Covid19 delays new ID card rollout from EBC

THE covid19 pandemic has delayed plans by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) for a new national identification (ID) card, Finance Minister Colm Imbert told Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie. The House of Representatives Standing Finance Committee on Wednesday examined proposed changes to the budget ahead of a House debate on Friday, including an extra $43 million to the EBC.

Tewarie said documents under scrutiny included an allocation to publicise the roll-out of a new ID card.

With Chief Election Officer Fern Narcis-Scope seated next to him, Imbert said, “The EBC has been for some time now seeking to roll out a new identification card. What the EBC has just advised me is if an election was called suddenly they would redirect those funds towards the general public education and promotion for a general election and they would defer the roll-out of the new national identification cards. “So it all depends on the timing of the election itself.”

Tewarie asked, “The critical question here for me is whether the new identification card will be rolled out prior to the next general elections or after."

Imbert replied, “If the election is called soon, then no. It’s a timing thing.”

Asked if the later the election is held is the more likely it will involve new ID cards, Imbert replied, “Yes.”

Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal earlier challenged recent reports that expired ID cards can be used to vote, saying Imbert had just spoken of a pre-election rush to the EBC.

Imbert said, “What I said is that at election time people naturally become anxious and go to the EBC’s office to see if they can renew their ID card. That is what I said. Okay. Not what you said.” He added that Moonilal should know people may vote without an ID card. “That is the law. They would simply go in the red line.”

Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh said, “Irrespective of whether a general election is called or not, could we be told when will there be a need for the roll-out of this new identification card?”

Imbert conferred with Narcis-Scope and replied, “What I’m advised is if covid had not got in the way, they had planned to roll it out in July."

Saying covid had cost three months, he said, "That matter is now being revisited and reviewed in the context of when an election would be.”

Indarsingh pressed for any projected date for the new ID cards.

“That would not be in this fiscal year," Imbert said. "We are only talking about the 2020 fiscal year here.” Earlier Indarsingh said two constituents had alleged purported EBC officials visiting them to demand the ID cards of deceased family-members, but without displaying their job ID card. Imbert replied that this was just hearsay, but Indarsingh vouched that he truly interacts with people to know their concerns.

Moonilal earlier asked why the EBC was getting an extra $43 million, as the budget had already allocated them $105 million which was already an increase of $40 million on the figure for the year before. Imbert said virtually all EBC staff must be paid overtime for the election period and more staff will be hired. He said monthly-paid staff will increase from 200 to 347 workers, while on polling day itself some 13,000 people will work, all under covid19 protocols of social distancing.

Moonilal asked if the extra allocation will increase the EBC’s efficiency and availability, alleging the UNC has been unable to get to meet the EBC in recent months.