Birth Certificates to be Printed in Braille

The Registrar General’s Department (RGD) will this year begin the process of introducing birth certificates in Braille for members of the visually impaired community.

This was disclosed by Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, during Wednesday’s (May 17) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House in St. Andrew.

“Members of our society who have particular challenges, such as our visually impaired community or those who are blind, have said we need to develop ways that they are included in everything we do.

“So, this year, we are working to start producing birth certificates in Braille, and this is specifically for our visually impaired, our blind community, and this will be pioneering work. It will be the first of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister said that starting this year, citizens will be able to apply online to receive their first birth certificate, which is free of cost.

“It used to be that yes, you get it free, but you had to go in to apply. Now you can apply online. This will benefit over 30,000 mothers,” he noted.