Majlis Committee Recommends For Central Government Database Of Citizens Indexed By Fingerprint Scans

The Parliament Committee on National Development and Heritage called for the People's Majlis be informed by government entities regarding the development of a database which could enable information retrieval by fingerprint scans.

A report compiled by the Committee put forward several recommendations to better understand the state of information technology, science and communication in the Maldives. The assessment was made on the request of the Committee's member, MP Ikram Hassan (MDP-Dhiggaru).

The report had also proposed that arrangements be made that all of the software required by all government agencies be developed and connected via a digital agency, under which government IT workers would operate and carry out their duties virtually.

Likewise, the report recommended that a central database be established, indexed by their finger-print, which can be updated by the individual. The report also recommended that a wage scheme be designed to pay IT workers a competitive salary to keep them within the public sector.

The Committee had been assessing the situation since October, and had officially consulted several people from government agencies. The Committee had also checked how much was being spent by government agencies and companies on information technology.

The Committee had also identified that there was much contradiction and overlap of the responsibilities of the Chief Technology Offier of the President's Office, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the National Centre for Information Technology.