OAS to assist in digitalizing civil registry records

~~Adz:Left~~ St. John's , Antigua - The Organization of American States met with Minister of Justice and Public Safety Colin Derrick last week and agreed to assist Antigua and Barbuda with the digitalizing of their civil registry records in 2009.  To this regard, the OAS has set up a component of the OAS and entitled it the “Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Civil Registry and Identity Project, headed by a=2 0team comprising Project Coordinator Richard Campbell, Technical Consultant Giovanni Dezerega, and local OAS representative Ceciley Norris.
 
In June this year, the team began evaluating and reviewing Antigua and Barbuda’s various identification systems and record-keeping databases.  They presented their findings and recommendations to Mr. Derrick, Permanent Secretary Louise Nicholas, and representatives from the Civil Registry, Electoral Office, Passport Office, Social Security Department, and the Information Technology Center on November 20thlast week.   That report was presented, pursuant to an assessment of the Civil Registry and a review of their initial work which began in June this year.
 
 In 2009, a second component will arrive on island.  Their aim will be to modernize the legal framework governing the Civil Registry, including adjustment of relevant legislation currently in place in Antigua/Barbuda.  
 
SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS:
 
Recommendations for the long term include:
1. The development of a national identity card.
2. Establishment of a Central Identification Office within the Civil Registry and supporting systems for information sharing between the Civil Registry, the Electoral Office, Passport Office, and Social Security Department.
 
The project, initially funded by the Government of Chile, recently received additional assistance funds from Canada and the United States of America.   Immediate beneficiaries are Antigua/Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.