THE EDITOR, Sir:

I HAVE had the unfortunate opportunity to conduct business with the Registrar General's Department (RGD). The Government needs to audit the systems of the RGD and maybe even use one of their highly paid consultants to simplify the processes and procedures of the RGD.

In August of this year, I paid for a search to be done for a birth certificate and as of December 12, 2012 the search was not completed. Please note that we are certain of the person's registration as the original birth certificate was lost!

After trying to reach the 'supervisor' more than four times in one week, I was finally told that the search was completed and no record was found. I now need to do a 'form search' and it would take about the same time as a regular search.

So it will take roughly nine months to do a search for a birth certificate in a small island like Jamaica. I wonder how long it would take in India? Then when the search is completed, it will take another six-eight weeks, if possible, to prepare the new birth certificate.

We, the public, need some intervention into this agency as it is surely not operating efficiently. Would it operate as such were it in the private sector? I assure you that it would not happen.

This is an agency I would urge the Government to privatise.

C. ATKINSON

cmighty@live.com