Identity Malta chairman Joe Vella Bonnici has criticised gaps in the IT systems supporting identity architecture, saying that changes are needed to bring it up to speed. "All the systems – ID cards, passports, residence permits – are distinct and cannot communicate with each other. This was done intentionally for security purposes but you sometimes have to balance this with convenience," he said in an interview with Business Observer, which is distributed with Times of Malta.Fingerprints used for biometric passports are only stored for one year, he said, adding "This is just one of the problems I found"."For six years, we had to live with expired ID cards. Now we are 65 per cent through a mass roll-out. If we can do it now, why didn't the previous administration do it? What was so problematic," he asked.Vella Bonnici estimates that the changes needed to the IT system will cost hundreds of thousands of euros and could take as long as three or four years.

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