Jamaican fathers are being offered a free opportunity to add their names to their children's birth certificates.

The Registrar General's Department (RGD), the country's record keeper of births and deaths, is offering the service free of cost at all RGD offices islandwide, between June 15 and 22.

According to Yvette Scott, acting chief executive officer of the RGD, the RGD is encouraging the initiative and appealing to fathers to touch the lives of their children in a way that counts.

"It is very important that fathers add their names and particulars to their child's birth certificate and not wait on the last minute to do so. If a father migrates and wants to file for his child, the first proof is the child's birth certificate," Scott said.

endless benefits

She further reasoned, "the benefits are endless because if the father unfortunately dies and didn't leave a will, the child's birth certificate is what is going to count. The RGD gets letters of verification from across the world and sometimes these countries don't understand our system, and ask why is it that the father's particulars are just being added, and we have to explain these things," Scott told THE STAR.

THE STAR understands that normally the cost of this service is between $1,350 and $3,600 depending on the speed of the process.

Scott also reasoned that the application forms are available at all RGD offices islandwide.

"Once the application forms are completed properly and signed by a justice of the peace or a notary public, the process will only take four weeks. This initiative is really targeting unmarried persons because the process for married persons is normally automatic. Our website address is www.rgd.gov.jm or 749-0550, 619-1260," Scott said.

- C.H.