Skip to playerSkip to main content
  • 20 hours ago
The Government's revised policy on diplomatic passports continues to draw mixed reaction, but former Attorney General and former diplomat Garvin Nicholas believes the decision is justified and supports greater accountability.
Tv6's Nicole M Romany.
Transcript
00:00Former Attorney General Gavin Nicholas says he supports the government's decision to call on former Prime Ministers Dr. Keith Rowley
00:08and Stuart Young to surrender their diplomatic passports.
00:13He believes it is fair and consistent with the purpose of diplomatic passports.
00:18I'm actually in full agreement with the government. Diplomatic passports and even official passports are not attached to persons, they're
00:26attached to offices.
00:27Nicholas explains that diplomatic passports carry significant privileges when traveling internationally, including facilitating official engagements, expediting immigration procedures, and supporting
00:42diplomatic functions.
00:43He says these privileges exist to enable the effective conduct of state business rather than to serve as a personal
00:52entitlement.
00:52Honestly, this matter, it's a storm in a teacup, and Mr. Young, as a former Prime Minister, for what it's
01:05worth, is no longer a Prime Minister.
01:07He is not even the leader of the opposition, he's a member of Parliament.
01:11If he is given an official passport so that he can travel and be recognized for the current office that
01:18he holds, I think is sufficient.
01:20And requesting and making a big fuss about having a diplomatic passport tells me that maybe he actually shouldn't actually
01:32have one.
01:32Responding to claims by former Prime Minister Steeot Young that the decision amongst victimization, Nicholas says he does not believe
01:41the revised policy is directed at any individual.
01:44There is no victimization here. In fact, I believe that even in the UK, former Prime Ministers don't keep diplomatic
01:51passports, even though they are recognized much more than our former Prime Ministers are,
01:58which I think is a problem here, to be quite honest, the way we treat our former Prime Ministers, and
02:04even former Presidents, leaves a lot to be desired.
02:09Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
Comments