ID cards renewal ‘intentionally delayed’ until after the election
People should not expect new ID cards before the next general election since the rolling-out process has been “intentionally delayed” to avoid linking the two events.
Godwin Grima, principal permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister who is piloting the project, said he took it upon himself to delay the project.
Besides wanting to “decouple” the process from the election, the process was also delayed because of technological developments that created more opportunities for the new high-tech cards.
“We are not replacing the old cards with new ones, (they’re not) like with like” he told The Times, explaining how the new cards would include a chip that could be used to access anything from health records to banking information and electronic tickets, such as public transport.
“This will be your e-wallet and more,” he said, pointing out that it would also replace the Kartanzjan (reserved for the over 60s) since there would be various age-related options on the cards.
The delay will allow the Government to fully maximise these opportunities to ensure citizens are given added value.
The project, which will cost almost €8 million of EU funds, is contractually bound to be concluded by the end of 2014.
“That is our only real deadline,” he said, when confronted by the fact that the process was meant to be concluded by the end of this year, and before that, by the end of last year.
Dr Grima is aware that having expired ID cards is far from ideal from a national pride point of view. However, he stressed this was the only consequence of not having updated ID cards.
“You don’t use your ID card to vote, you use a voting document. We have had expired ID cards for several elections and there have not been any problems,” he said, reassuring people there would be no electoral consequences as a result of expired ID cards.
Dr Grima said the process was almost complete and the new cards could be rolled out immediately. But since there was a “misconception” that ID cards were somehow linked to elections, he feared rolling out the new cards before the election would spark uproar.
“People will think I am favouring a party by starting the process in one district but not another,” he said, pointing out that he had already briefed the Electoral Commission about the issue.
Therefore, the plan was to wait until after the general election to conclude the project. Meanwhile, expired ID cards would remain valid thanks to legal notices which kept extending their validity.
Meanwhile, the Government is planning to start issuing new cards for non-Maltese nationals by the end of this year.
This would serve as a pilot project with a smaller population – an experience the Government would then be able to build on in the future.
This was also the most urgent part of the project since the European Commission no longer allows member states to issue national ID cards to non-nationals.
Another reason to delay rolling out the cards was to make sure the necessary defences were made against white collar crime and identity theft, Dr Grima said.
This is a particularly important issue since the rolling-out process will include the opportunity for all Maltese to correct any inconsistencies between their birth certificates and other documents.
“If your birth certificate says ‘Marija’ but you have always been known as ‘Maria’, you will now be given a chance to rectify this change without having to go through a court process,” he said.
A publicity campaign, including an information leaflet to be distributed to each household, is also in the pipeline.
The package of legal amendments is not restricted to the ID Card Act. There are other complementary changes such as what is being called a “live events certificate”.
The Public Registry will be empowered to issue a certificate which records one’s main life events, including, for example, a sex change.
If approved by the court, this change will be logged the way changes to a car are registered in a log-book.
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Charmaine Fidalgo-Cortis
Nov 7th 2012, 18:13
I believe it when I see it!!
Jay Oatmon
Nov 7th 2012, 02:08
Will this card be able to confirm the holder has a valid driving license and car insurance - if not why not?
M Grima
Nov 6th 2012, 23:48
Tell it to the marines Dr. Grima!!!
M Borg
Nov 6th 2012, 20:54
This is just plain stupid. Why should anyone know about our bank accounts? I do not need my ID card to show my banking information. What sort of joke is this ?
Why should we hand in all this information to anyone at passport control. What about identity theft ?
Do they know what they are doing??
M Mealclaff
Nov 6th 2012, 20:30
Banking and Health Details !!
So any one with a ' Card Reader ' can know what's wrong with you and how much money you have .
DONT LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT !!
P Sciberras
Nov 6th 2012, 19:56
SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE
Lawrence Attard
Nov 6th 2012, 19:54
All that info in one card - just plain SCARY!
Joseph Micallef
Nov 6th 2012, 19:49
LooooL... it's not being delayed due to technological developments but to give more room for wrong doing in the election process.. ħalluna bi kwietna ta' GonziPN!!!! we know you very very well!!
Ms. P.M Graham
Nov 6th 2012, 19:28
When the whole of the EU is in such dire straits, the Maltese Government gets funds for something their Nationals haven't even been briefed on? Another complete waste of funds!!
Scratch me off your new hifalutin Alien ID card. I have my utility bills to prove my residency for the last however many years!!
S Holmes
Nov 6th 2012, 21:07
From your mouth to Gods ears, this is a farce. The Aliens are to be used as guinea pigs for a system that hasn't got the publics vote. What other EU Country requires EU nationals to have their own Identity card.
QUOTE; This would serve as a pilot project with a smaller population – an experience the Government would then be able to build on in the future.END QUOTE
population=residents
Peter Murray
Nov 7th 2012, 09:12
the Alien status should be done away -especially for EU member state citizens -as it is conjures up all sorts of images and is unjust-with but when you reside in another country why should you not abide by, or claim exemption from, its legal requirements as in holding an I.D. card?Why is the UK the only country in the EU (perhaps the world) not to have a national I.D. card system in place ?
Peter Murray
Nov 6th 2012, 19:27
FAO JEFFREY MALLIA,
You are the one who is uninformed and who is making absurd and obtuse claims against P.BONNICI . As I have been travelling to and from other EU countries since 2004 with just my I..D. card .As this is a perfectably acceptable form of a valid travel document within the EU for anyone with a photo I.D. showing that they are a citiizen of a EU member state.U HALLINA MALLIA!
Charles J. Buttigieg
Nov 6th 2012, 19:05
With regards to Medical records the present IT system at Mater Dei allows all doctors in government service to download our records without our permission. That is wrong. We need some explaining from the medical authorities to tell us what difference and added security the new cards will make.
Joseph Mifsud
Nov 6th 2012, 19:04
Are we living in a European country or in Zimbabwe ?
Alfred J. McEwen
Nov 6th 2012, 18:50
Alfred J. McEwen
Just like 1984 all over again..Big Brother is watching you !
Daniel Dimech
Nov 6th 2012, 19:31
vera il famuz ktieb 1984
Mr CHARLIE BORG
Nov 6th 2012, 18:36
No electoral consequences as a result of expired ID cards,we`ll just wait and see.
R. Cilia
Nov 6th 2012, 18:28
Check this out
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100117/local/first-electronic-id-cards-to-be-issued-late-this-year.290238
Daniel Dimech
Nov 6th 2012, 19:32
hehehehehehe issa drajna hux ma nilhqux it target date
Saviour Cachia
Nov 6th 2012, 18:16
A prompt excuse in our sleeves to delay matters. Why should personal things be exposed and at the disposal of all and sundry. No data protection in this. And besides why do we wonder that the Labour Party keeps a watchful eye on the electoral registry, when a simple i.d. is more than five years outdated. Political convenience rather than legal, Paul Borg Olivier!!!!!!!!
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Nov 6th 2012, 18:12
ID cards are a very serious matter and I just cannot understand how Malta's top civil servant decides on his own to withhold renewing these cards. What right does Dr Grima have to interfere and also instruct the Electoral Commission? He needs to get off his high horse and be clear and specific in his explanation, needs to reasure us and all political parties.
Julian Borg
Nov 6th 2012, 18:11
For goodness sake - the expiry date is just a date printed on the id card - what difference does it make what that date is??
R. Cilia
Nov 6th 2012, 18:31
Try travelling with an expired ID card Julian Borg!
Peter Murray
Nov 6th 2012, 19:16
What on earth onn you on about?Are you saying that any document therefore be it a passport ,driving licence, bank card or whatever that the expiry date has no specific relevance or significance and makes no difference?What planet do you inhabit?
Andrew Cumbo
Nov 6th 2012, 19:18
For goodness sake tell me which other E.U. country have expired ID cards for years?
Shaun Anthony Camilleri
Nov 6th 2012, 17:52
What about privacy?
Anthony Paul Naudi
Nov 6th 2012, 17:41
Ejja inkunu sincieri, issa lhom li skadew il-karti tal identita' u about time li jiggeddu.
A.P.Naudi
j brincat
Nov 6th 2012, 17:39
And just pressing one little button Big Brother would know it all!
(jb)
j brincat
Nov 6th 2012, 17:34
"“This will be your e-wallet and more,”
Just give me a new ID card without any frills without any further delay.
Why was the project not embarked upon EARLIER considering that our ID cards expired in 2007 and so we would have used expired ID for 2 general elections!
Hawwadni ha nhawdek!
(jb)
Joseph Aquilina
Nov 6th 2012, 17:56
Typical lejber mentality ... and they call themselves "progressivi"!!!
C Sant
Nov 6th 2012, 18:31
you can easily renew your ID card, just go to Valetta and get a new one, no questions asked. I did it and have one that's not expired and that I use to travel with. Why all the fuss and conspiracy theory. I think that for once (we do not usually see eye to eye) Mr Grima is right as changing the ID cards during an election can only result in confusion and further conspiracy theories.
Andrew Cumbo
Nov 6th 2012, 19:33
Mr. Aquilina, It is not going to be the ID card itself that cost money. Do we have the infrastructure ready to make these ID cards in place? Are the Banks ready? What investment is needed by the private sector to make these ID cards functioning? Do we need to grant more subsidies to Arriva to make the ID manageable?
Eve Axiaq
Nov 6th 2012, 17:30
Dirty game.
Ronald Cauchi
Nov 6th 2012, 17:14
So Big Brother will be able to keep his beady eyes on us even more.George Orwell was right. He just got the year wrong.This is another attack on our rights to privacy.No wonder the British, who treasure their freedom, have never accepted to hold an Identity Card
Joseph Brincat
Nov 6th 2012, 17:12
new ID cards this will be e-wallet
Access anything from health records
Access to banking information
Electronic tickets, such as public transport
AND MORE ????
DO I HAVE CHOICE NOT TO ALLOW ALL
THIS INFORMATION ON THIS CARD ????
M Grima
Nov 6th 2012, 17:42
i agree with you because if it gets lost or stolen whoever finds it may access every detail about you
P Azzopardi
Nov 6th 2012, 18:44
have you ever heard of PASSWORDS by any chance ????
Joseph Brincat
Nov 6th 2012, 21:42
P Azzopardi
have you ever heard of PASSWORDS by any chance ????
There is always a master key for any PASSWORDS
B. Borg
Nov 6th 2012, 16:59
Even the current ID cards where ment for electronic reading, with those numbers and symbols printed on the back. However I never saw anyone making use of it
W Cassar
Nov 6th 2012, 16:52
Having your health records available on you is a really really good idea especially if you switch doctors!
Yes these new cards have been a long time coming but it just might be worth the wait!
R. Balzan
Nov 6th 2012, 16:41
Il-fatt li persuna tibqa' jkollha l-ID Card meta mhux suppost, ghax per ezempju, ilha msiefra mill-2004, din tibqa' tidher fuq ir-Registru Elettorali u jkollha d-dritt li tivvota. Jigifieri it-tigdid tal-ID Cards ghandu konnessjoni diretta ma' min suppost jivvota u minn le. U r-raguni unika ghal dan id-dewmin biex isir dan l-ezercizju huwa sempliciment ghax hekk jaqbel ghal gvern tal-gurnata.
David Willow
Nov 6th 2012, 16:36
dont we have an id card already - called a passport.
Anthony Grech
Nov 6th 2012, 16:31
@ LAWRENCE FENECH (comment down below)
"You must be happy about your outdated ID card one thing is positive "forever young"."
Good one mate, really one of the best observations on this blog.
Anthony Grech
Nov 6th 2012, 16:25
This is just an other dirty game of the CIRKU TAL-HAZEN
P Azzopardi
Nov 6th 2012, 18:46
issoltu tikritikaw kollox...jew kollox politicizzat hux....? l ahjar kif konna fl antik allura.....?
Anthony Grech
Nov 6th 2012, 19:28
@P.Azzopardi. Mela allura ma nikkritkaw xejn la skont int ahjar il-lum taht IC-CIRKU TAL-HAZEN
Lino Busuttil
Nov 6th 2012, 16:14
ID CARDS are used by EU citizens to travel across Europe. One can even save doing a passport which us nowadays an expensive document. We Maltese have been denied this by the "intentional delay". How smart eh! We really appreciate this childish move. Who cares what the little minds think when you renew you I'd card what matters is that the Office failed to do his job.
P Bonnici
Nov 6th 2012, 16:40
Lino Busuttil, you are wrong. I have been travelling on my Maltese ID card since Malta joined the Schengen treaty. If your card expired, just renew it for travel, it is possible and free.
I used it in the UK, Spain, Germany, France and Italy, I never experienced problems.
J.C. Borg
Nov 6th 2012, 16:43
Mr Busuttil - You know that "ID CARDS are used by EU citizens to travel across Europe" ONLY. So do you think that the Maltese go to Europe only????
Stanley Vassallo
Nov 6th 2012, 17:05
If you need to renew your I.D. go to the offices for I.D.'s in Valletta and request a renewal: you get it immediately. That is what I did last month when mine expired.
Jeffrey Mallia
Nov 6th 2012, 18:54
P Bonnici......you traveled with just an ID card to UK and Germany ?? This is a joke right ?? Try boarding a plane from Malta without a passport, and see if you can succeed !! Or try entering the UK without a passport, and see what happens.......hallina Bonnici !!
Anthony Bonell
Nov 6th 2012, 22:47
To the UK, one still needs a passport, but to other EU countries ID is enough. Just came from Germany - Nuremberg and had no issues with my id - same as other destinations (except uk).
K. Crockford
Nov 6th 2012, 23:01
@Jeffrey Mallia - Actually i have used my ID card to Travel both to Scotland and Italy, and my brother has also used his to Travel to England!! and yes starting point was from Malta, so i don't know what your problem is !
Lawrence Fenech
Nov 6th 2012, 15:54
Qabel elezzjoni kollox jitfacca bhal haxix hazin. Holma ohra tal-bravu Gatt li sfumat fix-xejn.
E. Azzopardi
Nov 6th 2012, 14:42
This is called "inefficiency". Nothing more nothing less.
We have become so inefficient in this country and that includes several private firms.
B Attard
Nov 6th 2012, 18:00
Inefficient fejn jaqbel lilu l-Gvern ara biex iwahhal il-multi u jara x'ha jisloh hemm top priority.
pat muscat
Nov 6th 2012, 14:33
An other fiasco by the government's top civil servant. No accountability and no transperancy in this little country of ours. Does he get a bonus for this performance?
Jana Vella
Nov 6th 2012, 14:07
Sorry Mr. Grima but election is not a surprise, everyone knows that it was due in 2013. Plus read the related article (right) "EU will not fund ID cards renewal"....ending with "Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt announced in October the ID card renewal process was expected to start in September 2011 and completed over a 12-month period." Nice guess!!!!
Ms. P.M Graham
Nov 6th 2012, 13:10
"The project, which will cost almost €8 million of EU funds, is contractually bound to be concluded by the end of 2014."
8 million!!!!!
"European Commission no longer allows member states to issue national ID cards to non-nationals"
Is this accurate?
victor bonello
Nov 6th 2012, 13:04
Following MITA this is another Big Brother tactic to have total control over Maltese Citizens..we all have our credit card, health card etc,, an ID card is and should be solely a means of recognition! the project should cost 8 million of EU funds, is this all or will there be a further cost to Maltese Government? Was this system tendered for or is it another direct order?
charles tabone
Nov 6th 2012, 12:12
Tajba Gowin, sibt skuza tajba biex lill-PN iggibu jilghab u jcaqlaq il-lasti kif iris, It is so shameful of the top most ciivil servant who is to serve the people and not the government
John Dee
Nov 6th 2012, 11:51
Another administrative disaster in the making !
Ramon Casha
Nov 6th 2012, 10:42
Will it be possible to opt out of having such a gross invasion of privacy, or will citizens be forced to destroy the chip on the card themselves?
Charles Vella
Nov 6th 2012, 13:58
Ramon, these ID cards will be the same, as all the other EU countries... One ID card, for all 27 states.
D Borg
Nov 6th 2012, 15:45
My thoughts exactly!
Robert Agius
Nov 6th 2012, 16:13
Indeed this is shocking. Imagine some info. going to the hands of some insurance companies....
A. Schembri
Nov 6th 2012, 16:16
@Charles Vella
Sorry mate not the UK. The people there never accepted an id card as it was accepted as an infringement of privacy. Hence the project had to be sheved.
John Grima
Nov 6th 2012, 16:27
@ Charles Vella:
The UK does not have an ID card and probably will never have one so please get your facts right before you comment.
Lawrence Attard
Nov 6th 2012, 17:09
Charles Vella
You know that not all EU nationals have ID cards?!
Mr J Xerri
Nov 6th 2012, 10:31
Mr Grima delayed the renewal of ID Cards ".... wanting to “decouple” the process from the election..." But he knows quite well that, at least at present, it is an integral part of the electoral process. So we are having a crucial election with people voting with out-dated ID Cards.
John Grima
Nov 6th 2012, 10:21
These new cards seem to be more an invasion of privacy as they seem to be carrying too much information which could be misused if they fall in the wrong hands. To me it seems like BIG BROTHER is well and living in Malta. The purpose of an ID card should be to help confirm the identity of the person it belongs to. There is no need for it to have banking details or meical records on it.
P Azzopardi
Nov 6th 2012, 18:50
it will be only your choice if you want to have any banking details on your id card....same as some ppl have their blood group printed , and some don't.....capito invasion of privacy !
Steve Caruana
Nov 6th 2012, 10:20
People of UK and Australia have refused to allow their government to introduce the ID Card system on the basis of the proverbial "big brother" (George Orwell's 1984) argument and here we are now adding a micor chip to our ID Card to make sure government is aware of our every move. We might start being asked to use our ID card for parking, entry into buildings, purchases and government will know all
Victor Laiviera
Nov 6th 2012, 09:48
It is not surprising that the renewal of the ID cards has been postponed till after the election.
But the real reasons are far, far different from those given by Dr Grima.
Peter Murray
Nov 6th 2012, 09:41
lets not forget that our "not intentionally delayed" I.D.cards(maybe- but why they are so out-of date-is neither explained nor justified either)is also a valid travel document for travel within the EU and is now useless for this purpose as they have all expired and we would have to apply for a new one to use it as such.What if EVERYONE chose to use this option to apply for a new one as stated
Peter Murray
Nov 6th 2012, 09:31
These cards are outdated and by 3,4 or, in some cases, even 5 years so have we been waiting for the election since then have we before being replaced ?.The current I.D cards share a common purpose with the present government in that they are both past their use-by date and are not acknolwldeged as a valid document within the rest of the EU.
Daniela Attard
Nov 6th 2012, 12:08
yes they are I catch flights with them all the time, I've live abroad and it was always accepted as a form of ID, in europe, in the USA in the middle east... so I don't know what you're talking about. Having this chip on an ID as I had when I lived in the middle east is an invasion of privacy, even if you go apply for a mobile phone contract once that is swiped all your personal data is on it....
Nick Porsche
Nov 6th 2012, 12:36
Actually the cards labled A for Alien do not allow for travel. One system, two standards. One for aliens the other for Maltese...
Lawrence Fenech
Nov 6th 2012, 15:58
@Daniela.
You must be happy about your outdated ID card one thing is positive "forever young".
Robert Agius
Nov 6th 2012, 16:18
@ Daniela
If you have used the Maltese ID outside the EU and got away with it, security personnel should be fired for gross negligence. I don't suggest you try that again without having a passport with you.
David Willow
Nov 6th 2012, 16:38
DISCRIMINATION by another name (A)lien and (M)altese......simples
Peter Murray
Nov 6th 2012, 17:10
Daniela =please note what I am talking about-CURRENT OUT OF DATE ,EXPIRED CARDS DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO BE USED FOR TRAVEL PURPOSES -erm hello ground control to Major Tom, please read what is written Also NICK you have a point -especially for EU citizens resident here as I thought we were all now without frontiers and one big family in the EU ?
Please choose the reason of your report below: