Young Jamaica labels NIDS court case as backward and ill-conceived

The youth arm of the Jamaica Labour Party Young Jamaica is blasting the People’s National Party (PNP) for what it describes as it's backward and ill-conceived court action challenging the National Identification and Registration Act (NIDS).

The PNP filed an application in the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking, among other things, declarations that sections of the legislation, which was passed last year November, breach the Constitution and should be struck down.

The party argues that it is seeking to protect the rights of Jamaicans.

But, Young Jamaica is accusing the PNP of being an obstruction to national development and seeking to score political points.

"We are deeply disappointed by the stance and action of the PNP. The modernisation of Jamaica requires a credible identification system and what they are seeking to do in this regard is [to] unravel all that has been done to advance us as a modern society," Young Jamaica said in a statement.

The political youth group is calling for Jamaicans to keenly watch the court proceedings, arguing that the PNP's agenda in fighting NIDS is questionable and hypocritical.

"From day one the PNP was out to play politics with the NIDS bill. They were forced by the people of Jamaica to support the Bill in Parliament and now we are seeing the politics resurfacing and it is not to the benefit of the people," Young Jamaica said.

The organisation is urging the Government to stridently oppose the actions of the PNP and continue to educate Jamaicans of the benefits to be derived from having a national identification system.

“The Government must move full speed ahead with the development and tabling of the regulations to accompany the NIDS Act,” it said.

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