BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

The Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, has criticised the latest decision by the United States Government to amend the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

The amendment delays the implementation of the new passport requirements until June 1, 2009, for land crossings at the Mexican and Canadian borders and for cruise passengers coming to the U.S. from the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada or Bermuda.

But it still requires all U.S. citizens travelling by air to these regions to have a passport by January 8, next year.