During debate in the House Of Assembly on Wednesday Prime Minister, the Hon. Philip Davis defended the government’s efforts to reduce passport fraud and strengthen the system.
Mr. Davis criticized the former Free National Movement administration for its 2019 policy change that allowed lesser requirements for e-passport renewals. He said, “at a time when countries everywhere were moving toward tighter checks, they loosened ours. At a time when the value of the Bahamian passport had to be protected, they reduced the safeguards, and now they want to behave as if they are the defenders of the passport.”
The Leader of the Opposition, Michael Pintard tabled a list of persons purported to be under investigation for passport fraud last week. He responded to the Prime Minister defending the former administration’s decision.
Pintard said, “the list that was laid, the vast majority of those persons on this list were not renewals. These were persons who were applying for a passport under their administration. His point that any adjustments we made relative to e-passport renewals doesn’t arise in this case. The list that he is referring to are persons who applied for new passports under them. We did nothing to make that easier.”
Prime Minister Davis said, “when the Leader of the Opposition waves his papers in this House let the country, let the country understand what he’s really waving is as a result of the work of the Progressive Liberal Party government really enforcing our laws. He’s waving the results of our clean up. He’s waving the evidence produces by a tighter system.”
