A DRAFT order empowering the Government to require British Dependent Territory Citizen (BDTC) passport holders to switch to British National Overseas (BNO) passports is expected to be tabled in the British Parliament within a fortnight.
Under pressure from legislators sitting on the sub-committee studying the nationality issue, the Deputy Secretary for Security, Mr Ken Woodhouse, said he understood that the draft Order in Council would be tabled this week or next.
He said he had written to London to ask about the timetable for the order, but had received a vague reply.
''I understand that is going to be tabled this week or next week, but it will take four to six weeks for discussions,'' he said.
The Government hoped to enact the order before the end of this parliamentary session, which closes in July, he added.
Legislators were unhappy that the Government had failed to provide them with the wording of the draft order and the date it would be tabled, despite requests at recent meetings.
They said the uncertainty could stall their efforts to lobby influential British politicians against the implementation of the proposed phased programme.