Dear Editor,
You would be aware of my insistent recommendation ever since 2008 for the re-siting of the commercial activities of the Deeds Registry – Companies Incorporation, Business Names Registration, Bills of Sale Registration along with Intellectual Property ie Trade Marks, Patents, etc, to a Commercial Registry away from the physical accommodation at the main Deeds Registry office below the High Court. Apart from the logic of its operation under a Registrar specially appointed for that function, it occupies space urgently needed by the Registrar of Deeds for the execution of the statutory functions in relation to the maintenance of accurate and reliable land titles registers and information – mainly the Transports’ system derived from the old Roman Dutch Law.
I understand that it is the desire of the recently appointed Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs to have under his portfolio the operations of the Land Registry whose principal office is at D’Urban Backlands.
Well, I saw recently a newspaper publication to the effect that the office building recently vacated by the New Building Society Limited situated at the corner of Avenue of the Republic and Commerce Street is up for sale and immediately recognized this as an excellent opportunity for the government to solve at one stroke the question of strategic and convenient accommodation of two important facilities – the Commercial Registry and the Land Registry. It should be grabbed at all costs.
The respective advantages require little justification but I name a few:
The Commercial Registry
Companies Incorporation/Business Names Registration/Bills of Sale/ Intellectual Property.
The ordinary uses of this office would need no special parking space since all the parties operate within walking distance of the Registry.
It retains proximity to the Deeds Registry across the street with which department it would retain certain documentary relationships.
It could operate out of the upper storey with little inconvenience to its limited clientele.
There is a sound vault.
Land Registry
The juxtaposition of the two principal land-title systems – Transports (across the street) and Torrens Land Registration would be an immeasurable relief and convenience to the itinerant general public, the legal profession and commercial institutions lending monies mainly on the basis of title to land.
A decent amount of space available to the public for search of land registers and transaction of business would now be possible.
A vault for the security of documents is in place.
Parking space presents no problem.
In such circumstances, it would not be out of place for NBS to withdraw the invitation of public bids before the advertised closing date.
Yes, we must grab at this prize, even with resort to NICIL funds!
Yours faithfully,
Leon O Rockcliffe
