Belize cabinet approves national digital ID roll out

The Cabinet of Belize has given its greenlight for a countrywide rollout of a biometrics-based national digital ID system, which the government says will happen within the next three years.

The approval comes after a successful pilot of the project which is overseen by the e-Government and Digitalization Unit of the Ministry of E-Governance.

According to authorities, the digital ID will serve as the unique identification tool for all citizens and legal residents, and aligns with the nation’s 2022-2025 digital transformation strategy. It is also meant to simplify access to public and private sector services by bringing in greater “efficiency, transparency and responsiveness.”

The pilot lasted six months and involv%ed 500 individuals, the CEO of the Ministry of E-Governance, Jose Urbina told Love FM in an interview.

He said after the cabinet approval, the government will continue consultations with other stakeholders especially in the area of procurement, in order for the process to advance.

The central American country of less than 500,000 people currently has many functional IDs such as the social security card, driver’s license and voter’s card, but has no unique national digital ID.

“The initial timeline to complete the national ID project is in three years’ timeline. Mind you, we are very hopeful because we have done the pilot project that we would be able to accelerate the deployment and begin the enrollment of citizens on this new platform,” the CEO said.

“So, we can be a little bit more aggressive, but we also need to take into consideration the legislation that comes along with the national ID,” the official added.

Urbina also underscored the importance of laying a solid foundation for the project through adequate infrastructure, a sound legal framework, stakeholder engagement, and sensitization on the importance of the national digital ID.

“The national ID is a secure national identification card that identifies you as a person, as a Belizean or a resident, and proves that you are that person holding that card,” he said, adding that biometrics will be linked to the card.

Meanwhile, a Belize government press office statement states that the cabinet approval also calls for “the development and implementation of a comprehensive onboarding strategy to ensure that all citizens are registered in a timely and effective manner.”

“The nationwide adoption of the National ID will significantly enhance the efficiency, transparency, and responsiveness of public and private services in Belize, marking a major step forward in the country’s digital transformation agenda,” it notes.

Article Topics

Belize  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  Caribbean  |  digital ID  |  identity document  |  national ID