PLANS are in progress by Government for the implementation of a Fijian National ID Card for every Fijian.
Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum revealed this in Parliament, saying they were in discussions with the Singapore Corporation Enterprise to conduct a study and the implementation of the Fijian National ID Card.
He said the Fijian National ID initiative would establish the Government’s authority to the identity scheme.
“Under this initiative, the Fijian National ID cardholder will be assigned a unique number combined with the use of biometrics. This will ensure that every ID card issued is unique to every individual,” he said.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said there were various number of references attached to one citizen, such as one’s birth registration number, Fiji Revenue and Customs Service number, Health Card number, Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) card number, driving licence number, but under the planned initiative, Fijians would only have to remember one ID number.
“This will remove the hassle of having to remember or fill various ID numbers in different applications,” he said. “With the single ID card, there will be an effective mechanism to prevent identity fraud which is becoming a big issue, not just in Fiji, but many countries in particular to do with money laundering, et cetera. “Having a National ID with a unique number will allow for a unified identification of citizens across all government offices without each ministry or agency having to create their own ID systems. This will eliminate duplication and reduce unnecessary costs, both administrative and financial. “We see this initiative as our continued determination to build trust in our economy, a necessary step to be part of the global and digital economy.”
