KAREMA HERON-GRANT is a frustrated woman. Her annoyance has come about due to the length of time she has waited on a birth certificate from the Registrar General Department (RGD).
"I applied for a birth certificate for my son using the seven day service. After the seven days it wasn't ready. After waiting a while they told me they had eventually posted it. I didn't get it and I had to pay again to have it processed and it looks like I'm going to have to pay again," she complained.
Many complaints
She added that she had paid for other birth certificates and had to wait beyond the seven days. However, she eventually got them but she is still waiting on the outstanding document.
Of course, her complaint was just one of many THE STAR received.
Another complaint came from Omar Matthewswho said he had paid for the express service more than two weeks ago. However, he is still waiting.
"Everytime mi ask dem dem seh it print already but mi can't get it cause dem seh dem nuh deliver to my area. Mi tell dem fi sen' it to the police station an' all now mi caan get it. Mi ask fi a refund an' mi still caan get cause dem a seh it print already a result, THE STAR decided to go through the process of applying for a birth certificate using the same seven day service.
When THE STAR arrived at the RGD office we were handed an application form by the security guard. With the clock showing 11:45 am and the crowd at the office having been reduced from earlier in the morning, the team was directed to a tent in front of RGD building where we were instructed to fill out the form.
When the form was completed, the waiting game or musical chairs began. But what caught our attention was the complaints of a woman behind us.
"Bway dem seh dem set up out here fi mek tings better but everytime I come out here I can't get through," said the woman.
"Mi come out here early an haffi play hop scotch wid di chair dem. Mi come late an' a di same ting," she said.
We were to find out what she meant as it took us a hour and 15 minutes to see a Customer Service Representative. At that time our watches read 1pm.
After a 10-minute process, we were sent inside the building where we joined a line of about 20 people. After waiting an additional 15 minutes, we paid the cashier, were given a receipt and told we would receive the birth certificate in the next seven days. Our total time to complete the process was one and a half hour - a time that doesn't include filling out the forms.
Admittedly, THE STAR team received the birth certificate in seven days. However, there are those that say we were among the fortunate few. They add that were it earlier in the morning, the process may have taken longer.
"I had to wait two weeks for a service that I paid seven days to get," said Mark Smith. "To make matters worse, the certicate came back with an error and I had to go over everything. And, this was after waiting for two hours one morning," he said.
Prime causes
Still, the RGD points out that a prime cause for delay was the failure of customers to fill out their forms properly. The department adds that there have been cases where persons have filled in a fictitious entry number to avoid paying for a search.
They however pointed out that if the agency was at fault then the customer could ask for a refund. They said they would be working to cut down on the length of time persons waited but they were still working to come up with the best way.
Names changed on request.
