There is now a limit on the number of birth and marriage certificates Jamaicans can apply and pay for, as the Registrar General’s Department is experiencing challenges in sourcing the security paper used to print the certificates.
The RGD says the printing of the first free birth certificates is suspended, and there is now a limit on the maximum number of copies a person can apply for. The changes took effect on Monday and is expected to last until Friday, September 30.
The challenges currently being experienced in sourcing security paper has been blamed on supply chain logistical challenges sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, and is further complicated by other international disruptions.
“We are down to a critical level in our vaults and based on our projections and with the new timeline for the delivery of security papers, which is sometime next week, we have taken the decision to temporarily suspend the printing of the first free birth certificates just for this two-week period,” RGD’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Charlton McFarlane told JIS News.
A customer would apply and pay for two birth certificates on average, however given the supply shortage, they can apply for only one birth or marriage certificate. A person can still apply for the maximum of two death certificates.
“Death certificates are normally required by various stakeholders. So, we decided that one copy would not necessarily be sufficient for the effective facilitation of business,” he explained.
Only customers applying for certificates between September 19 and 30 and requesting a turnaround time for delivery during that period, will be affected.
“We hope that the disruption will be minimal and apologise to our customers for the inconvenience that this has caused,” Mr. McFarlane said.