Dear Editor,

Given my recent experience in accessing government services, I am moved to ask the question: Has the efficiency in the delivery of government services improved or is it that a lesser number of people are seeking out these services? I should like to think it is the former.

Having entered the building of the St Andrew Revenue Service Centre at 11:00 am, I was able to renew my motor vehicle registration and leave in less than 19 minutes.

After executing other errands en route, including taking my COVID-19 booster shot at the St Joseph’s Hospital, I arrived at the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) on Duke Street at around 2:00 pm. After a brief wait outside, I entered and exited the building in less than half hour. This after receiving a text message from the RGD that the document, for which I applied under the 10-day service, was ready to be collected.

I then proceeded to the National Insurance Scheme office on Ripon Road and, likewise, the service delivery was smooth, and so it took me less than half hour to have my matter addressed.

Of these three instances, my slice of the cheese cake goes to the RGD. This, not because of the aforementioned interaction, but because I was able to apply for the service online while being very professionally assisted by a customer service representative via their web chatline. During the conversation, links to the relevant forms were shared with me. I completed the forms there and then and made the payment electronically. Just around the anticipated time, I received a text message to “Collect certificate between 7am-3pm. Take a valid ID or passport size photo signed by JP [justice of the peace] along with your receipt. Batch#211-7703.” This to my mind is world-class and deserves all commendations.

I think, however, that the time has come for these social services to be amalgamated under one agency, possibly a National Social Services Agency (NSSA), to include the National Identification System (NIDS), et al. In such a scenario, all the aforementioned services could be made accessible at all the locations. What this would mean is that there would be more locations for accessing these services, such that travel time and the consumption of petrol would be minimised, thereby lessening the demand for that precious and expensive commodity.

Furthermore, if the other service providers adopt the model of the RGD, there would be less people entering the buildings. My recollection is that the RGD used to deliver their product to the customer’s designated point of delivery. This merits reconsideration, even if that service is to be contracted to a third party and the customer pays.

The long and short is that to be able to complete transactions at three government offices in less than one day, without undue stress, means that we have come a very long way.

Glendon G Newsome

ggnewsome@cwjamaica.com