registration cards were not acceptable travel documents to get back into the Island.

He spoke out as regular traveller Curtis Dawson said he was confused about whether the cards were valid to allow him back into the Island.

Mr. Brewer said the cards were never accepted, but Mr. Dawson said he had used his card on dozens of occasions when returning to the Island.

Mr. Dawson said he was told by an official in the Registrar General's office that the photographic cards were valid.

He contacted The Royal Gazette after Immigration officials insisted he produce his passport before allowing him back into the Island when he arrived yesterday morning from Boston.

Mr. Dawson, of Mariner's Way, Spanish Point, said: "I was told when I got the card about ten years ago that it could be used to get through Bermuda Immigration.

"The reason I got it was because I had to keep getting my passport renewed because I was going through so many pages as it was stamped every time I returned to the Island.

"I've since used it on dozens of occasions. Probably two out of three times it works, but on the others I have to show them my passport.

"It's news to me if they've changed the rules. If it wasn't accepted ten years ago, I should not have been told by the Registrar General's office that they were, and if the rules have been changed, the public should be informed.'' Mr. Dawson said there was confusion about the rules, which appeared to be subject to the whim of individual Immigration officers.

He said he always carried his passport, as it was needed to get into other countries, but tried to avoid having it stamped in Bermuda to save renewing it so frequently.

Mr. Brewer said: "We've never accepted Bermuda voter registration cards as proof of identification.

"You can't travel with it. He ought to travel with a passport or a birth certificate with photo identification.

"The voter's registration document does not fit the criteria of a travel document. We do not stamp people's passports if they ask us not to.'' The current Parliamentary Registrar, Lionel Dowling, said he did not know if Mr. Dawson was told by one of his predecessors that he could use his voter's registration card to get into the Island.

When asked if the cards were acceptable, he said: "That's strictly an immigration problem, whether Immigration choose to accept it.

"I find it very unusual that anyone would be told that (it can be used for getting into Bermuda) because we issue the card mainly for identification for voting.''