Daily Observer- Cabinet is yet to announce the name of the company which will be awarded the contract to implement the new electronic immigration card system, despite earlier plans to have the transition completed by December 31 last year.
Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister’s Office Ambassador Lionel Hurst disclosed during Thursday’s post-Cabinet press briefing that while a vendor has been selected, ongoing negotiations are focused on securing the most favorable terms for the government.
The system, which requires an initial investment of EC $700,000 and annual licensing fees of approximately EC $350,000, aims to modernise the arrival process for visitors by replacing the current paper-based Embarkation/Disembarkation (ED) cards with an electronic system.
The selection process has involved extensive evaluation by multiple government agencies, including the Customs and Excise Division, Immigration Department, Inland Revenue Department, and officials from the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Finance.
Three firms have previously made presentations to Cabinet, with their proposed solutions focusing on enhanced marketing capabilities, improved research functionality, and the ability to identify persons of interest through police database integration.
“It can be done within a short period of time, but it does require us to pay well first to select the vendor,” Hurst explained, noting that cost considerations remain a critical factor in the final negotiations.
While the Cabinet has made its decision on a preferred vendor, Hurst indicated that the details are being withheld pending the conclusion of negotiations to “ensure that we get as best a deal as we possibly can”.
The implementation timeline for the new electronic system will be announced once negotiations are completed and the contract is finalised.
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We just keep hearing coming soon. Its been over a year and soon is yet to come
True…along with Number Portability. Last ting I heard was that digicel and Flow were the lagers retarding the implementations..