Government removes deadline restriction for National ID

There is no deadline to when Barbadians can get a new digital identification card. They can do so “at their convenience”.

This was disclosed early Tuesday morning by Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology Marsha Caddle in a Ministerial statement to the Parliament of Barbados.

She said though there has been more than 85 per cent take up of the new card among the general population and over 90 per cent among the old age citizens, the Cabinet has now taken a decision to completely remove the deadline restriction. The latest deadline was scheduled to expire on January 31.

“To be clear sir, the deadline has not been extended, the deadline has now been removed,” she said to applause from fellow lawmakers.

Minister Caddle explained that both the new and old cards will be accepted and no holder using the old card is to be denied a service in a financial institution or by a Government department.