CABINET has approved a contract, valued at US$3.7 million, with the Canadian Bank Note Company Ltd, for the procurement of 750,000 blank Jamaican passports.

“The current order is expected to satisfy the local and overseas demand for Jamaican passports for the next three to four years,” said Senator Sandrea Falconer, the minister responsible for information.

She was speaking at Wednesday’s Jamaica House media briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kingston.

Senator Falconer said the blank passports are personalised by the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency, using a Passport Issuing and Control System which is supplied and maintained by Canadian Bank Note Company.

She added that over the years, there have been several upgrades to the passport system and since 2013 these have included new printing technology and increased security features.

“A further upgrade with the introduction of a facial recognition system will come on stream by the end of this financial year,” the Minister informed.