Answering a question from MLA Kenneth Bryan (George Town Central) as the Legislative Assembly proceedings got underway Wednesday, Hew confirmed that government was still planning to implement the long-proposed national identity card programme, but said that the first step was completing the register of everyone here, which will become the central national database on everyone.

“Work has started on the register of natural persons, which is a key prerequisite project to uniquely document all residents of our islands electronically,” Hew told the members.

“It is scheduled to be completed by Q2 of next year. A consolidated list of natural persons within our islands, excluding visitors, will be derived from the General Registry and the immigration and WORC systems. The list will be cross-referenced and identities linked with the electors and driver’s licence records. This new electronic register will provide an ID number for each person, so that in future each person can be uniquely recognised in each government system they are interacted with,” he added.

The minister said the database would help address confusions created with duplicated and shared names and other issues relating to individuals and their legal status. It is also a key step towards e-conveyancing and a joined-up government that will become the source of records for Caymanians’ immigration status in future and the right that people have to reside here.

The minister said he believed it would also help address the current challenge for Caymanians born here to prove their status when applying for work. It should eliminate the need for the specialist letters being provided at present by immigration for even multi-generational Caymanians, who are being challenged with proving their status for potential employers.

The minister explained that when the system is functional, the cards will be a combination of ID and voter registration cards. Everyone will get a card with a unique chip, which in future could include biometric data. Additional information, such as voter registration, can be added as people become eligible.

Hew said that the government had not yet made a decision on whether or not the public will be charged for the cards.