It is not possible for the Government to force anyone to use a merely optional tool like the Internet. Whether the entity is an individual, company, corporate body, etc, it is the same.
No one is obliged to own a computer or smartphone, and no-one is obliged to use the Internet.
The Government cannot oblige anyone to hire an agent so as to have to go online through the agent, or so as to go via any method.
Not being online is not a crime, nor something for which one can be penalised. The Government cannot jail anyone or fine anyone for not being online. The Government cannot refuse service or benefits to anyone for not being online.
The Government cannot exclude direct contact with the Government. The Government can permit various types of filing, but cannot arbitrarily limit it to an optional form—and must respect and provide diversity to the voluntary choice of the person for his access to services and benefits, irrespective of types.
The Internet allows collective scrutiny of information that is impossible to manage or authorise. The Internet is not a stable and secure construct, that is also breachable and insecure, including breachable by foreign.
The Internet is not under the strict control of the Government. The Internet is a foreign-source platform and the Government cannot share or co-opt the citizenry to that without consent. The Government can not oblige anyone to deal with the Government through a foreign source.
The Government itself can store its information digitally, for which it is responsible, but it cannot delegate that responsibility through any second or third party, etc.
Centralising information to make it all accessible all at once to every Government department is not the role or the format of Government, nor the duty of persons to satisfy, nor the way of relations between the two.
E Galy
Port of Spain
