Terms and Conditions

Pearly Citizen App – Terms of Use

Effective Date: 1st May 2026
Version: 1.0

Responsible Organizations / Joint Controllers: Prime Minister’s Office and TouchStar Robotics and AI

1. Introduction

These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Pearly Citizen App, including the web and mobile versions of the app (“Pearly”, “we”, “us”, or “the App”).

Pearly is provided to allow residents, citizens, and visitors in Barbados to submit, track, and receive updates about public service issues and related reports.

By accessing or using Pearly, you agree to comply with these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the App.

These Terms must be read together with Pearly’s Privacy Policy and Acceptable Use Policy, which are incorporated by reference.

2. Definitions

User
Any person using the Pearly Citizen App.

Institution
Any government department, public agency, emergency responder, contractor, service provider, or other authorized body that may receive, review, process, or act on reports submitted through Pearly.

Content
Any text, description, image, video, document, location information, reply, or other material submitted through Pearly.

Report
Any complaint, issue report, emergency report, suggestion, reply, or other submission made through Pearly.

3. Terms of Use Requirements

3.1 Eligibility and Access

3.1.1 Intended Users
Pearly is intended for use by residents, citizens, and visitors in Barbados to submit reports concerning public service issues and related matters supported by the app.

3.1.2 Authentication Requirement
To access certain features, users may be required to authenticate using a valid email address or mobile phone number and a one-time passcode.

3.1.3 User Confirmation
By using Pearly, the user confirms that:

the information provided is accurate and truthful

the user is using Pearly only for lawful and legitimate purposes

the user will comply with these Terms and the Acceptable Use Policy

3.2 User Accounts and Authentication

3.2.1 OTP-Based Access
Authentication is completed using a one-time passcode sent to the phone number or email address provided by the user.

3.2.2 User Responsibility for Access Security
Users are responsible for safeguarding access to their email account, phone number, device, and any one-time passcode sent to them. Anyone with access to the user’s email or phone may be able to access that user’s Pearly account.

3.2.3 Prohibited Authentication Conduct
Users must not:

share a one-time passcode with another person

allow another person to use their account to submit reports

attempt to access another person’s account

3.2.4 Compromise Reporting
Users must notify Pearly promptly if they believe their account, device, phone number, or email account has been compromised or used without authorization.

3.3 Permitted Use

3.3.1 Legitimate Public Service Use Only
Users may use Pearly only for legitimate public service purposes supported by the app.

3.3.2 Permitted Activities
Permitted use includes:

submitting reports relating to public infrastructure, utilities, traffic, safety, or other supported public service concerns

providing relevant descriptions, location details, and supporting evidence where appropriate

tracking the status of the user’s own reports

replying to follow-up questions or updates relating to the user’s reports

using optional alert, notification, or public information features where available

3.3.3 Good-Faith Reporting Requirement
Reports must be made honestly, accurately, and in good faith.

3.4 Prohibited Use

3.4.1 Prohibited Conduct
Users must not use Pearly to:

submit false, misleading, fraudulent, or bad-faith reports

abuse emergency or urgent reporting features

spam the platform with duplicate, irrelevant, or nuisance submissions

harass, threaten, defame, or abuse another person

upload malicious files, malware, phishing material, or harmful content

post offensive, unlawful, or discriminatory content

submit unnecessary personal information about other people

upload intrusive or unnecessary images or videos of uninvolved people, children, or private spaces

attempt unauthorized access to the Pearly Staff App, application programming interfaces, restricted systems, or another user’s account

interfere with, attack, bypass, or disrupt Pearly’s operation or security controls

misuse AI-assisted, public alert, notification, or other features where enabled

3.4.2 Additional Conduct Rules
Additional conduct rules are set out in the Pearly Acceptable Use Policy.

3.4.3 Enforcement Rights
Violations may result in content removal, restriction, suspension, termination of access, investigation, or legal action where appropriate.

3.5 Ownership of Content

3.5.1 User Ownership
Users retain ownership of the content they submit, including descriptions, images, and videos.

3.5.2 License to Pearly and Relevant Institutions
By submitting a report, a user grants Pearly and the relevant institutions a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, process, and share the content solely for the purpose of receiving, reviewing, routing, investigating, and resolving public service issues.

3.5.3 Pearly Intellectual Property
Pearly, its trademarks, branding, and associated platform assets remain the exclusive property of the Pearly Team or its licensors.

3.6 Privacy and Data Handling

3.6.1 Privacy Policy Applies
Use of Pearly is also governed by the Pearly Privacy Policy.

3.6.2 User Acknowledgment of Privacy Handling
By using Pearly, the user acknowledges that Pearly may collect, use, share, retain, and protect personal information in accordance with the Privacy Policy, including for authentication, report handling, routing, notifications, security, legal compliance, and related operational purposes.

3.6.3 Optional Features
Where optional features are enabled, Pearly may also use location, notifications, preferences, AI-assisted tools, or similar functionality as described in the Privacy Policy.

3.7 Service Availability and Disclaimer

3.7.1 No Guarantee of Outcome
Pearly facilitates communication between users and relevant institutions, but Pearly does not guarantee that:

every issue reported will be resolved

every report will be resolved within a particular timeframe

every feature will always be available

every institution will act on a report in a particular way

3.7.2 Service Interruptions
Pearly may be unavailable from time to time due to maintenance, upgrades, emergencies, technical issues, third-party service failures, or other operational reasons.

3.7.3 As-Is Basis
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Pearly is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis without warranties of any kind.

3.8 Limitation of Liability

3.8.1 Limitation of Platform Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Pearly and its operators are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or similar losses arising from or connected with the user’s use of the app.

3.8.2 Institutional Actions Not Controlled by Pearly
Pearly is not responsible for delays, omissions, failures, or decisions of institutions, responders, departments, or authorized third parties in relation to submitted reports.

3.8.3 Non-Excludable Liability
Nothing in these Terms excludes liability where liability cannot lawfully be excluded.

3.9 Suspension and Termination

3.9.1 Right to Restrict or Suspend Use
Pearly may restrict, suspend, or terminate access to the app where:

the user violates these Terms

the user violates the Acceptable Use Policy

the user engages in unlawful, abusive, fraudulent, or malicious activity

the user’s conduct creates a security, privacy, legal, or operational risk

3.9.2 Content Restrictions
Pearly may remove or restrict content where reasonably necessary for security, privacy, legal, operational, or public-interest reasons.

3.10 Governing Law and Jurisdiction

3.10.1 Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of Barbados.

3.10.2 Jurisdiction
Any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms or the user’s use of Pearly shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Barbados, unless applicable law requires otherwise.

3.11 Changes to Terms

3.11.1 Right to Update Terms
Pearly may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in law, policy, technology, app features, operational requirements, or service design.

3.11.2 Notice of Material Changes
Material changes will be communicated through the app, website, or another appropriate method.

3.11.3 Continued Use After Changes
Continued use of Pearly after updated Terms take effect means the user accepts the revised Terms.