Dear Editor,
A few days ago I visited the General Registrar Office (GRO) in Georgetown at 8 am. The security guard downstairs who checked my bag asked if I had an ID card from the government stating that I am a marriage officer; I told her no, but myself and many other marriage officers had requested that card fifteen years ago from the Ministry of Home Affairs but we still do not have one.
I then proceeded upstairs to the office to register the marriage. At 8.10 am I went into the office and a lady came out of a room and told me to go outside and wait. I went outside and sat down on the bench. More people were now sitting next to me grumbling about why the office was not opening. I started to talk to a gentleman who had come very far and who had applied two months ago for birth certificates but never got them. I showed him the second door where he needed to go for his birth certificates. He went and spent about 25 minutes and then came out saying he was told they would post them. What bothers me is this man had travelled far and had been there since 7 am but was turned down. What is so difficult about the staff taking his receipts, finding his name in the records and giving him his birth certificates instantly after two months of tedious waiting and now wasted travel expenses? And he was not the only one who was sent away.
I sat on the bench talking to other folks who told me they had been waiting over six months now for birth, marriage and death certificates. The Marriage Section took 75 minutes to open. I have a problem with that because they have on the wall that the opening hours are from 8 am. So why did they not open until 9.25am? And staff could be seen going to work at 10 am and even later. They tell people to go to uplift their marriage licence at 8 am but it’s not given until 11 am or the next day. In many cases it’s not ready or it’s not signed by someone in charge who is not in the office or is late. As a legal marriage officer I am concerned about the long tedious process the General Registrar Office is taking to process marriage certificates after I register a marriage and apply for certificates, or when those whom I marry apply for them.
I believe as marriage officers we should be given the privilege of registering a marriage and applying for the certificates at the same time. We could be given a slip to uplift the certificates in a few days. Most marriage officers are religious leaders but they are disrespected by this office. I asked several times if I could apply for the certificates and uplift them on behalf of those whose marriage at which I had officiated, but was bluntly told in a rude manner to go downstairs and apply. These people have no respect for Ministers of Religion. Just a few years ago that service was offered to us as marriage officers but now we have to wait months for marriage certificates, and we are blamed by those whose marriages we have performed.
Now they are telling me that if the person I marry is from overseas then they can uplift the certificates in a few days after I have registered the marriage and pay upstairs if they go with me. I find all these regulations absolutely ridiculous. What about women who marry here who need their marriage certificate for a name change and for immigration? Are they not counted? In some cases people told me they have to offer bribe to get these certificates. These corrupt practices needed to be stamped out.
I believe the General Registrar Office needs a very efficient registrar general and an assistant registrar general. I also believe they need to computerize births, marriages and deaths and decentralize this office to the various regions. After 50 years of independence it’s time we upgraded this system. When one applies for a passport or police clearance we will be told to uplift it in a few days in person. We need this same system at the GRO. Some can be posted too very expeditiously, although sometimes mail can be lost or get misplaced. I am calling on our present administration to upgrade the GRO system because too many people are suffering to get these basic certificates. A few years ago we used to have marriage officers’ meetings at Police Headquarters with the Minister of Home Affairs, Registrar General, the police and representatives from various embassies. We need to have these meetings again every six months, so marriage officers can voice their opinions on issues that are affecting them. If we don’t upgrade all our systems of administration we will be a nation left far behind our Caribbean neighbours.
I know of a lot of people who never register, and a late birth registration takes 6 months with tons of paperwork. I also believe the size of these certificates should be increased because some people have 4-5 names. The certificate should no longer be handwritten but printed.
Yours faithfully,
Rev Gideon Cecil
