Dear Claudienne:

On Tuesday, November 1, 2016, I went to the Savanna-la-Mar branch of the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) to have a deed poll document drafted to have a change of name.

They took a copy of my birth certificate and sent the documents to the RGD head office for the deed poll to be drafted. I received the deed poll and took it to the Montego Bay Tax office to have it stamped. I got a Justice of the Peace to sign it and then took the document back to the RGD office. At the RGD office I paid $2,200 to obtain two copies of my birth certificate with my new name, and I also paid the six-week service fee.

A few days later I missed a telephone call from the RGD. When I went to the RGD office in Sav-la-Mar to enquire why they were calling me, I was informed by one of the representatives that for the name change to be completed I needed to pay for a new copy of my old birth certificate.

I refuse to pay for a new birth certificate at this stage. What I would like to know is why, when I went to apply for the deed poll to be done, I was not informed that there was a problem with my birth certificate and that I would need a new one.

Why am I being required to pay for a new birth certificate that will be of no use to me when my name is changed?

I am asking you to help me to have the RGD clarify this matter.

CJ

Dear CJ:

Tell Claudienne has been in communication with the RGD. After investigating the matter, they said that the birth certificate you submitted with your deed poll application was accepted in error.

The spokesperson said that the birth certificate was crushed, in a poor condition, and should not have been accepted by the Savanna-la-Mar RGD office.

The reference number was missing from the birth certificate you submitted, and some of the information on it was illegible, the RGD spokesperson said.

When the deed poll application reached the RGD head office and they saw the condition of the birth certificate, they returned it and instructed the manager to tell you that you needed to get a new birth certificate.

The RGD advised that your original birth certificate with all the information has to be attached to the deed poll. The spokesperson also explained that the deed poll reference is made to match the original birth certificate.

Your only option is to pay for a new birth certificate so that the deed poll can be finalised.

Good luck.Dear Claudienne:

Good luck.

Dear Claudienne:

I wonder if you could help me to get my FLOW (LIME) landline restored to service.

Some time last year, a tree branch fell on the electricity lines, causing a spark that burned the telephone cable, thereby cutting off our landline.

I reported the matter to FLOW. When the time came to pay the next bill, my daughter called the company and was told that because it would be very expensive to replace the cable, it might not be replaced for several months.

In the meantime FLOW suggested that we should make a request for the service to be disconnected, as we would have to continue to pay the bill for a service we were not getting. We were told that it was unlikely that we would be given a refund for the time we were without the service.

I discussed the matter via e-mail with the company and was advised to pay no more bills until the service was restored.

Several months have passed and the service has not been restored.

I would appreciate your help in having the telephone company restore our landline.

WWDear WW:

WW

Dear WW:

We have spoken to FLOW and we note that your landline service has now been restored.

Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility or company? Telephone 936-9346 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.

Have a problem with a store, utility or company? Telephone 936-9346 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.