Issuing a passport should be a fairly simple administrative function, but in recent weeks at the main Immigration Office at Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain, the process has been fraught with delays and frustration.
For several weeks, collecting a new or renewed machine-readable passport (MRP) has involved lining up outside the office hoping, usually in vain, to be served within the few short hours it stays open. Since mid-May, after the Public Service Association (PSA) led a walkout of staff over health and safety concerns, the office has been open only for half the day.
People are being advised to visit other branches to access some passport services but they still run into difficulties with the collection system, since all passports are processed and produced at the Port-of-Spain head office.Even at the best of times, applying for and collecting a passport can be a time-consuming exercise, sometimes requiring several visits to the office. To make matters worse, there is now the seasonal high demand, with many people planning their travel over the July/August vacation period.
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