THE Government’s push to create a “Digital Jamaica” moved a step closer on Wednesday with the official launch of an E-Transaction Policy that will, among other things, guide the full implementation of the 2007 Electronic Transactions Act.

In launching the policy at the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing, minister with responsibility for efficiency, innovation and digital transformation in the Office of the Prime Minister Ambassador Audrey Marks noted that it will provide guidance and directives for the full implementation of the Act which provides legal recognition for electronic signatures and electronic documents.

According to Marks, the policy, “establishes that the Government of Jamaica’s standard governing of the lawful, secure and auditable use of electronic signatures and electronically signed records in the conduct of official business — in accordance with the Electronic Transactions Act [and] a signature or record — shall not be denied legal effect solely because it is in an electronic form”.

She noted that while some government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) have already started using solutions to do electronic transactions and the signing of documents, others continue to rely heavily on wet-ink signatures and manual processes, “because there is no uniformed, government-wide policy to guide practices across MDAs”, noted Marks.

The minister told the media briefing that the primary objectives of the policy are to establish a standardised, risk-based framework for the use of electronic signatures; promote authentication integrity and accountability of electronic transactions; improve efficiency, business continuity and a reduction on reliance on paper-based processes; and ensure alignment with the Electronic Transactions Act and related legislative requirements.

Marks pointed out that the policy outlines approvals within the authenticated Government of Jamaica information systems, which constitute valid electronic signatures and where the system maintains a secure audit trail.

Additionally, electronically signed documents must be preserved in accordance with legal retention schedules and must remain verifiable overtime.

With the policy now in place MDAs are mandated to accept electronic signatures from suppliers, contractors, and citizens once the method used is not prohibited by law.

“The Government will progressively make electronic submission and digital interaction the default way citizens and businesses engage with public services,” said Marks.

She added that, “digital transactions do not merely represent a technology upgrade; it is a modernisation of how Government interacts with the public. This means that electronic submissions will become the primary channel for official business”.

Marks underscored that Digital Jamaica is being implemented through three structured phases — a focus on services that are digitally ready and of high impact; focus on services requiring moderate system alignment; and a focus on structurally-complex or legacy services.

“This approach ensures that high-impact services move early, where feasible, while more complex services transition more [later],” Marks explained.

She pointed out that the Information Communications Technology (ICT) Authority has developed, and is implementing, Jamaica’s public key infrastructure to support electronic signatures.

The ICT will also be introducing digital signing for its purchase orders, and Marks said other MDAs are being urged to do the same.

Marks noted that the Government has built into the National Identification System (NIDS) digital certificates that will enable authentication of identity when signing or completing electronic transactions.

“This is going to be a change in terms of being able to open bank accounts and do other transactions; it really is going to require just one ID,” declared Marks as she described the embrace of e-transactions as “a national initiative which represents another important and deliberate step in Jamaica’s public sector transformation programme”.

The E-Transaction Policy is being coordinated by the Office of Efficiency, Innovation and Digital Transformation, with support from the Ministry of Finance and Public Service and the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce.

“As a team we’re committed to design and build a public service that is more efficient, more accountable, more customer-focused and better equipped to meet the needs of a modern Jamaica,” Marks said.