Dear Editor,

The National Identification System (NIDS) is a needed tool in Jamaica. Knowing this, we need to stop allowing a few highly learned and highly misguided individuals in various sectors or choice groups to dictate what is best for governance.

As in all nations that practise democracy, the Government was elected to lead and rule. Crime is overrunning us in Jamaica and the NIDS will make identification a breeze. It will truly help to locate and track criminals while bolstering national security.

How come people are so keen on knowing what the Government will do with their personal information and bio data, but the same people do not bat an eyelid or ask a single question when they turn over the same information, and in some cases far more, to the Canadian High Commission or the United States Embassy for a visa?

Too much hypocrisy and time- wasting has been encouraged over the years in Jamaica. As a result, we are still playing catch-up in many areas, yet some segments of society are bent on keeping us further behind.

I urge the Government to legislate and then implement the laws of the land. Identification for every citizen, all and sundry, should be available at a fingertip, and citizens must be subject to proper scrutiny for the safety of all.

If the opposers have nothing to hide, why are they so agitated by the upcoming law? Perhaps those opposing loudest have a lot that needs to be uncovered.

J Edwards

jdocforreal@gmail.com