KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) has handed over 35 desktop computers, four laptops and an all-in-one multimedia printer/copier/scanner to the Registrar General’s Department (RGD), for the efficient processing of birth certificates.

Valued at $10 million, the donation forms part of JSIF’s Integrated Community Development Project (ICDP), which is implemented by JSIF and funded through a loan from the World Bank.

The items were handed over to the RGD on Tuesday.

In his address, Managing Director of JSIF, Omar Sweeney, said the technical assistance is a critical deliverable to support ongoing birth certificate projects.

“Without this document, these persons would have difficulty accessing services. The project has made them understand the necessity of having these official documents. We will continue to work together to build the capacity of the RGD and to provide tangible support to the programme,” he said.

For his part, Chief Executive Officer of the RGD, Charlton McFarlane, said civil registration documents, particularly birth certificates, are critical for individuals to access formal services.

“They open doors for social and economic mobility by enabling individuals to access better jobs, social support services and educational opportunities. The equipment being handed over today will be distributed across several key departments and they will be directly linked to facilitating the work under this partnership,” he said.

The RGD is the executive agency mandated to oversee civil registration documentation.

Under the ICDP ‘Operation Certification’ Cycle 1 project, the JSIF/RGD partnership has resulted in the delivery of birth certificates to more than 7,000 beneficiaries at a cost of $13 million.