Birth registration services to be available in outlying areas – Minister Felix
An assessment is underway by the new Government on the issuing of Birth Certificates.
Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix
Speaking of his plans Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, earlier this week disclosed that the intention is to bring services to people.
“We have started a review of the entire system regarding the applications and processing of birth certificates. We still have people without a birth certificate because of a simple reason like not knowing where they were born.”
Felix, a former Commissioner of Police, has been handed the responsibility for a critical area which has been the source of complaints for years now.
Stories would be told of persons lining up outside of the GPO building on Robb Street from early in the morning.
The process has seen considerable ease now with the persons being allowed to drop their applications in a box and waiting a few weeks for their birth certificates.
However, the system still remains largely a manual one.
According to Felix, it is the intention of the new Government to digitalize the entire process.
“We have a situation where persons still don’t have birth certificates. And we have situations where persons can, at the drop of a hat, apply for copies of their birth certificates. Surely this cannot continue. We have to regularize the process.”
The official disclosed that in keeping with a promise by President David Granger to see Government taking services to the people, it is the intention of the ministry to make applications easier in outlying areas in Berbice and Essequibo.
“We are looking at places like the Corentyne, Essequibo coast and even Lethem, Region Nine, to offer these services.”
The official noted that systems will be introduced to ensure that the possibilities of irregularities would be reduced.
The issue has also been especially critical in areas in outlying hinterland communities where the incidents of having no birth certificates were highest among the Amerindians.