Identity Malta is facing an internal crisis with the 'collapse' of the ID cards system one year ahead of a general election, The Malta Independent on Sunday can reveal.
An internal report leaked to this newspaper by sources within Identity Malta shows that out of a sample of 300 people on the ID card registry, 80 have been found to be holding more than one ID card, with five even holding three ID cards under the same name with three different ID numbers. The places of birth of those with three ID cards are Egypt (2), Tunisia (2) and Australia (1).
The problem is so complex that an internal inquiry was called some weeks ago with experts telling Identity Malta that the only way to determine the extent of the 'collapse' of the system would be by matching the photos on all ID cards issued by the system, which number approximately half a million.
Sources within Identity Malta who leaked the information to this newspaper said, "Not even the Opposition has an idea of how big this 'collapse' is". The sources referred to remarks made in Parliament this week by PN Deputy Leader Beppe Fenech Adami, who claimed he had information that a person had two ID Cards.
But it transpires that Identity Malta chief, and former PL candidate, Joe Vella Bonnici has been having sleepless nights on the matter, so much so that he called in the best brains to help the agency deal with the crisis. Everything was kept secret and under lock and key, with only a few selected people cleared to work on the sensitive investigation.
It seems that after experts established that the 'collapse' of the system could spiral out of control, it was decided only some weeks ago to select a sample of ID card holders and to conduct a more personalised investigation.
That sample consists of 300 people who were born abroad but who, for a valid reason, are unable to provide a birth certificate. Such individuals are usually issued with a provisional ID card number which ends with the letter 'P', and they are later given a proper ID card number. The result of the internal investigation revealed that over a quarter (26.6%) of the sample proved to have two or more valid ID cards under the same name.
The sources who spoke to this newsroom said that one cannot really establish the extent of the damage unless all the ID card photos are cross-referenced. "But from what we know so far, it is clear that the system cannot delete provisional ID cards once a new ID number is issued to the same person already registered in the system, let alone other categories such as those registered with an 'A' meaning 'alien' or those with an 'L' or 'M' who are born in Malta."
The 'collapse' of Identity Malta's system has created an unprecedented problem for the Electoral Commission since it is the body tasked with issuing regular electoral registers, according to which people can obtain voting documents. As matters stand, all those who possess one, two or three ID cards are entitled to the same number of voting documents per person, be it for the general election or for local council and/or European Parliament elections.
It is understood that this latest Identity Malta crisis is expected to send all political parties into a frenzy and demand guarantees from the Electoral Commission that individuals will not be voting more than once. It is clear, however, that the Electoral Commission will not have the means to verify the registry thoroughly unless Identity Malta sorts out the 'collapse' of its ID card system.
Identity Malta - the entity created by the current government to execute the functions and duties of public administration in matters relating to passports, identity documents, work and residence permits for expatriates, land registration and registration of public deeds, acts of civil status and individual investment programmes - has been no stranger to controversy since the early days of its existence.
It has been hit with one crisis after another, first with the politically-charged and controversial Individual Investment Programme (IIP) which supposedly requires foreigners buying a Maltese/EU passport to reside in Malta for a period of time and obtain a residence. The agency also faced problems with the issuing of visas. But the biggest crisis of all, until now, pertained to former Labour Party treasurer and candidate, accountant Joe Sammut, who was charged with fraud, misappropriation of funds, money laundering and the falsification of documents by allegedly helping Libyans obtain residence permits through the creation of fictitious companies.
Justice Ministry in categorical denial
In a statement this afternoon, the Justice and Culture Ministry categorically denied that the ID cards system was experiencing a crisis.
It also insisted that no committee had been appointed and no report had been drawn up on this “supposed” crisis.
The ministry said the current ID cards system, excluding some small improvements, had been set up by the previous administration, with the difference that people now had a valid ID card. The previous administration had left people with an expired ID card for several years.