By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Darren Henfield said his ministry has created an internal committee tasked with improving procedures at the Passport Office, as applicants seeking new travel documents this week described the process as “frustrating” and “backwards”.

Complaints of long lines and disorganisation have long plagued the Passport Office.

When asked about these matters yesterday, Mr Henfield acknowledged these are “ongoing issues” but told The Tribune the problems are being looked at “very assiduously”. 

“The space in the Passport Office is much too small for the crowds that we try to entertain there on a daily basis,” Mr Henfield said. 

“So we have space issues, we’re looking at the staffing issues. Hopefully we’re going to be able to renew some applications online very shortly. That will alleviate some of the stress from the Passport Office. 

“But these are ongoing issues that you know come up from time to time. In the summer, they’re magnified when Bahamians wait sometimes too late to come all at once to get their passports renewed.”

When asked about reports there is a quota system at the office and that people are turned away after that, Mr Henfield replied: “My understanding is that the space can only allow for like a hundred a day. That’s my understanding.” 

He added people aren’t necessarily sent away from the premises, telling this reporter that “to put it that way would be unfair”.

“Not sent away - either you can get in or you can’t,” he said.  

When asked if he can promise there will be some relief, Mr Henfield said he could not promise, but noted a committee has been tasked with reviewing these matters. 

“I can make no promises,” he said. “I say we’re looking at it very assiduously. We’ve tasked a committee to look at all things to do with the Passport Office and to see how we can make the experience a little bit more better for Bahamians. 

“It’s an internal committee in my ministry. We have been looking at it for the past two weeks or more. On Monday we had a very serious focus session and we hope to see some results.”

Yesterday The Tribune canvassed the Passport Office, where the line spilled over from inside the building to outside. Some individuals reported waitingtimes of over eight hours and noted they had been required to make multiple trips to the facility due to being sent away on previous days. 

Renique Gibson, 29, told The Tribune yesterday marked her fourth day seeking assistance at the Passport Office. 

When asked about her experiences, she said: “Coming here early in the morning, like three in the morning you’ll come and when you come they’ll serve other people they would say wasn’t served from yesterday. So they would do it the following day, which is the day that we come.

“And I don’t feel it’s fair, because I feel like that situation should be dealt with in a different way. Because we wait from three, now it’s like 11, I’ve been turned around four times.” 

Ms Gibson said applicants are instructed to write their names down in their order of arrival, and they are called in that order. 

“But then when you reach to a certain point, they say they can’t serve no more. Which I don’t think is fair after waiting for so long.

“It could be more organised, they could do things better, they could give you better understanding instead of just pushing you aside because people have children to take care of, they have jobs to go on, so it’s (already) a sacrifice to come and get this. I mean if you’re a Bahamian, I don’t understand what’s the fight.”

Desiree Cartwright, 39, called out the safety risks of people having to be outside the government office at such early hours. 

“I got up at 3.30 yesterday morning, left home at 4am,” Ms Cartwright said. “I reached the Passport Office at 4.30. When I came here I met people here. So my thing is, why is it that you have to come out your bed at 4am, all (this stupidity) happening round these days — people getting rob, people getting rape, and you gotta come out your bed at 4am with ya child to come to get an early number to get a passport.

“You come, no light, dark, pitch-black, no security, no police officer, no defence force officer. That’s ridiculous.”