701 Diplomatic and Service Passports Cancelled
The government has cancelled 701 diplomatic and service passports issued by the previous administration with immediate effect.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the affected passports have been placed on the Stop-List and shall be confiscated from any person attempting to travel with the same.
It followed defiance of a directive recalling Diplomatic and Service Passports issued by the former government.
A statement by the Ministry on May 6 acknowledged the compliance of 407 holders of Diplomatic and 403 Service Passports.
“Consequently, owing to the failure or refusal of the other holders to comply with the directive, the underlisted 341 unreturned Diplomatic and 360 Service Passports bearing the following serial numbers have been hereby CANCELLED with immediate effect on the instructions of the Honourable Minister for Foreign Affairs.”
The affected holders included:
* Former Ministers and Spouses
* Former Members of Parliament
* Former Members of the Council of State and Spouses
* Former/Retired Justices of the Superior and Lower Courts
* Former Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives
* Former Officers of State Institutions, Chairpersons and Members of Boards
* Officials of the National Cathedral Project
* Former Non-Career Ambassadors and Dependents
* Religious and Traditional Leaders
* Businessmen and Entrepreneurs
*Former Government Functionaries and
* All other persons holding official passports not currently serving in any official capacity for the State, or otherwise holding any position that falls under the requirements of sections 6 and 7 of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967(NLCD 155)
