Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has cleared the air as it relates to the delay of the issuance of ePassports, stating that Dominica is in the process of re-negotiation with the Canadian Bank Note, the company responsible for printing the ePassports.
He made the disclosure during a press conference held on Tuesday.
In recent times Dominicans both here and abroad have raised concerns over the delay of issuance of passports. However, Mr. Skerrit said this situation will be improved very soon.
“In respect to the availability of passports, now because we had placed a period where you had to transition from the old passports to the new passports, you would have found that people rushed and used up all of the passports which we would have programmed for a longer period of time,” he said. “Then the agreement that we had with the Canadian Bank Note came to an end and we had to go through the process of the re-negotiation of the agreement.”
He continued, “The agreement still has not been signed. We are still waiting for them to get back to us, but outside of that agreement we have been able to procure additional books.”
According to him, the government ordered 50,000 books in total, “and so they are unable to give us the full quantity one time, so they are going to be sending to us in tranches, but now we have some books and so we are issuing passports.”
However, Mr. Skerrit said there was an unfortunate challenge earlier this month, “but I think as the days go by, we are overcoming that challenge.”
He revealed that Dominica has cleared all the points in the agreement and is now waiting on the Canadian Bank Note to clear their point.
“But I think we are making good progress and I am hoping in the next few days we can sign this agreement and this issue we have will be an issue of the past,” Mr. Skerrit stated.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister revealed Dominica owes the Caribbean Bank Note Company Limited, “but that was not the prevailing issue.”
“The prevailing issue was that obviously the guys wanted to secure the next contract for the next few years,” he explained. “We hadn’t done that and if you are owing them that is compounded and so on. So, we have been able to address this thing and separate the issue…”
He went on to state that there are two components to the agreement. Firstly, the provision of the books and secondly the border security machines where the passports are read.
“The first contract agreement we had with them these were together, what we have said to them separate the two,” Mr. Skerrit explained. “So, we make a requisition for books we pay you, that is separate from the equipment considerations because there are other details in regards to the issues relating to the software and the hardware that they provide to us.”
The new passport contains both overt and covert security features that are woven into the design as well as a microchip that is used to authenticate the passport holder’s identity, adhering to the highest international standard.
According to the Canadian Bank Note Company Limited which designed and created the new passports, they have incorporated a modern and aesthetic design that reflects the nature of Dominica and displays the country’s landmarks, flora, and fauna.
The application process remains the same as for the machine-readable passport. Applicants are required to download the forms from the government website at www.dominica.gov.dm or pick up a physical copy at the immigration department. Applicants are also required to submit along with the applications, two passport-size photos, an original birth certificate, marriage certificate, certificate of naturalization where applicable, and the current or expired passport.
The cost to apply for an ePassport will remain the same at EC$150 for citizens above the age of 16 years and $75 for those under.
Now I understand why you stopped the Anou Parleé programme. This one is unsurpassed. Very well done !! Please let me know when is the next episode
son of a beech
Passport issue.? Ask the many people who have received their passports after paying large sums to the inside Coyotes. Mr Police commissioner how are these transactions happen right underneath your eye. Tips Tips and more Tips. Pure Racket.
we believe all of the lies…
I don’t believe a word Skerrit of what Skerrit said. That is not typically how business if conducted in North America.
Firstly, Skerrit cannot convince me that Canadian Banknote could not fulfill an order for 50,000 passports.
Over the years I have come across some Caribbean manufacturers who have shown interest in our products, and to be frank, I talk to them because they are my people. But the order sizes are tiny by North American standards. These are manufacturers from Jamaica and Trinidad. An order for 50,000 passports is a joke order for Canadian Banknote.
Another thing, when your account is overdue, before they will entertain a new agreement, they want to get paid the outstanding amount.
The company must have said, pay up and then we can talk. Period!!
All that talk by Skerrit was pure jibberish.
The only thing worse than being blind is having physical sight but no vision. It is unarguable, Roosevelt has sight but no foresight. His explanation for the unavailability of passports is convoluted, bordering on folly.
This perpetual Liar has promised to rectify the passport quandary very soon. He said the very thing for:
*missing CBI billions *RUSM replacement *Existing his present abode ($74K tax funded palace) *Geothermal energy *…….
The quality of life in Dominica is precipitously deteriorating. Hunger, none immune cable diseases, dispossession, deaths, crimes, political fissures, police intimidation and brutality, corruption of the judiciary are ‘social staples’ in Dominica. Life is now unbearable for the vast majority. We are doomed under this incompetent, ruling kleptocracy.
“In respect to the availability of passports, now because we had placed a period where you had to transition from the old passports to the new passports, you would have found that people rushed and used up all of the passports which we would have programmed for a longer period of time,” he said.
I don’t like to engage in gutter politics but with a statement like that it’s easy to see why some people refer to this guy as the “Starboy of Stupidity”.
On a side note what was even the point of this new passport? The previous passport already had security features and was machine readable. This new one whatever material they used is poor quality. The covers of the passport get bent out of shape because of whatever they put into it. The passports look ugly and unprofessional. What a disaster