ST JAMES, Jamaica (JIS) – Manager of the Population and Health Unit at the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Toni-Shae Freckleton, says Jamaica is well on its way in attaining several goals in the Vision 2030 development plan.

Speaking at the inaugural Caribbean Civil Registration and Identity Management conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James recently, Freckleton said some of the goals already attained are centred around registration.

“Jamaica has made significant strides in aligning our 15 national outcomes to the 17 goals of the 2030 agenda… and while civil registration and identity management is explicitly referred to in goal 16.9, we have recognised that of the 17 goals, eight have targets that require civil registration data,” she noted.

The manager said there is a challenge facing the Caribbean region, which “is our collective capacity to ensure that we have robust systems which will be fundamental to this data revolution, which is required to monitor this very progressive global agenda.”

Freckleton pointed out that significant investments and resources will be required to ensure that civil registries in the region are equipped to manage the demands of producing valid, reliable and timely data.

The manager said this will inform national development priorities towards achieving sustainable development goals.