IfG.CC - The Potsdam eGovernment Competence Center

With the news to have the smart card compulsory by next month, Bahrain is just one step away from a completely digitised economy. The law making smart card mandatory will make the Kingdom ahead of many countries in the region to switch over to the new digital economy. This smart card technology is much safer in use and there are minimal chances of frauds in financial transactions as well as in day-to-day affairs.

The director of technical resources and head of Smart Card project at the Kingdom's Central Informatic Organisation (CIO), Elham Mohammed Saleh, says switching over to the smart card technology is a step forward to achieving excellence in this highly specialised segment of the cyber age.

The card, with personal, medical, educational and banking data about the holder, is part of the Kingdom's keenness on keeping pace with the technology. It will replace medical records, ATM and credit cards and certificates.

"Bahrain has become the second GCC country after Oman to issue the smart card and this will put Bahrain among the developed countries." "The smart card will be mandatory for all citizens and residents by law in a few weeks times. In this phase the CIO will issue about 200,000 cards in various stages.

"The CIO so far has issued smart cards to the government organisations, public sector employees and people who wished to get this card voluntarily. The residents can get the card valid for five years for BD10 and Bahrainis for BD5. The card contains the most vital information about the citizens and this information can't be accessed by unauthorised people. "The smart cards will be compulsory under a new law and will replace driving licence and the CPR.

Bahrain's smart card initiative is based on a vision of the leadership and within a few years time the Kingdom has achieved many strides in this arena. The e-government mission focuses on the use of information technology to deliver information and services to citizens and businesses. "The approach is to establish a single window to provide government information and services. A high level committee has been set up to ensure a consistent approach to ICT strategy and implementation by coordinating with public and private sector organisations to avoid duplication of work and conflicts of interest."

The smart card is a unique 64 Kb card that stores the holder's relevant data and personal record - all in one card.

The cards will also be used in all the six GCC states which have supported the idea of allowing Gulf citizens to use their CPRs and other identification cards during travel.

The severe punishments aim to motivate citizens and residents to replace their CPRs with smart cards which would be compulsory after it becomes a law.

The smart card is part of Bahrain's keenness on keeping pace with technology as it will replace many important documents and cards, such as medical records, ATM and credit cards and certificates.

It will also decide the fees for new cards and replacements for the lost ones. The forgers of the smart card would face up to five years in jail. BD1,500 is the fine for furnishing wrong information to the CIO or having more than one card or using their cards for illegal purposes.

Bahrainis and expatriates will face three months' imprisonment and BD500 fine if they refuse to submit applications for smart cards once the draft law regulating the legal aspects of the card is ratified.

The CIO will revise the data, renew cards, issue replacements for the lost ones and determine the fees. In a later stage, the smart card might replace the passport.

Autor(en)/Author(s):

Quelle/Source: Middle East North Africa Financial Network, 26.06.2006