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More delays to hit roll out of national ID system, budget jumps 100%

Published:Tuesday | April 19, 2016 | 12:00 AM

There is to be a further extension in the development of the National Identification System (NIDS), which has seen its budget increased by 100 per cent to $107.8 million.

The project, which is being wholly funded by a grant from the Inter-American Development Bank, was initially set to run from September 2011 to April 2014. However, it was later extended by 17 months.

The Estimates of Expenditure for the 2016-2017 fiscal year tabled in the House of Representatives last week revealed a second extension of the project.

It is now expected to run from April this year to May 2018.

The initial cost of the project was $57.8 million, but that figure has been increased by $50 million.

Approximately $15 million has been budgeted for this fiscal year.

The project is being operated out of the Office of the Prime Minister.

- Jovan Johnson