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Application for new passports…Police slapped with another court case over birth certificate requirement
Another court case has been filed against the police over the recently introduced birth certificate requirement for new passport applicants.
Businessman Gainlal Sookraj has taken the Chief Immigration Officer, Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, to court to answer why a decision should not be issued overturning the two-year requirement for birth certificates.
This would be the second court case filed against the police in recent times since the new policy came into effect a few weeks ago. It has attracted a lot of criticism and questions over its legality.
Lines at the GPO building have swelled in recent times after controversial birth certificate requirements for new passports came into effect.
Officers of the Immigration Department insisted that it was a policy decision taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
In early June, persons turned up at the Immigration Office and suddenly learnt that they would need to tender birth certificates that were issued no more than six months prior to the date of an application for a new passport.
The General Registrar’s Office at the Guyana Post Office building, was immediately overwhelmed with long lines with the crowds expressing frustration over the situation.
Last month, prominent attorney-at-law, Saphier Husain-Subedar took the matter to court after an immigration officer rejected his birth certificate saying it was older than six months. The lawyer said he questioned the officer and was told that the instructions came from his superiors.
Husain-Subedar immediately went to court asking that the judge overturn the six-month requirement and that he be issued a new passport using his old birth certificate.
Just over a week ago, the court ruled that the six-month requirement was null and void and the Immigration Department grant the lawyer his passport using his old birth certificate.
The Ministry of Home Affairs immediately came out with a notice which said that the six-month requirement had been moved up to two years.
It is unclear now whether the Ministry would be complying with the court orders issued in the Husain-Subedar case as there has been no official statement as yet.
In the meantime, visits by Kaieteur News to the GPO building yesterday still found long lines for new birth certificates.
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