2nd PHASE FOR NATIONAL ID INITIATED
By: Nanai Taofiga Laveitiga Tuiletufuga
Samoa is on her way to having her very own National Identification Card.
This is the reassurances from Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi in launching the Second Phase via live stream video link with the Norway Consultants contracted to work with the Samoa Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Communication, Information and Technology realise the national project.
In his address, the Prime Minister acknowledged that the identification card has been in the government’s thinking tank since 2017 when Cabinet gave the initial green light but funding delayed the implementation until the 2018.
A blessing in disguise, he says that Government tapped into the US$4 million savings from Samoa Connectivity Project (Tui Samoa Fibre Optic Cable) with full endorsement from the funding source, the World Bank in 2018 to jump start the National ID initiative.
And last night’s Second Phase launching provide is a milestone but rewarding because it included live engagement via video link between the Norway consultants, the public and business sector to brainstorm.
“With the changes in technology couple with the country’s economic growth, the timing is right,” said the Prime Minister noting that overall the National ID is more than a cost effective investment but will create new jobs for many Samoans graduating from universities every year. But most importantly, added Tuilaepa, the ID card will improve the deliverance of public services to the people.
“The National new ID has the potential to replace our voters ID and can be used as a Health or Medical ID, and other services such Samoa National Provident Fund, a driver licences and may even replace a Voters ID during election,” he elaborated. And part of the on-going research if the ID can be used for immigration purposes or a passport.
Having one universal ID for a variety of government services such as Health, School ID, Drivers licence etc. will also translate to cost savings for government, he added.
Also, it will streamline the identification process considering the number of surnames used by Samoa’s for verification, the Prime Minister says that National ID is the anti-dote to overcome the challenges experienced by the present system.
“The current system of furnishing IDs depending on different sources of documents for verification which are not limited to birth certificates are easily infiltrated by the criminal minds,” stressed Tuilaepa.
“But if we have our own electronic ID, security will be difficult to breach.”
The session is for 2 days.
