, as there was still an eight-week processing period for the e-passport.

“I’m told that if you pass through the US customs facility, they will not accept those (traditional) passports now so that’s the issue,” he said.

“My suspicion is that people have largely done the work of getting the new passports, what I would warn people is that right now with this Easter break there is a heavy load on the Passport Office.

“There will be a lull after Easter but shortly before summer holidays there’s going to be another deluge of applications and it’s important to get in early.”

As of November 30, all Bahamians are expected to have an e-passport and traditional passports will no longer be accepted for international travel.