Work to Transform RGD into NIRA Commences 2018/19

Work on the transformation of the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) into the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), is slated to commence during the 2018/19 fiscal year.

Additionally, the proposed National Identification and Registration Authority Regulations are slated to be developed and tabled in Parliament by September 2018.

These are among several engagements the Government will undertake during this year as part of the National Identification System (NIDS) roll-out.

This was announced by Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, while delivering the Throne Speech at the 2018/19 Ceremonial Opening of Parliament at Gordon House, on Thursday (February 15) under the theme ‘Continuing on the Path to Prosperity’.

Among the other initiatives the Governor-General outlined are (a) instituting a system that meets the business needs of the Government and private sector that will satisfy, in particular, the ‘You Know’ requirements of the financial system; (b) continuing digitisation of the RGD’s records; (c) developing processes to link the records of births and deaths in order to prevent identity theft; and (c) establishing a national database address indicating where all parcels of land are located within the island, in order to support the enrolment of persons in the NIDS.

He emphasised that taking steps to ensure that every Jamaican can be identified and known to the State, so that their rights and entitlements can be preserved and planned for in advance, is necessary for the country to continue on the path to prosperity.

“The National Identification System will provide a comprehensive and secure structure to capture and store personal identity information of individuals. NIDS will become the primary source for identity verification and will improve governance and management in the delivery of security services, social benefits and economic programmes,” the Governor-General said.