Castries – Friday, March 21, 2014– The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) through its Port Police Department, today announces that effective April 30^th, 2014, all passes issued under the former Pass Identification System, will be invalid for entry into the airports and seaports. The Authority advises port users who have not obtained their new passes to do so prior to the abovementioned date, to avoid any inconvenience.

According to Mr. David Maitre, Deputy Chief of Port Police, Northern Division, “It is imperative that port facilities adhere to international security requirements mandated by the International Maritime Organisation and the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The benefits of following these procedures are two-fold.  Effective procedures minimize security risks for the authority and create a safer port environment for the general public.”

The implementation of the upgraded Pass Identification System which commenced in June 2013 was to ensure compliance with national and international security requirements, which require ports from the entire global community to consistently upgrade their systems to meet current and improved security standards at air and sea port facilities.

Application forms for port identification passes can be obtained from the Port Police Department at SLASPA’s Headquarters or downloaded from the website www.slaspa.com.