Across the Caribbean region, considerable attention is being paid to financial inclusion and fintech, with digital identity (ID) taking a back seat. However, it has been argued in some quarters that digital IDs are a foundation element in countries’ digital transformation and fintech efforts. Trevor Forrest, of 876 Solutions, sheds some light on digital IDs, including: Why is it becoming increasingly important to have a digital ID?  What are the benefits of having a digital ID?  What can countries do to develop trust in digital ID?  And what is the potential and what could be the implications of heightened surveillance via digital IDs?

 

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A 2018 World Bank study noted that 1 billion people do not have any official proof of identity, and in low-income countries one in two women do not have any proof of identity. “Cumbersome identification procedures, fees, lack of access and simple lack of knowledge of personal identity are the main barriers that keep individuals outside traditional identification systems” (Source:  Finn Partners).

This lack of identification also challenges access to a broad range of services, from education and healthcare to travel. It also affects an individual’s ability to access financial services, as verification of identity is an essential requirement for facilitating financial inclusion.

In our recent conversation with Maria Daniel of FinTechTT, she identified the need to centralise the Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements, as critical and foundation components in the fintech strategy and roadmap for Trinidad and Tobago. We thus thought it important to spend some time discussing digital identification, as it is will become increasingly essential to Caribbean countries as they seek to advance fintech and their continued digital transformation.

 

Trevor Forrest

Introducing our guest

Trevor Forrest is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of 876 Solutions, a managed technology service provider headquartered in Jamaica, which offers among other things, cloud hosting, document management, web hosting services, as well as internet security assessments. Trevor has over 25 years of experience in the ICT industry with expertise in areas such as web design and development, e-commerce, big data, network/cyber security and blockchain technology. Through the Blockchain Council, which is one of the top organisations for blockchain training and certification, Trevor is also a Certified Blockchain Architect.

Trevor is a sought-after speaker and tech expert. He has been an Advisor to the Government of Jamaica and has served on numerous ICT committees and boards, including the Spectrum Management Authority, eLearning Jamaica Limited and the Universal Service Fund, to name a few.

 

 

Insights into our conversation

Chatting with Trevor is always insightful, as he is not only knowledgeable but also shares relatable examples that emphasise the points he is making. Digital identity is a complex issue, as there are a variety of issues that ought to be considered and balanced, many of which, arguably, are at odds with each other.

Having said this, one of the biggest issues people tend to have with the concept of digital identity is that of trust, which in turn affects citizen take-up of digital identification. Citizens need to trust the systems Government has implemented: that their data is well-secured and is being managed responsibly and that they (the citizen) have a voice, or some element of control, regarding their data. However, how that data is managed, and in what ways it would be used, can be a sticking point, as Government, for example, may wish to have considerable latitude, which could challenge individuals’ privacy and other rights.

Below are key questions posed to Trevor during our conversation:

  1. In the Caribbean region, some conflation appears to be occurring between having a national ID and a digital ID? What is the difference?
  2. Why is it becoming increasingly important to have a digital ID?
  3. How should countries prioritise and balance the following:
    • Convenience?
    • Security?
    • Control?
    • Data protection and privacy?
    • Trust?
  4. What can countries do to develop trust in digital identity?
  5. How can countries make the digital ID system seamless to eliminate the silos that tend to exist across government and even between government and the private sector?
  6. What is the potential and what could be the implications of heightened surveillance via digital IDs?
  7. In being a seamless form of identification, what could be the potential and the implications of all of the data that is being created when we use a broad range of services?
  8. What are the benefits of having a digital identity?

 

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Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode or otherwise, might be useful:

 

 

Images credit:  T Forrest;  ar130405 (Pixabay);  Gerd Altmann (Pixabay);   Cottonbro (Pexels)

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez