KINGSTON, Jamaica— Approximately 11,000 undocumented Jamaicans will be provided with birth certificates this year under the Government’s so-called Project BirthRight, which is being rolled out under the National Identification System (NIDS).
Minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Floyd Green, said Project BirthRight will coincide with the country’s 60th anniversary of independence, which is being observed this year.
He was speaking recently in the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.
Under the programme, the NIDS Project, in collaboration with the Registrar General’s Department (RGD), will develop, implement and promote outreach programmes at the RGD’s branch offices and across various communities for registering needy, undocumented Jamaicans.
“Eligible participants will receive their birth certificate free of cost,” said Green. He explained that Project BirthRight will provide free birth certificates for undocumented Jamaicans with less than $37,000 of household income monthly.
“We have allocated J$50 million for this project and expect it to benefit over 11,000 undocumented eligible Jamaicans over the course of this year. The programme will adopt existing means of verifying if the applicants were born in Jamaica,” said the Minister.
He said that as of July, Project BirthRight registration forms will be available at the RGD’s branch offices, the RGD website, the NIDS Facts website, and on social media pages. Forms will also be made available on the day of planned outreach events.
“In recognition of Jamaica’s 60th, we are kick-starting this programme by asking our Members of Parliament to aid us by each supplying the names of 60 persons across your constituency that are in need of birth certificates and fit the established criteria. In this our 60th year we are going to take steps to ensure that each Jamaican can claim their birth right, starting with their birth certificate,” said Green.
“This will lay the foundation for those persons to participate in our digital society,” he added.
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