The Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence and iGovTT Joined the Global 50-in-5 Community to Share VerifyTT Success Story
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad and Tobago reinforced its position as a leader in digital government when the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GoRTT), through iGovTT, partnered with the global 50-in-5 initiative on Wednesday 22nd July 2026 to host “The Caribbean Catalyst: VerifyTT and the Next Generation of Public Services.
The international webinar brought together government leaders, digital transformation experts, implementation partners and policymakers from around the world to explore how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is transforming the delivery of public services. The event positioned Trinidad and Tobago among a growing group of countries demonstrating how strong leadership, strategic partnerships and practical implementation can translate digital ambition into measurable public value.
At the centre of the discussion was VerifyTT, Trinidad and Tobago’s national digital credentials platform, which was showcased as a practical example of how Digital Public Infrastructure can make government services more secure, efficient and accessible while strengthening trust between citizens, institutions and employers.
As a member of the global 50-in-5 community, Trinidad and Tobago shared its implementation journey with countries seeking to accelerate their own digital transformation. Discussions highlighted lessons learned in designing and deploying digital public infrastructure using open standards, Digital Public Goods and collaborative partnerships to deliver scalable, citizencentred services.
Speakers emphasized that successful digital transformation extends far beyond technology. While open-source solutions significantly reduce licensing costs, long-term success depends on effective governance, institutional collaboration, implementation capacity and a shared vision for public service innovation.
Addressing the webinar, Senator the Honourable Dominic Smith, Minister of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence, highlighted the Government’s strategic approach to digital transformation.
“For the people of Trinidad and Tobago, our objective is an inclusive, more efficient government service experience. In everyday terms, this means that a citizen can renew a document online without losing a day’s work; a business can submit information once rather than carry the same documents from one government office to another; an applicant can receive a clear digital status update; and a person seeking social support can access assistance securely and with dignity.
For public officers, the benefits are equally clear; fewer manual workflows, less unnecessary paper handling, clearer lines of responsibility and better information for decision making. For the government as a whole, interoperability and shared digital infrastructure will reduce duplication. Ministries will no longer need to develop separate versions of the same basic capacity. Instead, they can offer services built upon common national foundations, saving public resources and accelerating delivery”.
The webinar also highlighted the successful partnership between iGovTT and the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), illustrating how collaboration between government and academia helped deliver VerifyTT and establish a trusted framework for digital credential verification. The partnership demonstrated the value of aligning policy, technology and institutional expertise to solve real-world challenges.
The discussions further reinforced Trinidad and Tobago’s growing reputation as a regional innovator and an emerging contributor to the global Digital Public Infrastructure movement. By openly sharing its experiences, challenges and lessons learned, the country demonstrated that nations of any size can design and implement world-class digital public infrastructure that strengthens public trust, improves service delivery and creates lasting value for citizens.
Also speaking on the panel, Chairman of iGovTT, Ms. Ria Karim articulated “One of the clearest indicators of success is when demand begins to drive the programme forward, rather than government having to push adoption. People do not embrace technology for its own sake— they embrace solutions that make their lives easier and address real, everyday challenges. That is why digital transformation must always start with the problem, not the technology. The first question should never be, “What technology should we build?” but rather, “What problem are we trying to solve, and who needs to work together to solve it?” This citizen-centered approach ensures that innovation delivers meaningful impact and lasting value”.
The webinar marked another milestone in Trinidad and Tobago’s digital transformation journey and underscored the country’s commitment to advancing Digital Public Infrastructure as a foundation for more efficient, transparent and inclusive government, while contributing practical knowledge to a global community working to accelerate digital public services for all.
