Dear Claudienne

I am having a problem with the Registrar General’s Department (RGD). On the night of March 14, 2012, I attempted to submit an application for a birth certificate using their online service. After entering my credit card details, I was unable to get a confirmation that payment was successful. This happened twice. I subsequently sent an e-mail to them enquiring what to do. I received a response on March 15, 2012 advising me to submit another application and make payment. I did this and received the success confirmation page as expected.

On checking my credit card account online on March 16, 2012, I realised that there were three payments for the RGD.

I contacted them and a clerk took my details and informed me that the duplicate payment for the first and second application would be reimbursed to me through instructions to my bank (BNS). The refund processs was slated to take seven days and therefore the refund should have been reflected in my account on March 27,2012. However, this did not occur.

Sometime between April 2 and 6 I was able to speak to the same clerk who had informed me that I would be reimbursed. She informed me that the refund application had been submitted to the finance department. She also said that a query had been sent to the bank. However, to this point, Tuesday April 17, no refund has been reflected in my account.

I have tried several times per day between April 10-12 to call the RGD and speak with the clerk who had assisted me, but without success. This experience is very frustrating.

Your assistance would be very much appreciated.

AS

Dear AS

According to the RGD, letters were sent to BNS to refund you J$4,700 ($2,350.00 each) for duplicate payments you submitted in error during your online application to the RGD. One of the RGD letters was sent to the bank via e-mail on April 10, 2012. The RGD has advised Tell Claudienne that the other letter was sent to the bank on Tuesday morning April 17.

We see that you are also now in communication with the clerk at the RGD.

Good luck.

Dear Claudienne

Since my father died about a year ago, I applied to the NIS on my mother’s behalf for her to receive the widow’s pension. We have been to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security office in Mandeville on several occasions to enquire about the claim. We were told that there appeared to be a delay at the head office in Kingston.

This matter should have been resolved within six months after the application was made.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could find out what is happening for me.

CS

Dear CS

The NIS head office in Kingston has advised Tell Claudiennethat the application for the widow’s pension for your mother was made at the Mandeville NIS office in April 2011. The delay was caused by the length of time it took the Mandeville NIS office to get the records of your father’s contributions to the NIS from the three different companies where he worked. The head office said that they received the file in February and the Records Department has already updated the records of the deceased. Quite a bit of processing still has to be done before your mother will receive the pension. We will follow this up for you.

Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.