Zed passports …what i feel/issues!

[bigwil]

What the hell is all this nonsense, who plans such things? Somebody needs to seriously look into this real quick, because this is gross mismanagement at its worst. Which government in its right frame of mind does this? We all know everything is going digital, from TVs to game consoles, and now passports. We certainly appreciate the fact that Zambia is now headed in the right direction, but please let us learn to crawl before we can fly; things should be done in phases. Even developed countries do not change things over …just like that.

A perfect example will be the UK itself, I worked for one of the UK’s passport offices for nearly a year; and I can swear to you that these guys went digital before Zambia even knew what that meant, but up to date (2009); non-digital passports are still running alongside the digital. This is a developed country; they know just how impossible it is to try changing over …over night, it is financially straining; not only on the people, but the government itself (need I explain more?). Changing over is a big thing no matter how small the change is, so who are we; “a third world” …straggling to make it, but yet imposing unreasonable requests that will in turn corrode the direction of development itself.

Do not get me wrong, this is a brilliant idea; but just let the non-digital run alongside the digital, let those that feel they need to go digital before their old p/ports expire …go ahead and do so. Let those that are applying for a passport for the first time, go digital; ‘coz they obviously have no choice, change has come. Also let those renewing go digital, it has to be done. But please …do not under any circumstances let everybody; be it renewal or first time, apply for this at the same time; it will be total mayhem, & will not work. Some have had to put their visit back home on hold because of this fiasco; do these guys have any idea what sort of inconvenience and financial losses that people will have to endure just to have this sorted? None of them will be seen even close to the passport office, if anything they already had their digitized diplomatic passports before we even knew what in the hell was going on.

On a lighter note, no disrespect to other countries that carry a green passport; but I know of one country that has a damaged image worldwide because of most of its people’s crookedness and thieving characteristics. Hence, I for one; would certainly not want to be generalised before the inspectors realise that I am carrying a Zed passport. The flag has so many colours, why would one want to choose green; is it because it’s your favourite colour? Whatever happened to asking for the public’s opinion? You just turn over and ask your wife, she says green; and that’s it! Doesn’t my opinion count…?

“bigwil”

[mistryman]

there is much sense in what you posted man...big ups

[Kibeazy]

Much of what you have said is nonsense (personal opinion to be precise) purely because you actually haven't dug deep into why these changes have come about. I just hope the guys that we paid to have our passports renewed were true representetives of the government pantu we didn't ask for any sort of I.D and we filled out papers dated 19_ _...eeeeeeeek!!!!! LOLZ

[Stacy]

What's all this leading to...?

[Mose]

Well written ze Bige'

[Yung Taikun(Wathafuc)]

I think it's too late for an armchair revolution because there is really nothing to do but be forced to accept their changes. If only they would phase out the old passports and bring in the new ones not giving deadlines. I would rather push for dual nationality than push for a lost cause because i think this battle is already lost.

[bigwil]

Much of what you have said is nonsense (personal opinion to be precise) purely because you actually haven't dug deep into why these changes have come about. I just hope the guys that we paid to have our passports renewed were true representetives of the government pantu we didn't ask for any sort of I.D and we filled out papers dated 19_ _...eeeeeeeek!!!!! LOLZ

One need not go deeper than the catastrophe at the p/port office back home right now, forms running out; & the anger expressed by all. In fact u the first I've come across, "any relation to the fool behind this?" Obviously you missed the whole point, or was it the need to just post something? I've noticed you've chosen a special time to humiliate yourself in public ...I didn't say it was a bad idea, & yes u got only one thing right; it was a personal opinion, no precision about it, 'coz the title: "what I feel/issues", says it all.
This is what I said: "Do not get me wrong, this is a brilliant idea; but just let the non-digital run alongside the digital, let those that feel they need to go digital before their old p/ports expire …go ahead and do so. Let those that are applying for a passport for the first time, go digital; ‘coz they obviously have no choice, change has come. Also let those renewing go digital, it has to be done. But please …do not under any circumstances let everybody; be it renewal or first time, apply for this at the same time; it will be total mayhem, & will not work."
So basically my argument is that putting an expiry date to this was a total error. Almost every country in the world is going digital, some have been doing it for a few years now; they didn’t force people into doing it before a certain time. Congratulations you have done it; you deserve a pat on the back, but what about the poor fellow who after working so hard to raise funds for his p/port in November 2008, only to be told that his credentials that were meant to last him ten years will suddenly be invalid by February 2009. Those are the issues I am trying to point out, its common sense, I didn’t have to fill out more paragraphs …but I guess common sense isn’t all that common after-all!

[Kibeazy]

Thats it son let it all out....now breath in!!!!!!!feel the breeze...fresh air!!!BASSSSKKKK IN IT!!

[Mus]

Bigwil,

You seem to be lost in your own insolated world. Zambia is not not an island but is part of this whole thing called the Global world. This as it may means that there are rules that we have to follow that the rest of the global world is following.

One rule is that Zambia can only have two different passports in circulation at the same time for six months only. This is one of the rules governing the world today. As Zambians, we were informed in September 2008 that when the new passports were first issued, that the current black will not longer be in use after the end of February 2009.

Now that we are nearing February 2009, some of us are now complaining that the notice is too short when in actual fact we were given six months to change our passports. The problem I see here is that some of us Zambians are good at complaining most of the time. This is not good for ourselves or our country.

I'm one of those peolpe that too the initiative to change my passport immediately I heard of the change of passports, and to tell you the true there was no much "Chikwela" then. The "Chikwela" is bad now because some of us Zambians like to wait for the "last minute" to do things (which is not good).

As for the colur green, lets not forget that its is one of our national colours. In fact it is the the most prominant colour on the Zambian flag. In addition to this, there are additional security features like the passport-holder's picture that appears like a watermark in the passport. This I feel will not be easy to forge if at all it will be forged.

I may however agree with you that these passports still need a bit of more improvement like covering the back of the photo with plastic so that no mosture can get onto the picture. I however would like to give a pat on the back of the Zambian Passport office for introducing these passports which I feel are better than the old forgeable ones that are currently being phased out.

So to Bigwil and others like him/her who want to continue waiting for an extension on the use of the current passport, please change your passport now before its too late.

Mus.