PM Terrance Drew outlines digital transformation plans for St. Kitts and Nevis

Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew elaborated digital transformation initiatives in the Roundtable conference held on 24 June, Thursday. He said that the federation is progressing towards digital advancements on various fronts including social security, national ID system, healthcare, border security, and even in government operations.

On June 24, Thursday, PM Dr. Terrance Drew came before the press with a new edition of the monthly media engagement event, “The Roundtable” where he discussed the transformation of the country’s social security net through Sustainable Economic Empowerment and Development (SEED) program. This initiative is designed as a structured empowerment model which aims to provide financial relief to citizens and equip them with necessary skills and training to reduce poverty in the country. As noted by the Prime Minister, this initiative is expected to help in achieving economic independence.

Recently, Dr. Drew had a meeting with the Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), addressing the press at the meeting, Dr. Drew said that St. Kitts and Nevis is on the verge of completing its national digital ID system.

The new ID system will allow citizens to use a single national ID for different services across the Federation. These services include banking and other transactions to make public and private services more accessible and efficient.

The online passport application system is another initiative that would help in enhancing the digital transformation. This initiative is expected to help people access the service more efficiently. It would reduce the long queues that are currently experienced at the Passport Office on Church street.

We are already building the process where you can just apply for your passport online so that we eliminate that long line that we have down on Church Street. This is gonna put St. Kitts again leading the region in the digital transformation, he stated.

Apart from the digitized national ID, St. Kitts and Nevis now also have the National Digital Health Information System which was built by the Robotics Association, who signed a $5 million contract. He said that the team of Robotics Association consists of young college students, who are IT professionals and they collectively built the National Digital Health Information System. The system developed by the Robotics Association was also profoundly praised by the Pan America Health Organisation (PAHO) as one of the best digital health systems in the region.

Dr. Drew also noted that the government has started the process of training healthcare professionals and workforce to implement the National Digital Health Information System. He also praised the young developers saying that this project serves as a proof that local talent can create such projects that are recognized internationally.

The Prime Minister also elaborated on the development of a Social Security Application. He announced that the Social Security Board is going to launch a new mobile app on 1st July. The app would allow the citizens to have personal accounts which could be monitored easily, and they will be able to access and track Social Security information digitally.

He emphasized that the country is moving towards technological progress and digital transformation. He also explained about the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) processing which allows travellers to complete border procedures digitally before collecting their luggage.

PM Dr Terrance Drew concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to making St. Kitts and Nevis the region’s most technologically advanced nations.