Unique identifier for every child

MINISTER in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Gender and Child Affairs Ayanna Webster-Roy said a Children’s Registry is to be developed which will give every child in the country a unique identifier code.

She was speaking Thursday as the Standing Finance Committee examined the budget estimates under the Office of the Prime Minister. Chaguanas East MP Vandana Mohit asked about a line item for the Children’s Registry and Webster-Roy explained the unique identifier code will follow the child throughout their life.

Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young added that tender proposals were currently being evaluated. Neither minister was asked to elaborate on the uses and benefits of the identifier code.

Mohit also asked about the $10 million allocation for the Chaguanas Library and Young said it was 60 per cent complete and should be finished “very soon” in this fiscal year.

Princes Town MP Barry Padarath asked about the $588,800 allocation for the response to HIV/AIDS. Webster-Roy said this sum was for all programmes and projects under the National Aids Coordinating Committee including providing assistance for organisations. She added the national HIV/AIDS policy has been laid as a green paper and the ministry will be continuing to work on it.

Padarath also asked about an allocation for refurbishment of two safe houses instead of the five that had been announced. Webster-Roy said they were only able to operationalise two and the work on the other three was ongoing in another ministry.