Request issued for rollout of National ID card

| 12/01/2021 | 80 Comments

(CNS): The government has taken the first step in its planned rollout this year of a national identification system, as it issued a request for proposals to develop the programme. The e-Government team in the Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure is looking for a suitable company to create the “suite of services and technology required” to implement a National ID Card, officials said in a release.

This will be a government-issued, photo-identification card that will hold the individual holder’s current Cayman immigration status and people will be able to use the wallet-sized card for daily interactions with government. It will also include digital identity and digital signature features that will allow holders to confirm their identity online or sign documents digitally.

CPI Minister Joey Hew has previously said that the card will not be mandatory, but the ministry hopes that residents will accept it because this will enable government to provide more services online. Hew pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of using online options to do business with government.

“Getting information and vital services to Caymanians and residents digitally has never been more important,” he said. “By implementing modern solutions that are customer-focused and which allow customer data to be securely exchanged across government entities, we aim to improve access to government services for Caymanians, residents and businesses in a way that enables the growth of our local digital economy.”

Director of the e-Government Unit, Ian Tibbetts, stressed that a joined-up government is necessary for fast and easy access of public services. “The National ID card will be an easy, durable and convenient way to present personal information without the need to carry multiple documents,” he explained. Tibbetts said his team was “enthusiastic about what is to come this year and look forward to introducing to the residents of the Cayman Islands our new suite of services that have been designed with them in mind”.

The e-Government Unit was setup in 2014 and has spent the last seven years working on products to deliver online. Nevertheless, Cayman has been very slow to offer digital services. It was not until late last year that people could apply online for naturalization or registration as a British Overseas Territories Citizen and many services still require paper submissions.

Other recent e-government services include the Department of Commerce and Investment’s trade and business application portal, which allows business owners to apply or re-new their licence online, and the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing portal.

See the full list of CIG e-services here.


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Category: Government Administration, Politics

Comments (80)

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  1. Out With The Old - In With The New says:

    I’m here for any application of technology that will make our lives easier and government transactions more efficient and convenient.

    Someone said to Google Estonia further up. Highly recommend we all do that! Admittedly I was hesitant at first but seeing how this could be scaled, the opportunities are endless. Especially if we’re able to use this for KYC. Imagine the ease of maintaining your bank accounts.

    Big up to Joey! Appreciate his innovative efforts. I keep seeing the license plate comments. Yes. Projects don’t go according to plan and there are issues. But Caymanians FFS stop punishing our people over and over for something you know Joey didn’t personally implement. Instead. Keep yourselves informed. VOTE. VOTE VOTE VOTE. And hold our leadership accountable! Challenge them! Ask questions. Look at CPR – anything is possible my friends.

  2. Moving towards total control says:

    This is a wonderful idea!

    Step 1: Issue national id cards
    Step 2: Connect the card to your bank account
    Step 3: Discontinue use of case, and make ALL transactions by id card
    Step 4: Raise million$$ in cash for the banks through transaction fees
    Step 5: Government then tracks every penny spent by residents
    Step 6: Government makes sure consumers spend on the “right products and services”
    Step 7: Success

    • Anonymous says:

      I realize this is a young in cheek comment, but really, people must take this seriously, as when government is given an inch, it takes a mile.

      Remember taxes and government regulations that are sold as “temporary” always stay in place — forever!

      Next time you are groped at the airport, or asked to take off you shoes before a flight, think back to why this still occurs.

  3. Anonymous says:

    It should be like the Social Security card in the USA. It would knock out all of these deadbeat dads who pretend like they don’t have jobs when they do. Everyone should have to have one to get a job. They can re-introduce the poll tax. Everybody can afford $2.00. I would say make it $5.00.

  4. JTB says:

    I can see a theoretical use for this card, and as long as carrying it isn’t mandatory I have no problem with it as a concept.

    I have to say though, past experience suggests that this scheme will achieve nothing other than making a favoured few wealthier, for no tangible progress or achievement.

    Does anyone know whether Canover Watson is available to help out?

  5. Anonymous says:

    So which departments have indicated they can use this or that it would be helpful? I suspect the answer is none.

    • Anonymous says:

      Google Estonia…or even Singapore with SingPass. The technology this could introduce the island to is limitless. Of course would have to be done in phases but this is a really good first step.

      If it’s anything like the Estonia model, we’re talking huge conveniences for all residents (Caymanians, ‘paper Caymanians’, expats, whichever other group or classification people want to define).

      Not to mention finally putting the control of our data in OUR hands so the DPL isn’t just a pretty piece of legislation here.

      Come on people. Google. Read. Open your minds for once please!

      • Anonymous says:

        That would be swell, but if I have the card and none of the departments are using it for anything, what is the point. What departments are prepared to use this?

  6. Anonymous says:

    This is what happens when the unedumacated lead the way. No change. Situation normal. Get used to it. Don’t like it? Then leave. Bla bla bla. The educated ignore it, the rest find another big thing to complain about. Caymankind.

  7. Anonymous says:

    I see a great use for this card.
    If this card is used for voting, it can be very helpful in elections.
    The results can be made public with the ID card numbers of the voters matching their choice keeping their identity secret.
    They can then see that their vote was cast appropriately.

    • Anonymous says:

      If I did not know better, I would say that we have government ops monitoring some posts that flummox them.

      • Anonymous says:

        You don’t know. I am coming from the opposite direction. Small government, no secret societies, true democracy and the rule of law including freedom of speech.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Why do you need ID cards on an island 75 miles square with effective border controls?! What a complete waste of money.

    • Anonymous says:

      We do not have effective border controls. Hundreds of effectively undocumented people are here, including in plain sight.

    • Anonymous says:

      So you can spend a few million with a preferred vendor, my friend. Its a bit like Carepay, or the new licence plate scheme. Its not about public need. And it has the added bonus of a dog whistle appeal to a certain group of voters who think it will prevent non Caymanians from accessing government services and the NAU (overlooking the fact that CIG cannot even tell who is Caymanian, so at best its going to be limited to work permit holders or just given to anyone who claims status but cannot prove it.

  9. Anonymous says:

    So will this once and forever identify all those people who say they are Caymanian but actually aren’t? They might have been born on the island but that’s not enough. Like all the people on the voting register who shouldn’t be? Could be the ideal time to finally sort out the ghost Caymanian issue. Identify everyone properly according to the law and put things on the right foot going forward.

  10. Anonymous says:

    this will help with customs…it will reduce the number of steps you have to complete from 9 to 8.5….
    cannot wait!!!

  11. Anonymous says:

    You’re papers please. Next on the agenda are mandatory armbands for all expats.

    • Anonymous says:

      Your papers….

    • Anonymous says:

      Not true. Expats are all on board with the bullshit.
      I am am expat, but not blind or ignorant.
      The Caymanians are the ones who need to worry.
      Their way of life has effectively been destroyed.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Lol. Sure, If these guys can’t even streamline the government to have all the info on every person that’s on island so we don’t have to keep submitting the same info they’re not gonna be able to roll out an ID card.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Firstly there is simply no need for a national ID card. At all.
    Secondly if there were it would have to be law for everyone to carry it at all times.
    Thirdly CIG don’t have the ability to implement it.
    Lastly it stinks of a procurement fraud in the making. Millions of dollars to a buddy, project cancelled, buy boat. Nice work.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Right now to import anything you have to stand in three lines, first customs to pay the duties, then the port authority billing office to pay their bill, then the warehouse office to get a collection document. I would much rather see money spent on making this all electronic before we go to an ID especially when we import so much. To top this and as other posters have pointed out, the millions spent on license plates has just not worked and there was no need for it. What was needed was more efficient processes. The current newly built DVDL centre is already too small with a minimum wait time of 45 minutes on a good day, despite the very helpful lady that patrols the floor to help speed things up bless her.

    • Anonymous says:

      If she wanted to speed things up, she’d get behind one of the empty windows and start processing customers.

    • Anonymous says:

      If we could pay all this online then government would have to lay off 50% of their employees. They don’t want to piss off the voters.

    • Anonymous says:

      Considering the number of transactions Customs & the Port do daily then they are pretty efficient,if only other government dept. (Immigration, T&B License, Post Office, HSA) did as much work as well then we would be in better shape.

  15. Anonymous says:

    This to go hand in hand with the electronic license plates.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Another monumental waste of cash for something that will never, ever work.

    About as useful as those green bicycle symbols painted on West Bay Road. Or the free to use BikeShare programme.

    Is it nearly election time by any chance?

  17. Anonymous says:

    Does it afford an additional 10% duty off imports, if not its not worth the plastic.

    • Anonymous says:

      It could, were it programmed to. That is actually one of the potentially good things about it. It could for example enable the most needy and elderly to access benefits.

  18. Video Game Expert says:

    Firing the drunk woman-beating speaker would be better.

  19. Anonymous says:

    This would be a very good thing for the community. Many non drivers would benefit from this plan.

  20. Anonymous says:

    If all Banks accept it as KYC… then good. Level playing field.

  21. anon says:

    When I first arrived here in the late sixties there was a poll tax of $2 payable annually by all male residents.This was soon dropped by Govt as it was beyond their limited abilities to collect it. How little have things changed.

  22. Say it like it is says:

    If it’s anything like the disastrous new number plate system which after 5 years is still not completed and functioning as intended, God help us.

  23. Anonymous says:

    More waste of money. I’m all for streamlining and aiming to improve efficiencies but governments just don’t get achieve it. We already have governmental departments that can’t get information from the other.

    Maybe they should focus on getting what they have now up to the bare minimum standard before looking to pay more money out on projects that never come to any fruition.

    So sick of CIG inefficiencies.

    • Out With The Old - In With The New says:

      How do you think departments will be able to effectively and securely share information? Fairies? Good ole emails and multiple phone calls?

      Research says this is a technology that can finally enable a joined up government. Good on Joey for driving it forward – instead of us bashing every idea, why not research ourselves and challenge our leadership with questions to make sure they’ve thought everything through.

      We need to be better at finding middle ground and driving our government officials to be efficient by continuing to put them in the spotlight where efficiency is the only choice!

      And stop voting in the wastes…

  24. Anonymous says:

    How is the RFID Licence plate rollout going? Haven’t seen a single instance of anyone being issued any of the special designed ones that they were saying would also be made

  25. Anonymous says:

    This government should not be trusted with any more PII than is absolutely necessary. There are also concerns about the ability of the government to adequately secure and protect potentially sensitive PII.

  26. Anonymous says:

    Anyone heard of CarePay? Gasboy?

  27. Rodney Barnett IV says:

    Another multi-million dollar fiasco.

    Reading about all of the failed programs referenced above, I am surprised no one has mentioned Joey Hue’s failed license plate replacement program!

    Still after all these years, all the money spent on cameras, equipment and software, there are vehicles on the road in the thousands that have the old plates. That tells me the system is a failure.

    Another shameful waste of money by the government, and a good example of Hue’s lack of leadership.

  28. Anonymous says:

    this will take years for the civil service to introduce… and will still not work the way they want.
    even basic e-government systems are an absolute nightmare and shambles to deal with

  29. Anonymous says:

    about time.
    whatever happened to the work permit card issued (to some) years back?

  30. Anonymous says:

    Unnecessary waste of money and resources. No practical application they could not achieve now with current equipment/technology/databases/IDs. So a bit like the car licence mess. A waste.

  31. Anonymous says:

    It has been reported the ID card cannot be used as a driver’s license. Why not? Surely it should confirm as many things as possible? It should serve as many purposes as technically possible, and it is technically possible.

    • Anonymous says:

      They have it the wrong way around from the get-go. Other countries use your drivers license as the primary link to the other Government services .Mainly your health care & your social security , your voter identification being also accessible. But seeing Cayman has no Govt’ national health care or social security , I do understand why they are starting off with just the I.D. as a means of identification, other than a drivers license.

    • Airport parking ticket machine mechanic says:

      2.14pm It is technically possible that Govt could get something that’s technical, right, but based on past experience that’s highly unlikely – (from a technical point of view).

  32. Anonymous says:

    Quick, where can we spend more money unnecessarily!!??

  33. Anonymous says:

    Hard “Hell No”

  34. Free Citizen says:

    I do not want it. I will not carry it. I am not a pet that you can chip. Big Brother is not controlling me.

  35. Anonymous says:

    Oh yes, a multi-million dollar, non-mandatory, e-card, for siloed, non-collaborative governmental agencies, is right out of the kleptocrat closing maneuvers play book – especially after paying millions on identical cross-ministry software, and a criminal HSA card gambit a few years ago. Is Canover Watson out of jail yet? Maybe he can help set up some nominee vendor companies for this regime?

    Who could be more capable than the fulltime Computer Services Department that hasn’t updated their website, or content, since 2018. Let’s put them in charge! What could go wrong?

    Can we please be done with this regime?!?

  36. Anonymous says:

    I am sure it will go as well as the fingerprint system.

  37. No says:

    Or maybe they can just make work permit holders wear a yellow star.

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