With funding from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the Government of Guyana is moving to create a new National Identification Card (ID) that would significantly increase the ease of doing business in Guyana and facilitate paperless travel.

The announcement was by made by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Friday.

Mr. Jagdeo made it clear that the electronic ID card will not replace the current ID card currently being issued by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

“We are not touching the Voter Identification Card, the one issued by GECOM, because that’s too controversial, they can continue to issue that,” the Vice President told reporters during a press conference at the Office of the President last Friday.

Noting that a contract has already been agreed to, the Vice President said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government will be presenting legislation to the National Assembly in 2023 to put the requisite legal framework in place to cater for the new ID card.

The ID card will include a microchip that will store biometric data.

“It will be for nationals and people who are resident in Guyana. So, if you are coming to work here, you’ll have a different colour card, and Guyanese would have one colour card. The chip can store a lot of the biometric data, maybe blood type, date of birth, driver’s license, GRA TIN number, that can be used for a whole range of purposes,” the Vice President explained.

 He assured that the ID card will be secured, and would significantly increase the ease of doing business in the country, and even travel.

“So, when Guyanese travel and stuff like that, we are hoping that maybe, eventually, without having to go to e-passport, when they come home, they can take out their card and just swipe and come in, they don’t have to go through these elaborate customs, immigration, etc, making it easier,” Mr Jagdeo explained.

 The Government, according to the Vice President, is looking at several companies to execute the project including a German-owned company and the G42 company owned by the United Arab Emirates’ Government.  “They have a lot of experience at this, so we chose them,” he said.

The Vice President also met recently with Abu Dhabi Exports to discuss funding for a project that would result in the establishment of e-visa portals and e-gates at the airport. It was explained that Abu Dhabi Exports will fund 90% of the cost of the project while the Government will finance the remaining 10%.

“Cabinet has approved that [project] to move fully to e-visa portal and to put in a number of e-gates; so, in the future, hopefully within eight months to a year that you almost see paper less coming through our airport but with a lot of security features,” Mr Jagdeo said.

The government is also hoping to send employees from the Immigration Office and Customs Departments to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to receive training in the operation of the technology.

He said in the future, the Government will move to introduce e-passports that will make traveling hassle free.

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