VICE-PRESIDENT, Bharrat Jagdeo, has said that the electronic identification cards that are expected to be acquired will be separate from the identification cards that are issued by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

He made those remarks during a recent press conference, during which he said that the cards that employ biometrics for security will need separate legislation to govern their use.

Jagdeo related that the government recently signed a contract to procure those ID cards with full biometrics that would allow the government to develop a full range of functions and to deliver better e-governance services.

The Vice-President said that the e-cards will be separate from GECOM’s ID cards and will not take over the functions of the Commission.

“These ID cards will be separate from the ID cards that GECOM issues; we didn’t want to collapse this into one ID card, [because the] next thing you hear [will be], ‘Oh PPP wants to take over GECOM functions,’” Jagdeo said.

Vice-President went to note that the requisite legislative framework is currently being crafted for the use of the E-ID.

In early March, a US$35 million contract was signed between a Germany-based company, Veridos, and the Government of Guyana to produce a single electronic identification card for all government and business transactions.

The implementation of this single E-ID will allow for the issuance of work permits and resident identification through a more coordinated approach that will see holders of the registration numbers using that single identification for all transactions.