A New Belizean Passport is Formally Introduced

After a year and a half of planning and carefully coordinating with a team of designers and technology experts from various departments across the Government of Belize, the Briceño administration has introduced a new passport.  The travel document, along with a new electronic passport issuance and control system, succeeds an older, antiquated process that was not foolproof to fraud.  With the help of a Canadian company that specializes in producing security-conscious documents, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration today launched the new system to much fanfare.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Eamon Courtenay

Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“On behalf of the Government of Belize, it’s my pleasure to present to you the first electronic passport ever issued in Belize.  Later on in the program, you will see a video of how this was produced.”

Governor General Froyla Tzalam is the first to receive a new, Belizean passport. The ceremonial handing over of the identification document signals a transition to a modern system.

Eamon Courtenay

“Domestically, a passport serves as an important document of identity and nationality.  It certifies who the bearer is and that you are a Belizean.  Internationally, the passport is the most widely recognized and accepted document to enter a foreign country. Special agreements aside, it is impossible to legally cross an international frontier without a passport.”

The Government of Belize has invested approximately twenty million dollars into developing an electronic travel document for residents of this country.

Eamon Courtenay

“The Government of Belize proudly launches Belize’s electronic passport issuance and control system and our e-passports.  This launch is the culmination of an effort which began in February 2021 when the cabinet approved the procurement of a new passport system.  With national pride as its theme, our new passport was designed by a team of officials from the Ministry of Tourism & Diaspora Relations, the National Institute of Culture & History, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade & Immigration.  It has been expertly produced by Canadian Bank Note [Company] Ltd from Canada.”

CBNC, as it is otherwise known, is a security printing company headquartered in Ottawa. Its clients include private businesses, national and sub-national governments, central banks, and postal services the world over. The company produces passports and a variety of other security-conscious document-related products.

Fuencisla Leal Santiago

Fuencisla Leal Santiago, Representative, Canada Banknote Ltd.

“The launch of the new electronic passport system will result in the implementation of many enhanced features, as Minister Courtenay has very accurately described.  I won’t go into detail, but I would like to highlight three of them.  The first one is a new business process for the handling of applications which will accelerate the e-passport issuance in a paperless environment.  The second is the introduction of an electronic chip in the passport which will carry the passport holder’s digital image and the Government of Belize’s digital signature communicating the authenticity of the traveler and the document to foreign border officials when a citizen of Belize presents their travel document a foreign border.”

Precautions to maintain the safety of the passport are paramount.  The Immigration & Nationality Department, under the present administration, has gone above and beyond to ensure that the document is secure and free from forgery.

Eamon Courtenay

“Ultimately, passports derive their value and power from their integrity.  The capacity and security of the system that generates passports and the integrity of the officials who work that system are the keys to success.  We introduce this new ePICS confident that we will attain an elevated level of security and virtually eliminate corruption and fraud when issuing e-passports.”

Prime Minister John Briceño was presented with a framed collection of the new Belizean passport.

Eamon Courtenay

“On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade & Immigration, I’d like to present you with a sample of the electronic passports that you can keep prominently to show with pride, this brilliant passport.”

Isani Cayetano for News Five.