Agony to acquire birth, death and marriage certificates

Oct 10, 2016 Letters

---

Dear Editor;
A few days ago I visited the General Registrar office in Georgetown at 8 AM. I told the security guard downstairs who checked my bag that I am a Marriage Officer and I was going upstairs to register a marriage. She asked if I had an ID card from the government stating that I am a marriage officer.
I told her no but myself and many other Marriage Officers had requested that card fifteen years ago from the Ministry of Home Affairs under the previous administration but never received  one until today,  under this current administration.
I showed her my Reverend Ordination Card from my church Organisation which she appreciated and examined carefully but still went on to say that she believes the Ministry of Citizenship should give all current Marriage Officers, an ID Card bearing the government stamp for us to walk with whenever we go to GPO. I fully agree with her but still wonder how, where and when will marriage officers be given that card.
I then proceeded upstairs to the office to register the marriage at 8:10 AM. I went into the office and sat down on a chair. No one was there but a lady came out of a room and told me to go outside and wait. I went outside and sat down on the bench. More people were now sitting next to me grumbling why the office was not opening. I started to chat with a gentleman who came from very far. He told me he applied 2 months for birth certificates but never got them
I showed him the second door where he needed to go for his birth certificates. He went and spent about 25 minutes and came out very sad; he said he was told they will post it.
What bothers me is this man travelled from very far and was there since 7 AM but was turned down. Why is it so difficult for the staff to take his receipts, find his name in the records and give him his birth certificates instantly, after 2 months of tedious waiting and now wasted travel expenses? And he was not the only one that was sent away.
I sat on the bench talking to other folks who told me they were waiting over 6 months for birth, marriage, and death certificates. The Marriage Section office took 75 minutes to open. I have a problem with that because they have on the wall opening hours are from 8 AM. So why did they open until 9:25am? And staff can be seen going to work at 10am and even later.
They tell people to go to uplift their marriage license at 8am but it’s not given until 11am or until a next day. In many cases it’s not ready or it’s not signed by the person in-charge who is never in office or always late.
As a Legal Marriage Officer, I am concerned about the long time the General Registrar Office is taking to process Marriage Certificates after I register a marriage and apply for certificates or when those whom I marry apply for it.
I believe as Marriage Officers we should be given the privilege to register a marriage and apply for the certificates and at the same time be given a slip to uplift the certificates in a few days for those whom we marry. Most marriage officers are religious leaders and they are disrespected by this office. I requested several times to apply for the certificates and uplift it on behalf of those whose marriage I officiated at, but I was bluntly told in a rude manner to go downstairs and apply.
These people have no respect for Ministers of Religion. Just a few years ago that service was offered to us as marriage officers but now we have to wait months for marriage certificates and we are blamed by those whose marriages we have performed.
Now they are telling me if the person I marry is from overseas then they can uplift the certificates in a few days when I register it and pay upstairs if they go with me. I find all these regulations absolutely ridiculous.
What about women who marry here who need their marriage certificate for a name change and for immigration? Are they not counted? In many cases people told me they have to offer bribes to get these certificates.
I believe the General Registrar Office needs a very efficient Registrar General and an assistant registrar general which they don’t have currently. I also believe they need to computerise births, marriages, and deaths and decentralise this office to the various regions.
After 50 years of independence it’s time we upgrade this system of administration. A few years ago we used to have Marriage Officers meetings at Police Head Quarters with the Minister of Home Affairs, Register General, the Police and various Embassies. We need to have these meetings again every 6 months so Marriage Officers can voice their opinions on issues that are affecting them.
Rev.Gideon Cecil
Legal Marriage Officer

---

---