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RGD to launch online birth certificate application service
Kingston
Jamaicans at home and abroad will soon be able to apply for birth certificates online from the Registrar General’s Department (RGD).
The Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, the Honourable Fayval Williams, announced on Friday (26 June) that the RGD will soon offer a digital birth certificate service.
She said these will be promoted under the National Public Key Infrastructure (NPKI) project launched by the government.
“This means that all Jamaicans will have the opportunity to apply for, print and verify their birth certificates without the need for a face-to-face transaction; they can do so from anywhere in the world. We believe this will be an important step in managing identity risk as we move towards a digital society,” the Minister said.
She was speaking at the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce’s webinar on electronic signature legislation.
The NPKI, which is expected to reposition Jamaica as a digital society, is a system of policies, institutions and technologies that will manage the distribution, authentication and revocation of digital certificates (the digital equivalent of a handwritten signature or seal), which will be issued by the certifying body, Jamaica e-Government Limited.
The system has been adopted by governments around the world to create an enabling environment for electronic transactions. It can not only be used to collect birth certificates, but also facilitate the implementation of electronic passports, send secure emails with electronic signatures between government ministries, agencies and departments, and lay the foundation for the implementation of digital and global identity cards.
Ms. Williams cited the findings of a 2019 study by the Inter-American Development Bank and Transparency International which showed that only 11% of government transactions in Jamaica can be completed in one visit, with 45% requiring three or more visits.
She said this did not bode well for the development of a digital society and economy.
Minister Williams noted that as the world becomes increasingly digital and more services are delivered online, promoting the ease of doing business will be a fundamental part of this transformation.
“If there is one thing we have learnt from this pandemic, it is that we need to go digital in all our processes. The pandemic has disrupted our systems and processes in many ways. More businesses and individuals are working from home, and meetings and classes are being conducted in virtual spaces,” she noted.
Ms Williams believes: “Business transactions between government and the private sector must also be conducted online so that we can truly take bold steps towards building a digital economy.”
Furthermore, the minister said that with the advent of e-services and e-payment mechanisms, the government and all businesses need to adapt the services they provide to citizens.
“As a department, we are taking bold steps to strengthen our Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure to ensure Jamaica enters a digital future through modern legislation and to ensure that all our citizens have access to the Internet and ICT,” she said.
“We are increasing this access by launching the mygovjm app, which will improve citizens’ access to government, e-participation, e-decision-making and e-visits,” the minister added.
Ms Williams said e-Government Jamaica has developed a working prototype of a mobile application for the Jamaica Revenue Authority, targeting specific services provided by the agency to reduce service delivery time.
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