Dear Editor,

I write in response to an article in the Jamaica Observer, dated September 17, 2016, titled ‘Ministry to address concerns of foster parents’.

The Registrar General’s Department (RGD) continues in its quest to ensure that all Jamaicans are registered and that we offer the best service to all our customers. To aid in these efforts, in the year 2012 the agency met with representatives from the Child Development Agency (CDA) to streamline procedures for assisting the wards of the State in obtaining birth certificates.

All applications/requests received from the CDA are given priority, expedited and processed at the executive level, at a reduced cost of $800 for a birth certificate, and a search is done gratis.

The criteria for all applications are processed accordingly:

• Search application — to ascertain whether an entry exists for a child. If an entry is not located, the process of late registration will be conducted.

• Birth application — If an entry number is provided or located from the search application, the application will be processed.

Since the start of this year the RGD received 352 applications; 70 of which were for searches to be conducted. We have since processed a total of 225 certificates and delivered them to the representatives of the CDA.

However, despite our efforts we continue to face challenges due to delays in receiving information or receiving information that is inconsistent with our records.

The RGD team continues to work to satisfy all outstanding applications as we liaise with representatives from the CDA to ensure the needs for the nation’s most vulnerable children are met.

Deirdre English Gosse

Chief Executive Office

Registrar General and Deputy Keeper of the Records

information@rgd.gov.jm