From Bill to Law: Ready or Not For NIDS?

The National Identification Systems (NIDS), has become a major discussion point once again. Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the government is putting measures in place to have the bill pass into law by year-end. This latest development has been met with skepticism in some quarters following the court’s decision, to strike down the initial bill.

Aspects of NIDS which were last year ruled as unconstitutional are now in the lens again as Prime Minister Andrew Holness seeks to pass the bill later this year.

While some Jamaicans are worried about how well the system will be able to protect their personal information. Attorney-At-Law Justine Collins who spoke at the Downtown Kingston Rotary Club meeting on the standards of data collection shared the rights citizens have if data is being collected. 

Collins stated that companies who breach any of the eight standards may be fined a sum not exceeding two million Jamaican dollars or seven years in prison.

However, guest Jenifer Housen, a member of the People’s National Party (PNP) legal team that challenged NIDS, questioned if the Jamaican economy can afford a system as expensive as NIDS during a pandemic.