Gov’t opens new mobile workstation aiming to enroll 150 passports a day

The Government has opened a mobile workstation at the National Museum grounds—aiming to enroll 150 persons a day instead of 50.

This temporary mobile work station is to deal with workers’ applying for new passports under the seasonal workers’ programmes in Australia and New Zealand.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Idustry, Labour and Immigration, Riley Mesepitu told SBMOnline tonight that it is a short term measure to cope with the increasing crowd.

He adds: “Meaning we have two locations to do enrolment and issuance of passport. So instead of enrolling 50 per day we can take in 100 or 150 per day.”

Mesepitu further states that: “We are also planning to acquire additional mobile units so that we can open mobile workstations in the provinces, for instance Gizo, Auki, – provincial centers,” he said.

The PS also confirms that they have recruited additional four graduates within the Passport Unit.

The seasonal workers programmes have now gone past the 4,000 mark and the government hopes to hit 5,000 by the end of the year.

SBMOnline understands that the government is dealing with the 8,000 who applied last year. SBMOnline was further informed that currently 3,000 are still in the pool and will be undergoing interviews and screening before the end of the year.

News@SBMOnline2022