Jamaica embracing digital transformation, revises national ID draft regulation

Jamaican government officials say they will factor in proposals made by members of the public and the private sector to a draft regulation that would oversee how the country’s new digital ID rolls out.

The regulation is specifically about how the National Identification and Registration Inspectorate (NIRI) and the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) will work together to run the digital ID system. It also offers the basis for a framework that would guarantee the security and protection of personal data, officials have assured.

Dr. Warren Vernon, program director of the Jamaica National Identification System (NIDS) told a press conference after a cabinet meeting recently that adjustments are being made to the system after a pilot, and from public comments submitted by Jamaican citizens. The pilot for the digital ID was launched in December 2022.

The Jamaica Information Service (JIS) quotes Vernon as saying during the presser that other than the updates to the regulation, they are also working out a plan to increase the number of centers to be used for biometric enrolment.

Already, at least 10 Post Offices are being transformed into NIDS enrolment centers and work is also being done to improve the way the application process for the digital ID will unfold, he said.

Also speaking during the press conference, Dr. Dana Morris Dixon, minister without portfolio in charge of skills and digital transformation, confirmed that work on the draft regulation is ongoing and that they expect to send it to parliament before the year runs out, writes Radio Jamaica News. The final text of the regulation was supposed to have been in place in September.

Officials used the press conference to re-echo the importance of the NIDS which aims to provide all citizens with a once-in-a-lifetime National Identification Number (NIN) with which they can access services securely and conveniently.

Enrolment for the digital ID is not mandatory, they say, but they believe the demand for it will go up over time when linked to many more government and private sector services.

With the coming of digital ID, the security of data is something to be taken seriously. Delivering a keynote at the National Cybersecurity Awareness Day recently, Dixon said the government is working in this regard in collaboration with other stakeholders.

“We are putting more and more government services online. We can only do that and make it effective if people feel safe using that technology and using those systems that we have,” says Dixon as quoted by JIS in another article.

The NIDS is part of Jamaica’s digital transformation initiative for which the European Union (EU) has announced a €9.5 million (approximately US$10.1 million) support.

The initiative, known as Digital Jamaica, was launched recently, as reported by Jamaica Observer. It entails enhancing education and upskilling for tech teachers, expanding internet connectivity to at least 1,000 schools and children’s homes and supporting other tech adoption initiatives by small and medium-sized businesses.

Helena König, European External Action Service’s deputy secretary general for economic and global affairs, said the initiative is to accompany the Jamaican government in its efforts to bridge the digital divide in the country and bring digital inclusion to underserved communities.

Plan to increase biometrics in digital border management system

In another story related to Jamaica’s digital transformation journey, the government says it plans to upgrade its border management systems in order to enhance security, JIS reports.

Andrew Wynter, executive director of the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) says although they’ve been putting in place a digital border system which includes biometric kiosks and gates, their intention is to modernize the system facilities that will be compatible with emerging technologies.

A biometrics passenger screening system is planned for the Sangster International Airport, the country’s busiest for tourists.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  border management  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  digital inclusion  |  identity management  |  Jamaica  |  National Identification System (NIDS)  |  NIRA Jamaica