NIDS TIMELINE
2000:
National Registration Bill tabled in Parliament.
2006:
Cabinet approves proposal to implement National Identification System (NIDS). National Registration Bill withdrawn for redrafting and resubmission.
2008:
Cabinet recommits to NIDS implementation by 2010.
July 2011:
National Registration Unit moved from Ministry of Health to Office of the Prime Minister.
September 2011:
Grant funding to the tune of US$670,000 secured for preparatory work to implement NIDS.
December 2011:
Cabinet gives approval for development of NIDS policy.
October 10, 2016:
Cabinet approves NIDS policy for tabling in Parliament as a White Paper.
November 8, 2016:
NIDS White Paper tabled.
June 13, 2017:
Prime minister opens debate on the National Identification and Registration Bill.
September 18, 2017:
Lower House passes bill with 100 amendments after two hours of deliberations.
November 13, 2017:
Senate passes bill with 184 amendments after more than 12 hours of deliberations.
November 21, 2017:
Government approves amendments made by Senate, passing the National Identification and Registration Act (NIRA) 2017 in the absence of the parliamentary Opposition.
December 8, 2017:
Inter-American Development Bank approves US$68 million loan for NIDS and other projects.
May 8, 2018:
People’s National Party General Secretary Julian Robinson files an action in the Supreme Court, seeking declarations that sections of the NIRA are unconstitutional.
June 8, 2018:
Case-management conference held to determine hearing dates.
October 22 -24, 2018:
Court hears Robinson’s challenge to the NIRA.
January 2019:
NIDS pilot pushed back to second half of 2019.
April 12, 2019:
Court rules that the NIRA should be struck down.