Government’s Digital Identity Card Bill 2023 which seeks to establish a registry of identity data for citizens 14 years and over saw support from both sides of the House on Thursday morning.
Passed after a marathon sitting of Parliament that began on Wednesday morning, the Bill caters for the establishment of a Digital Identity Card Registry for the collection of data for citizens 14 years and over, and certain non-citizens specified in the Bill for the purpose of issuing a citizen Digital Identity Card and a non-citizen Digital Identity Card. These cards will facilitate electronic governance and enhance government and other services.
While, the Bill provides that the Digital Identity Cards are not replacement cards for the National Identification Card issued under the National Registration Act, Part III of the Bill provides for the features of a Digital Identity Card – which shall be an official document. The Bill states that “It is sufficient and necessary to lawfully identify the person doing any business with a public body or private sector entity, whether in person or online within Guyana or in any country that has a reciprocal agreement with Guyana for the use of the card.”