The Parliament has approved establishing a fingerprint database that can verify the identity of people.
The Parliament voted on the matter after its committee on National Development, and Heritage recommended establishing such a database, based on the findings of its assessment on the Maldives' information technology, science, and technology sector.
The Parliament approved the assessment report during Tuesday's Parliament sitting, with 51 members voting in its favor. No members voted against it.
The ICT report concluded that the Maldives' information, technology, communication, and science sectors were not being run in a beneficial way for the country. The report made several recommendations on how to improve and further develop the sectors.
The report noted the need to present the national identity card when seeking a service, and having to submit ID copies to obtain services. The report recommended adopting a biometric system and integrating digital certificates with public infrastructure. It also noted that details of individuals should be accessible through fingerprint, including work permit and visa holders.
The report also recommended establishing a central database to verify a person's identity using physical characteristics and fingerprints.
