The Barbados Public Service must use the transformative potential of digital technology to change the way it does business, or be at the “double disadvantage” of being big and slow, a virtual conference has been told.
Minister of Industry, Innovation Science and Technology, Davidson Ishmael said this was even more imperative now as people not only expected the delivery of services to be effective, but also fast.
Speaking at the opening of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s two-day virtual conference entitled Adapt & Change: We Must! Mr Ishmael said the digital Trident National Identification Card was one way the Government was seeking to place Barbados on the road towards a digital society.
“The Trident ID card proposes the replacement of the existing ID card with a more secure, plastic ID card, which will possess a high degree of embedded security features,” Mr Ishmael said.
“The existing laminated ID card that has been in existence since 1969 is no longer fit for purpose — it is prone to fraud, and is not readily accepted outside of Barbados.”
He said the Trident ID card would not only facilitate everyday transactions where in-person identification was required, it would also help to cut down on fraudulent use as it would be very difficult to replicate.
The Minister said the Smart City initiative was yet another way the Ministry was seeking to use different technologies to manage public resources more effectively.
“The first phase will see the deployment of free public Wi-Fi in Bridgetown. Other phases include the implementation of smart services, such as parking, environmental monitoring, traffic management and others,” Mr Ishmael said.
“The use of mobile apps for self-guided tours and information on places of interest in Bridgetown will also be a key component.”
Bridgetown 9 April, 2022
