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Chairman of RGD Calls for Single Database

By: , July 8, 2016

The Key Point:

Chairman of the Registrar General’s Department (RGD), Danville Walker, is urging State agencies with responsibility for protecting the identity of citizens to start working together to produce one database for Jamaicans.
Chairman of RGD Calls for Single Database
Photo: Glenis Rose
Chairman of the Registrar General’s Department (RGD), Danville Walker, addresses participants at the Caribbean Civil Registration and Identity Management Conference, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St. James, on July 7. The conference, which will end on July 8, is being held under the theme ‘Civil Registration and Identity Protection: a development imperative’.

The Facts

  • Speaking at the opening of the inaugural Caribbean Civil Registration and Identity Management conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St. James, on July 7, Mr. Walker said a single database would be a win-win for all stakeholders.
  • "The last thing we want is a cititizenry at risk of their identity being stolen and being misidentified,” the Chairman said.

The Full Story

Chairman of the Registrar General’s Department (RGD), Danville Walker, is urging State agencies with responsibility for protecting the identity of citizens to start working together to produce one database for Jamaicans.

Speaking at the opening of the inaugural Caribbean Civil Registration and Identity Management conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St. James, on July 7, Mr. Walker said a single database would be a win-win for all stakeholders.

Mr. Walker, who is a former Director of Elections, said the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) prides itself as an agency which goes beyond the call of duty to protect the identity of citizens.

“One of the things we worked on a lot was trying to bring together a number of the lists that we have throughout Jamaica… and we found it would be such a great thing if we could have one single database,” he said.

Mr. Walker emphasised that proper identification is the bedrock of self-esteem of the ordinary citizen who is able to present his or her documents anywhere in the world with authority.

“What we are finding now in Jamaica is that there are tremendous savings to be had. You cannot plan properly and accurately without proper data, as it is necessary to allocate resources effectively and efficiently,” the Chairman said.

He suggested that the EOJ and RGD with First World systems in place must lead the process.

“The frontier ahead of us in Jamaica is to bring these systems together. The NIS, Tax Administration Jamaica, the Electoral Office, PICA and the RGD must come together to produce one document, so that the citizens benefit from it. The last thing we want is a cititizenry at risk of their identity being stolen and being misidentified,” the Chairman said.

Last Updated: July 8, 2016

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