KINGSTON, Jamaica – Information Minister Sandrea Falconer says Cabinet has

signed a contract to procure a facial recognition system upgrade for the Jamaica Passport Issuance and Control System.

The contract, valued at US$1.3 million, has been given to the Canadian banknote company that provided the current passport and issuing control system in 2001, for them to procure the upgraded system.

The facial recognition system, the minister said while speaking to journalists at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday, is expected to reduce or eliminate problems of double identity and improve passport processing work flow.

“All photographs received from applicants will be checked against this database to identify a one-to-one match or to eliminate a one-to-many match,” Falconer said, adding that since the system was introduced in 2001, more than 790 cases of identity theft have been detected.

Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency CEO Jennifer McDonald said the technology, though new to Jamaica, has been used internationally in airports in many other places.

“We believe this will allow us a greater level of identity management. We believe that this offers a greater level of security…” she said.

In the meantime, questioned as to whether the Government has considered implementing e-passports, McDonald said that is something for the future as it takes both time and money.

Kimone Francis