The Government of Guyana has signed a US$35M contract with a German-based company, Veridos, to implement a Single Electronic Identification System and cards for all Guyanese citizens. However, concerns have been raised by the opposition about the lack of transparency and public consultation surrounding the deal.
It said that the deal was struck without parliamentary review, the implementation of new legislation and a deviation from “proper” public procurement procedure.
“The e-ID card deal was simply dumped on the Guyanese people. The entire process teems with potential for corruption,” the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Leadership said this morning.
Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton, accused the Irfaan Ali-led government of disregarding citizens’ privacy rights and the security and integrity of the central data system that will produce the cards and store data. The party has also questioned why the government wants to introduce the e-ID cards for general use but not for electoral purposes, referencing the government’s refusal to support the use of biometrics at places of poll.
The lack of accountability and transparency by the PPP Government is a cause for concern, as it may create greater mistrust between the government and its citizens, the party noted. It added that this could lead to greater social and political instability. Concerns about sole sourcing regarding the contract made headlines several days ago following the inking of the deal.
However, the Finance Ministry later issued a statement in which it stated that the contract was awarded in “full conformity” with the Laws of Guyana including the procurement laws. It noted that the company that will be developing the solution for Guyana is a highly regarded supplier of items of this nature internationally, and its shareholding comprises two major entities operating in the secure printing industry worldwide, Giesecke & Devrient and Bundesdruckerei GmbH.
“The Government of Guyana maintains that the contract with Veridos was lawfully executed, with an internationally reputable group, and is intended to deliver a product that will transform citizen experience in Guyana with the introduction of the integrated electronic national identification card. Once introduced, the card will enable citizens to interact with all government agencies and many private sector entities using this single unique and secure identifier, and will vastly improve the efficiency of service delivery to citizens,” the Ministry said.
