Representatives of the General Register Office (GRO), on Saturday travelled to several Essequibo communities, where they facilitated the first-time registration of birth certificates for over 50 persons, and renewed the birth certificates of others.
The initiative, which benefited the communities of Bonasika, Morashee, Aliki, Leguan, Wakenaam and Fort Island, was described by Fort Island Community Worker, Pretty Debidin, as an extension of the ‘Taking Govt to the People’ initiative, which has seen ministers travelling around the country to address the concerns of citizens, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reported.
DPI noted that in addition to the aforementioned services, the Office also solicited general information on other GRO services, such as marriage and death registrations.
“This is a great positive on government’s part because people will save a lot in terms of time and finance to travel. I can comfortably say that the people of the Essequibo River welcome this exercise and are very grateful because it has been years we were asking for this service and today we got it. It is like bringing the services of government to the people,” Debidin stated.
DPI said that the initiative resulted from the intervention of Region 3 Regional Executive Officer, Jennifer Ferreira-Dougall, who engaged the various communities, before making representation on the residents’ behalf to the Department of Citizenship within the Ministry of the Presidency.
“When we talk about elevating people’s living standard it is not just about providing better health care, schools, security, and the likes but it is also about empowering them to the point where they are free to transact business of their own, and to do that they need the necessary documents,” Ferreira-Dougall said.
“A birth certificate is the first important document that is necessary and from that, the others will follow. So it is not just about knowing your identity but also enabling you to conduct business in your country of birth, hence empowering you,” she noted.
DPI said that similar outreaches are to be held in Lanaballi, Saxacalli, Caria Caria and Great Troolie Island on Friday, May 24.
They are advising residents to take along supporting documents in order to be registered, including: (for adults) their baptism certificate, sibling’s birth certificate and a letter from the last school attended; (for school children) a letter from the school and their clinic card; (and for babies) their clinic card.
