Dear Editor,
The United Republican Party (URP) is calling for a Passport Office to be placed in Region 2, (Pomeroon–Supenaam) and at a feasible time, one should be placed in Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
This call comes as a result of numerous complaints and requests made by the citizens of these regions, more so by those in Region 2. Presently, most of the public service offices have been decentralised, and regional capacities have been established, Region 2 also being a beneficiary of this initiative.
However, for no clear reason, a Passport Office was never established in the region. The citizens expressed that one was promised to them since 2011, but, of course, the promise was never fulfilled. Similar sentiments were shared by the Region 7 (Bartica) residents.
The URP has noted several advantages of having a Passport Office in these two regions. One of the most valid reasons is the COVID-19 pandemic which continues to limit our capacity country-wide.
The Central Passport Office in Region 4 (Georgetown) has the capacity to handle only one hundred (100) applicants per day, and once that hundred is met, the rest of the applicants have to be turned away.
Therefore, if one were to travel all the way from the Pomeroon-Supenaam region or the Cuyuni-Mazaruni region and end up getting declined, then we will see money being wasted from the already limited pockets of our brothers and sisters, and the mental fatigue would only grow beyond normal.
Also, from a public health perspective, it is always better to limit movements between regions in a pandemic. There are many other reasons which can be mentioned, such as financial strain, mobility, ease of access, ease of conducting business, and last but not least, giving our citizens their right to a passport.
The URP urges the current administration to please assist the tax-paying citizens of these two regions. We must ensure the comfort of our people, and we must try to understand their pleas from their point of view. We are hopeful to have these offices accommodated within the new budgetary year; or, if possible, before the end of 2021.
Respectfully,
The United Republican Party
