CUSTOMERS will benefit from streamlined services following an upgrade to technological services at the Registrar General’s Department (RGD).

The rebranded “Outtamany Search” and other products and services were launched on Wednesday, December 7, during a ceremony at the Courtleigh Hotel, St Andrew.

The Outtamany Search, formerly known as Genealogical Research, provides useful information on a family’s history, factual evidence on the cause (s) of death through generations, and can identify the origin of a family or discover unknown family members. The upgraded service includes more in-depth research reports with a list of vital events, births, marriages, deaths, customised family trees and ancestral causes of death. The research report can highlight specific milestone events, and clients have the option of a published family book in hard or soft copy.

“I am pleased to announce the relaunch of the new and improved genealogy search,” stated CEO of RGD, Charlton McFarlane. “With this rebrand it is not only more in-depth, but also has a more authentic Jamaican feel with the name Outtamany Search. It includes a story output with an ancestral view and descendant view, and clients can choose one or both – which we call an hourglass view. Additionally, there’s also access to the Gleaner archives and ancestry.com — this will ensure that our searches are as comprehensive as possible. The RGD will also commence the use of the family tree-maker software, which significantly improves the quality of the final output.”

Floyd Green, minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with oversight for the RGD, also shared a riveting outlook on the new tool for discovery.

“We’re sure that as Jamaicans — with our rich history of many people coming from many places to here, the best place on Earth — we all have an interesting and enthralling family story, a story that confirms and re-confirms what we already know — that out of many, we are one. It is for this reason that the RGD has taken the time to craft and reshape our genealogy search, and today we are proud to launch our Outtamany Search. I want to congratulate the team at RGD for being proactive and diligent in working on this product,” Green continued.

Green added: “I can’t think of a better time than Christmas time to launch this Outtamany Search as I believe it will make an excellent gift for the family. I encourage Jamaicans at home and abroad to give the gift of an Outtamany Search for Christmas.”

With the updated online platform, persons will also be able to track the status of all applications online, make payment for Search of Wills and Deeds, as well as make applications and payments for Authenticated Copies of Wills and Deeds online.

“Today marks another milestone in our digital transformation. The RGD is deliberate with being digitally bold and unrelenting in our focus. This focus has permeated the entire organisation. Our public-facing services have been impacted positively since 2020, and it has led to an explosion of online services. The RGD has increased its online offerings by 160 per cent,” informed McFarlane.

“We have leveraged technology to improve the RGD’s customer service and accessibility. The online services have reduced the transaction cost of doing business with RGD because it reduces the frequency people need to physically show up at the office. At RGD we think of ourselves as customers, and in this way we are able to think about how we want to be treated and then let it reflect through our customer service department,” McFarlane continued.