Singapore to compress databases into a central one
21 April, 2009
category: Biometrics, Government
Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has announced plans to combine the five databases of biometric information, now holding the information of all their citizens and visitors, into one central database to streamline and standardize access to the information, according to a Channel News Asia article.
The ICA explains that it is moving on this project to better deal with high traffic at ports of entry that saw a seven million person rise from 2007 to 2008 up to 150 million total.
The main problem with the current system is that some of the identity verifications require accessing many, if not all, of the five databases that carry information such as an individual’s fingerprint and facial biometrics. In addition to the new port of entry systems being installed, the ICA is upgrading their biometric enrollment and vehicle cargo inspection systems with the intent of streamlining those processes both for their employees and for the citizens using them.
Read the full story here