Chief Passport Officer, Nicholas Symonette appeared at a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on Thursday where he revealed that 98 cases of passport fraud has been referred to the police.

Symonette’s comments came a day after Leader of the Opposition, Michael Pintard released a list of persons under investigation for passport fraud in the House Of Assembly. Pintard said that eight of the people on the list also appear on the voter’s register.

Symonette told reporters, “the existence of these cases should not be interpreted as a failure of the system rather it demonstrates that the strengthened review process now in place are successfully identifying the irregularities and ensuring that the suspected fraud is referred to the appropriate authorities for investigation and possible prosecution.”

It was also revealed at the press briefing that a government policy issued in 2019 reduced the level of scrutiny and verification needed for passport renewals. Applicants were required to present an e-passport, a completed application form, a photo and a National Insurance smart card. This policy has since been reversed.

According to the Chief Passport Officer also explained the procedure for sending cases to the police. “Each referral includes a police report, a sworn statement outlining the findings of the office and a detailed internal audit document that possesses history within the passport system. These measures are taken to ensure transparency.”

The fraud suspects obtained passports with fraudulent marriage documents and immigration certificates which was caught with more stringent scrutiny.

Symonette said, “the integrity of the Bahamian passport must always take precedence over institutional comfort. Where wrongdoing is identified individuals must be charged, held accountable and face the full force of the law ensuring that bad actors are identified, charged and removed is essential to protecting the credibility of the Passport Office and the national document it is entrusted to safeguard.”