Dear Editor,

Undoubtedly, there has been some improvement in the level of service given to the public by the Registrar General’s Department over the last 10 years or so. But every so often we hear an anecdote which suggests that there is room for improvement yet.

I have an anecdote of my own: In February this year I applied for a correction of error to my birth certificate. The representative gave me a form to fill out and told me to return with payment. This was no easy feat, since one section of the form had to be signed by both my parents and a justice of the peace on the same date.

Anyway, by April 24 I was able to return the paperwork along with my payment for regular service. I was told I would get a text within a couple of months to come in and pick up my corrected birth certificate.

After two months and some days I called but couldn’t get past their automated system (that’s another story). So I went in to the office.

To my dismay, the representative advised that there was another form to fill out! Really now?! Why didn’t anyone contact me about this?

This form also has to be signed by both my parents and an authorised person. So I’ll have to go through that rigmarole again.

And there’s an additional cost of $1,500. Why am I being penalised because the representative failed to give me all the required paperwork at the outset? So it’s their foul-up, but the customer pays the penalty.

I think the deputy keeper of the records should have something to say about this.

George Josephs

gjosephsjnr@yahoo.com