Prime Minister Andrew Holness officially launched the National Identification System’s (NIDS) ‘Operation Birthright’ Project at Jamaica House in Kingston on Friday (September 9).
The initiative will provide birth certificate identity registration assistance to needy children and adults who lack legal and physical identification documents.
The $350,000 government project aims to address the immediate concern among Jamaicans who do not have birth certificates, where it is estimated that 200,000 citizens are without legal proof of identity.
These people will have easier access to government and business services if they have a birth certificate, and several institutions and personnel can recommend eligible people for the undocumented registration program.
These include the head of the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities; senior officials of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development; members of parliament; justices of the peace, and public officers.
Recommendations can also be made by a medical practitioner, minister of religion, police officer, parish councilor, dental surgeon, official representative of the Missionaries of the Poor, chief executor officer/coordinator of a registered civil society organization, and head of the Program of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH), among others.
The prime minister noted that it is important that every Jamaican citizen has access to a birth certificate that empowers the State to serve them better.
“It gives the State the ability to fulfill your right to the public goods that you are entitled to. So, it is such a powerful document,” he said.
Mr. Holness stated that acquiring and having access to a birth certificate will make every Jamaican eligible for registration under NIDS when it is implemented.
“So, this is an important step for equity, to ensure that every Jamaican, including those who did not have their birth certificate, gets a chance to participate in the NIDS. Once we have everyone participating in the NIDS fully, then we can increase the intensity of moving towards our digital society,” he explained.
Floyd Green, minister without portfolio in the Prime Minister’s Office, who is responsible for NIDS, stated that Operation Birthright is the government’s first comprehensive approach to locating the country’s most vulnerable undocumented citizens and providing them with a free birth certificate.
The National Identification System of Jamaica will provide a comprehensive and secure framework for the collection and storage of identity information.
This secure tool can also verify an individual’s identity and facilitate the electronic signing of documents and secure access to a range of government services online.
 ‘Operation Birthright’ Project at Jamaica House){kind=link}