Implementing Electronic Invoicing Requires Buildout of Digital Infrastructure – PM

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says introduction of electronic invoicing in Jamaica requires extensive development of the country’s digital infrastructure.

“This is something that has already been contemplated, but to get to implementation you have to build the digital infrastructure to support it,” he said.

Dr. Holness was making his contribution to the 2026/27 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on March 19, where he responded to a proposal from Opposition Spokesman on Finance, Julian Robinson, for the implementation of electronic invoicing to boost tax compliance.

He noted that introducing such a system raises issues about data security and privacy and the supporting digital infrastructure “because it is a very extensive system”.

“So, before you can even moot such a system you have to put in something called public key infrastructure. You will need some very serious data centres not just cloud data storage.

Dr. Holness noted that a lot of work is already being done “to put us in a position to layer on this whole business of electronic invoicing, and I am happy that we can say that there is consensus across the aisle that this is something that we must do”.

“The Data Protection Act is already in place. All the work that we have done through the National Identification System (NIDS) and creating the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Authority come together to form what is necessary to build the system for electronic invoicing,” he added.