Guyana Introduces ID Card Bill

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips presented the Digital Identity Card Bill to the Guyana National Assembly in an endeavour to consolidate the biometric data of each citizen into one card.

The Bill aims to provide for the establishment of a Digital Identity Card Registry for the collection of identity data for citizens 14 years and over; and non-citizens, including skilled nationals of a Caribbean Community State. Data will be collected to facilitate electronic governance and to enhance government and other service-related matters.

It will also allow for issuance of digital ID cards and a Non-Citizen Digital Identity Card.

The Registry will be administered by the Data Protection Commissioner, who may establish in every region of Guyana one or more regional or mobile centres as deemed necessary for data collection and card distribution.