By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said public officers found guilty of passport fraud could face up to ten years in prison if the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is given a second term.

“Under the PLP’s next plan, any public officer who facilitating passport fraud or document fraud will face up to 10 years in prison or up to $50,000 in fines, or both,” Mr Munroe said during a PLP rally on Monday night.

“That is what seriousness looks like. That is what consequences look like. That is what a government does when it wants to protect the integrity of the Bahamian passport, the border, and the rights of Bahamian citizens.”

Mr Munroe added that employers who hire undocumented workers would face stiffer penalties under the plan. Fines would increase to $5,000 for a first offence and up to $15,000 plus 12 months’ imprisonment for a third offence. A Prohibited Employer Register would also be introduced, and violators could be barred from obtaining work permits for up to five years.

His comments come as document fraud remains a key concern ahead of the upcoming election, with several recent fraudulent document cases. Some critics have also questioned how many people using fraudulent documents have gone undetected.

Last week, a Parliamentary Registration Department employee was accused of helping a Haitian woman obtain a voter’s ID and possessing five blank voter cards.

Prosecutors allege that Randy Powell Jr, 31, aided and abetted Tashania Valsaint, 33, in obtaining a fraudulent voter’s card in her name on February 11.

Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard has repeatedly raised concerns about fraudulent document cases under the PLP. Although Mr Pintard has cited several alleged cases under the Davis administration, he has not clearly outlined what his administration would do to combat document fraud.

In November 2025, Mr Pintard claimed that a bag of passports was found on a Bahamasair flight, triggering an internal probe. No evidence was provided to support the claim.

In response, the Davis administration rejected the allegation. Director of Communications Latrae Rahming described Mr Pintard’s comments as “desperate” and “extremely reckless”, adding that relevant authorities had not reported such an incident.

In March, Mr Pintard told the House of Assembly that more than 250 fraudulent document cases were under investigation, tabling what he described as a partial list that included e-passport matters. He expressed concern about individuals using fraudulent identification to participate in the upcoming general election.

However, Chief Passport Officer Nicholas Symonette said 98 suspected passport fraud cases have been referred to police, highlighting ongoing efforts to detect and prevent fraud.

Mr Symonette said internal reviews also identified possible staff involvement in some cases, which were referred for further action where evidence supported it. He added that police identified four individuals in connection with other fraudulent matters not included on the list.

Mr Symonette confirmed that the list tabled by Mr Pintard originated from the Passport Office but said it reflected an earlier subset of referrals. He added that he did not know where Mr Pintard’s figure of more than 250 cases came from.

Mr Munroe previously said investigations found that several people were flagged for obtaining Bahamian passports unlawfully, including through fraudulent marriages, falsified birth certificates, irregular naturalisation records, false citizenship and immigration documents, and failures to follow the legal adoption process.