Stories by TIM SLINGER

AN APPEAL has been made to the Guyana immigration authorities to scrutinise the distribution of new passports to their nationals.

Chief Immigration Officer Gilbert Greaves said the frequency of illegal passports from the South American country was creating a nightmare for his department, especially at Grantley Adams International Airport.

"It's a very common occurrence and it is far too high. I think that the authorities concerned ought to be able to find some way of stemming this particular activity," he told the DAILY NATION yesterday.

Greaves singled out nationals of Guyana as the main offenders, adding it was causing immense pressure on his airport department.

"We find that persons go down (return to Guyana) and change their names and get a new document and come back in.

"What we are seeing here suggests that something needs to be done."

He said indications suggested there was a loophole in the Guyana immigration system which had responsibility for processing passports.

"The authorities must look at that situation and the ease with which people can get replacement passports on whatever grounds and obtain other people's documents," he said.

Greaves said there were several instances where people caught admitted they bought the illegal passport from someone else.

He also defended his department from charges of wrongdoing, stating he was satisfied with the performance of those who managed affairs at the airport.

"At the airport we expect people to act with propriety. I am not at the desk to know when a chap is wrongdoing, but if we find people doing wrong we take whatever action we consider necessary at the times."

He urged the public, including non-nationals, to bring any complaints of impropriety directly to his office.

"I am not saying people won't do wrong from time to time, but let anybody who's got the evidence come forward and name the people."