The Government will be spending $2.3 billion in the upcoming fiscal year to continue implementation of the voluntary National Identification System (NIDS) for Jamaica.

NIDS is expected to provide a secure, reliable and unique method of authenticating an individual’s identity.

The money, which has been set aside in the 2021-22 Estimates of Expenditure, will be used to complete modifications for five enrolment and production sites, establish production centres, complete the framework for the Registrar General’s Department transformation, and complete the digitisation of birth certificates.

The money will also go towards the establishment of the National Public Key Infrastructure (NPKI), under the NIDS project. The NPKI, which forms part of the non-NIDs aspect of the project, will enable trusted electronic identities for people, services and things and make it possible to implement strong authentication, data encryption and digital signatures, based on a certifying authority.

Data security entrusted to the government, which has for some time been a concern for detractors of NIDS, has recently been thrown into the spotlight after revelations from online media outlet TechCrunch of security lapses associated with the government online portal, JamCOVID.

Up to December 2020 under the NIDS project, the NIDS revised policy was approved and a draft Bill prepared and presented, a communication strategy was developed and is being implemented, and designs were completed for 24 enrolment sites and production centres.

In addition, a NIDS solution contract was entered into and equipment was delivered to the data centre, and formal partnerships were established with e-Gov Jamaica Ltd, Jamaica Post and the Registrar General’s Department to implement NIDS.

The project is being implemented by the Office of the Prime Minister, with funding from the Inter-American Development Bank and the Government of Jamaica.

Starting in February 2018, it is scheduled to run until February 2024.