Page 16 • Continued from previous page consult with individual stakeholder groups to understand their particular experiences and challenges with the existing identity systems. This would inform appropriate re-engineering of the digitally-enabled systems and processes as well as identify capacity-building needs of users and other stakeholders to be addressed during implementation in order to maximise adoption. A practical step towards understanding the current identity system landscape would be to take stock of the identity ecosystem and its stakeholders. Once a government has thoroughly assessed the local context and decided on its role, it should take measures to ensure that the digital identity system will be sufficiently adopted. Several optional measures have been recommended in CTU’s Handbook for the Implementation of Digital Identification Systems in the Caribbean, each having its specific peculiarities from both the citizens and service provider perspectives. The important factor for Caribbean governments, is to clearly and precisely define the role they will play in all aspects of adoption. Government must establish itself as the lead and most involved stakeholder from the inception, in order to successfully drive the national digital identity programme. It is also important for government to assess its own capacity and experience in the field of digital identity nationally and be willing to source specific expertise that can be leveraged regionally. This would provide significant insight into the national strategic goals for digital identity, and the preferred implementation approaches. As regards infrastructure, Caribbean countries need to ensure that a widely accessible, resilient highspeed broadband Internet is in place to support an online identity solution. This will also facilitate crossborder electronic transactions as part of the digital economy. Digital ID systems can be interoperable without the need for harmonisation into a common system through adopting minimum interoperability standards, legal and trust frameworks. This would provide for levels of assurance, set baseline rules and build confidence and acceptance in respective national digital identity systems. The operational models selected for adoption directly influences the stakeholders and actors involved in the digital identity system. For this reason, governments need to carefully evaluate their options and pursue governance, architectural, technical and adoption models that suit the country-specific approaches or needs. Government may act in the dual role of the regulator and identity provider or simply be the regulator of a separate authorised identity provider. Regardless of the governance model adopted, checks and balances must be maintained over the organisations involved. Ultimately, a robust multi-layered institutional governance structure will be eventually needed as the digital identity environment matures. The architectural model may follow different • Continues on next page Government should assess its own capacity and experience in the field of digital identity nationally and be willing to source specific expertise that can be leveraged regionally
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