THE EDITOR, Sir:ON FEBRUARY 27, 2002, I went to the Registrar General's Department to apply for my daughter's birth certificates. I entered an arrangement that would allow me to receive the certificates within seven days.
On the seventh day I returned at 3:00 p.m. as I was instructed to do. However, I was told that the two certificates were not ready. After returning several times almost over a four-week period, I finally received the certificates on March 18.
The seven-day arrangement required that I pay an extra $500. Although the arrangement was breached I was neither offered a refund nor an apology.
Sir, it is wrong to offer a service you cannot provide. Besides having an improperly trained staff that has neither patience nor the ability to understand people's urgent needs, the RGD has no overtime facility and hence staff was observed walking out at 5:00 p.m., while applicants were still in the lines after they were waiting from 3:00 p.m.
With no facility in place for overtime, coupled with the chronic staff shortage, HEART trainees and high school leavers could be hired to ease the backlog.
Finally, management could also look at implementing a graveyard shift to assist with the continued processing of the documents. What is more, the RGD must revisit its "mission and vision" statements.
Why is it there is an easy system to collect people's cash but not an equally prompt service?
No wonder the customers are so hostile at these places.
I am, etc.,
D.V. WRIGHT
Kingston 19
