-Mid Year review
The first electronic ID card is expected to be issued before the end of the year.
This was disclosed in the Mid Year Review released by the Ministry of Finance on Saturday.
The National eID system has attracted controversy over how it was contracted and on privacy issues. Former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran had said that the deal breached procurement rules.
In July this year, Prime Minister Mark Phillips told Stabroek News that although it missed the second-quarter timeline for issuance, the project was coming along.
“It is coming along. We have moved through all problems and are on target to deliver to the people of Guyana,” Phillips told Stabroek News when asked for an update.
The US$34 million project with Germany-headquartered Veridos, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) acting as an intermediary, was signed in March last year with the government saying this year that it would be rolled out in the second quarter of 2024. The project falls under the Office of the Prime Minister with the National Data Management Authority as the agency responsible for its execution.
On March 10 last year, the government announced the virtual signing of the deal with the Germany-headquartered Veridos with the UAE acting as an intermediary.
President Irfaan Ali had explained that the Government of Guyana sought the assistance of the UAE in October of 2021. “On an invitation of His Highness Sheik Amah al Maktoum, two internationally recognized industry leaders [a Swiss company] and Veridos presented their national ID system solutions. These solutions were evaluated by a technical team comprising members of the National Data Management Authority and the office of the National ICT Advisor. The evaluation criteria factored technology use, other government clients, as well as biometric security subsystems, and Veridos was the company in the estimation of the evaluators that presented the best solutions for Guyana,” the President had said.
The Mid Year Review also pointed to other Information Communications Technology and digital developments.
It said that works are ongoing for the implementation of the first phase of a structured digitalisation masterplan, set to be completed by the end of the year. This phase will see the digitalisation of several processes for greater access to government services and government-issued certificates.
Further, it said that expanded coverage of the SAFE Country Programme is being established across Region 4, and works are ongoing to establish a command centre in Region 5, scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.
The Safe Road Intelligence System (SRIS) is being implemented to improve safety and reduce accidents. A contract was signed in May 2024 and works are ongoing, with completion expected in the fourth quarter. Procurement advanced, it said, for the development of an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) System, with the design of the software expected to commence by the end of the year. When operationalised, this system will combine patients’ medical records at all health facilities across the country.
In addition, a new Electronic Passport Control System is being established at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri which will facilitate the processing of travellers’ identification in a timely and cost-efficient manner. The Mid Year Review said that works are underway on the establish of kiosks, electronic passports and e-Gates by the end of 2024.
