Minister finally reveals cost of new Trident ID

The new Trident identification card is costing just over $10 million.

And, Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST), Davidson Ishmael has given the assurance that the new digital card is more than worth the cost.

The long-awaited figure was finally revealed today by Ishmael during a press conference at his ministry’s headquarters, where he apologised to the country for the time it had taken him to make the final figure public.

The minister had come under fire in August when as a guest on popular radio programme Down To BrassTacks he was unable to say, when asked, how much Government was spending to implement the new ID cards.

“Firstly, let me apologize for the length of time that it has taken for me to return to the public on this matter. When it was first raised, I indicated that I did not have the details to hand on that occasion given the wide scope of the project…The Government is and has always been committed to transparency and accountability and equally, we are committed to being responsible in how we do the things that we do.” the minister said.

“For the benefit of those who are genuinely desirous of knowing the costs associated with this project, MIST has invested $10 434 601.99 spread over the last two financial years to deliver the Trident ID card to the people of Barbados. And for the many, many citizens who are actually now holding that card in their hands – that tangible evidence of the responsible utilisation of the taxpayers’ dollars – as you look at it, the expenditures I just stated, work out to a per card cost of less than $35.

“Thirty-five dollars for a card that will save you hours of otherwise productive time lost due to having to trek from one Government department to the other producing the same know-your-customer documents. Thirty-five dollars for a card that will allow you to interact with your Government securely and seamlessly and receive the services it will make available to you over time. Thirty-five dollars for a card that in the future can allow you to travel to other destinations as a travel document. Thirty-five dollars for a card that will serve as a proxy for the driver’s licence, carrying its up-to-date information,” Ishmael explained.

The minister said that he expected the issue to be politicised because of the high costs.

Ishmael used the opportunity to remind Barbadians that the former Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration spent almost $8 million on a multi-purpose identification project between 2008 and 2018 that was never implemented.

Chief Electoral Officer Angela Taylor disclosed that to date 137 561 persons had registered for the new Trident ID Card.

However, she said only 6 950 cards had been delivered so far, and admitted that production would have to be ramped up through the addition of more printers and quality assurance machines.

She also pointed out that between 12 000 to 13, 000 ID cards were at collections centres waiting to be picked up.

Despite those hiccups, Taylor said Government was still on track to reach its deadline of March, 2023, when the old ID cards are phased out.

“We are still hopeful that we will complete at least 90 per cent of those persons who are to be registered. I believe we are in the process of registering the incapacitated. Our officers are in the field doing this now and that is going to push the numbers up significantly and we still envisage that we will be done by the end of March next year,” Taylor said.

Ishmael also reassured the public that the new digital ID cards were safe to be used.

Project manager Elsa Webster said Government had taken the issue of data protection “extremely seriously at all levels.”

She explained that the Trident ID card is more secure and durable and would reduce identity theft and fraud. It could also be used in the cashless transport system, she added.

randybennett@barbadostoday.bb