Government to Host NIDS Town Hall Meetings

The Government’s roll-out of a robust national public education campaign on the National Identification System (NIDS) will continue with a series of town hall meetings islandwide.

The first is scheduled for Emancipation Park in New Kingston on Thursday, November 23), starting at 6:00 p.m.

This was disclosed by Director of Communications and Public Affairs in the Office of the Prime Minister, Robert Morgan, during a press conference at Jamaica House on Tuesday (November 14).

He informed that the NIDS team and other stakeholders will be available to answer all queries from the public about the system.

The NIDS, which is scheduled for implementation in 2019, will provide a comprehensive and secure structure to enable the capture and storage of identity information for all Jamaicans.

Under the system, each citizen will be provided with a randomised nine-digit National Identification Number (NIN), which they will have for life.

Mr. Morgan informed that the public education campaign began on Monday (November 13) with advertisements across various media platforms.

“You will note that there are ads on television, in the newspapers, on radio and social media educating people about what the NIDS means,” he said.

The Communications Director further noted that the NIDS team and other related personnel will make themselves available to “all media houses, interest groups, and stakeholder groups to answer whatever questions they wish to ask”.

“There will also be a framework created to update the nation consistently on the steps that are being taken in the implementation of the programme,” he added.

For more information, persons can visit the website: www.nidsfacts.com; follow @NIDSfacts on Twitter and Instagram, NIDS Facts on Facebook; or call: 927-9941-3.

Implementation of NIDS is supported by the National Identification and Registration Bill, which was passed in the Senate on Monday (November 13) with 168 amendments, and was returned to the House of Representatives on Tuesday (November 14) for approval.

With anticipated funding of US$68 million from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Government intends to put the NIDS infrastructure and systems in place over the next 12 months, beginning with a pilot project.

This is expected to be followed by the national roll-out in September 2019, over a three- to four-year period.

The layered roll-out and management of the NIDS will be handled by a new agency, the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), which will replace the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) and provide more enhanced services.