National Payment & Innovation Company Launched: NLCB Terminals To Handle Taxes, Permits, And More
From taxes to tickets and birth certificates to business permits, citizens will soon be able to pay for all these transactions through the over 1,000 NLCB terminals across the country.
The announcement comes following the official launch of the National Payment and Innovation Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NPICTT), formerly known as the Trinidad and Tobago International Financial Centre (TTIFC).
Speaking at the official launch on Friday, Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development, Dr. Kennedy Swaratsingh, said the State-owned enterprise is not just a name change but a ‘payment gateway’ for all government services.
He said it’s been created to modernise, streamline and secure the collection and disbursement of all government payments.
« That’s why the partnership with NLCB is important because now you can do that through the NLCB terminals, and you’re going to have a number of these machines and different ones across the country. So you can actually now make a real payment because remember, we were a part of several pieces of legislation. The Data Protection Act, Electronic Transactions – we have amended the Exchequer and Audit Act. So it was always envisaged that at some stage we will move to making payments available to citizens. »
John Outridge, from the National Payment and Innovation Company, said it will become the unified gateway for all public sector financial interactions, from paying taxes and renewing licences to collecting pensions or social grants.
« But the technology will actually go in place when that service goes live. It’s supposed to happen next week. So online driver’s permit renewal, payment for the certified copy. So the Ministry of Works, Licensing Division, is going to be the first agency, and we’re going to be rolling out for different agencies. So you’re expected to see in very quick succession payment options being available. But what makes this different to what the Minister is saying, is not just about persons who have bank accounts and cards, but because we also have the partnership with NLCB, people who operate in cash, people who in Marac, who in Mayaro, who in Tobago, so you’re connecting all citizens. »
The new company also breaks down long-standing silos between Ministries.
« What was really required, what the Minister has been able to do, particularly through the support of the Prime Minister is to really centralise all of that activity into one agency. So it’s no longer just about the other agency coordinating and another implementing, everything happens in one shop. So you can expect to see very quick succession going forward. »
Chairman of the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB), Ken Emrith, welcomed the partnership, noting that the NLCB not only had discussions with T&TEC to facilitate payment of electricity bills but also with the Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo Regional Corporation to facilitate payments for selected municipal services at its terminals.
He said this launch is a step further: « Today, through this collaboration with the NPICTT, our vision becomes even more meaningful. By integrating our established bill payment platform into the national payments ecosystem, we are creating a one-stop nationwide service point that puts government transactions and utility payment within the easy reach of each citizen. »
For government agencies, the Ministry of Planning said the company will deliver faster collections, better cash flow, and reduced administrative burdens. In addition, real-time transaction tracking and automated reconciliation will improve financial accuracy, and integrated reporting will provide Ministries with better insight for policy and planning.
