More Persons can now Access RGD’s Express Services

More customers of the Registrar General’s Department (RGD), will now be able to access the agency’s express services, with the implementation of electronic indices in all Regional Offices.
“Previously, persons would have applied on the ordinary service because they didn’t have all the information, so they probably did not have an entry number, but now we offer this search facility in which we will search for customers for a fee of $100 per hour,” Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Patricia Holness told a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on Wednesday, January 27.
The acquisition of an entry number gives customers the opportunity to utilize other services such as next day, seven-day, or ordinary. According to the CEO, persons seemed to prefer having an entry number to broaden their options.
“Also, we find that when persons have relatives who died a long time ago, and are now ready to acquire a copy of the death certificate, they have no idea as to whether it was registered, where it was registered, and to a large extent, they don’t have all the information,” she said.
The CEO cited an example in which a person only knows the name of the person who died. In this case, he/she would need to find out the cause of death, as the RGD would need to do a lot more groundwork, such as speaking with a Police Officer if the person had died violently.
“With our death database, we can do a search on that name to discover whether the death was registered. If not, we would need to assist them, and we do have a special care unit where we assist persons in going through the processes to secure the death certificate,” she added. “If for example, a fourth generation individual comes to Jamaica and has no clue how his grandfather died, but is looking at a piece of property that may belong to him, we would take him through the process of identifying where the death occurred and assist them in actually doing the registration,” she explained.
According to the CEO, the recent amendment to the Coroner’s Act has been quite helpful, as the RGD could now use information from the Coroner’s certificate to register the death without having to ask individuals who have already migrated, or tourists, to come back to Jamaica in order to have a death registered.
The creation of electronic indices has aided the RGD in maintaining speed and efficiency in locating records, as part of its vision of implementing full computerization and increased satisfaction to customers.