PM Emphasises Need For NIDS To Be Put On Faster Track
A National Identification system is being pushed strongly in Jamaica, where the government feels that they have a right to everyone's personal information. Over a decade ago I remember an incident when I went on a trip, on that trip I visited a tourist attraction, where a person would get on a horse back, and the horse would led by a guide, and eventually the horse would be led into the sea itself, with the person still sitting on the horse's back. I had a guide like everyone else, and when I was on the horse in the sea he asked me the following questions on after the other, because he was interested in getting into some kind of relationship:
What is your name?
What is your address?
I told him no, indicating that I was not going to tell him anything because I don't know him, and I was shocked at the personal questions he was asking. When I told him no, immediately this guide pushed me off the horse into the sea. He felt as if he had a right to my personal information which he did not not, so when I told him no he reacted in an aggressive way. I could have been injured but thankfully I was not.
The reason why I share the above, is that this type of behavior I experienced, I also see in regards to the National Identification System. This is where the government feels that they have a right to your personal information, and if you refuse to be apart of this system you will be punished in some way, forced to go into this system no matter what.
The government of Jamaica, politicians, are under the law not above the law. The NIDS system puts the government above the law, and the arms of government (police and the military) above the law, and government agencies above the law.
Ask yourself the question Jamaicans, in the Data Protection bill, is the government above the law or under the law? What about the police, military, what about government agencies, or are they exempted from it?
For example consider the following.
- Normally a police requires a warrant before they can just enter into anybody's home, which by the way has been halted because of Covid-19. With a National Identification System, all the police, soldiers need to do is, to find out your name and where you live, and they can come into your home and carry you to jail if they don't like you for whatever reason, they can also harass you as well because they have access to your important information, or they can come in your home and take your life. Police and soldiers can also give your personal information to criminals in the underworld who then can exploit your information or find you to harm you. Remember that the police, the military, are arms or extension of the government or state in Jamaica. So they would have access to people's information, to carry 'lawfully' out their 'jobs and duties'.
- Under the NIDS system, you can be denied access to services. For example one day, apparently me and a few people were going to attend a public event. The man who was letting in people said that everyone could go in except me, because he identified me as someone who was not wanted at the event. Why was I being singled out like this? It is because of my views. He recognized my face, my name, and prevented me from going in for no genuine reason. What will happen then when someone has a National I.D? It will make it easier for them to target certain person.
Then in another incident apparently, my mother wanted to attend a particular university in Jamaica, but she was denied access, the opportunity to pursue higher education, even though she was qualified to go. Someone asked me why my mother was being denied to go to university. I realized that it is as a result of influential persons within the university not liking me and what I stand for. So my mother was being punished because of me. This type of situation will only gets worst because of the National Identification System.
-The police in Jamaica just like elsewhere have been known to be heavy handed. How many people in public will be bullied, into showing officers their National I.D for no genuine reason, but only to make it clear to the public, that they (the police) are in control, and to make an example out of people.
In the new article that I shared, the government is saying that it would be easier for people to get government benefits if they had a National I.D. First the tax payers are the ones that are footing the bill, not the government in and of itself which is how they are behaving. Like the money belongs to them and they are doing people a favor by giving them access to monetary help.
Additionally you do not need a National I.D to prove who you are, and when it comes to convenience, this does not mean that people should sacrifice their personal information, to get through transactions quicker. People need to be careful which entities have access to their information, and convenience should not be used an excuse for persons to willingly give up their privacy. I am reminded of social media and the creators attitude towards it. One of the founders of Facebook stated in a conversation that people who provided their emails, pictures, address were "dumb ...."(expletive) for trusting him with their personal information.
Mark Zuckerberg Called People Who Handed Over Their Data "Dumb...
The above represents the type of disrespectful attitude, that people have, when they have access to a wealth of information from people.
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