Dear Editor,

A FEW days ago, I visited the General Registrar Office in Georgetown at 8 a.m. I told the security guard downstairs — who checked my bag — that I am a marriage officer and I am going upstairs to register a marriage. She asked if I had an ID card from the government stating that I am a marriage officer. I told her no, but I and many other marriage officers had requested that card from the Ministry of Home Affairs 15 years ago, since the previous administration, but never get one until today, in this current administration.I showed her my reverend ordination card from my church organization, which she appreciated and examined carefully, but still went on to say that she believes the Ministry of Citizenship should give all current marriage officers an ID card bearing the government’s stamp for us to walk with whenever we go to the GRO. I fully agree with her, but still wonder how, where and when would marriage officers be given that card.

I then proceeded upstairs to the office to register the marriage at 8:10 a.m. I went into the office and sat down on a chair. No one was there, but a lady came out of a room and told me to go outside and wait. I went outside and sat down on the bench. More people were now sitting next to me, grumbling why the office was not opening. I started to talk to an African gentleman who had come from very far, he told me he had applied two months ago for birth certificates, but never got them.
I showed him the second door where he needed to go for his birth certificates. He went and spent about 25 minutes, and came out very sad. He said he was told they will post it.

What bothers me is that this man had travelled from very far, was there since 7 a.m, but was turned down. What is so difficult for the staff to take his receipts, find his name in the records, and give him his birth certificates instantly, after two months of tedious waiting and now wasted travel expenses?

And he was not the only one sent away.
I sat on the bench talking to other folk, who told me they had been waiting for over six months for birth, marriage, and death certificates. The Marriage Section office took 75 minutes to open. I have a problem with that, because they have on the wall opening hours are from 8 a.m., so why did they open until 9:25? And staff can be seen going to work at 10 and even later. They tell people to go to uplift their marriage licences at 8 a.m, but it’s not given until 11a.m, or until the next day. In many cases, it’s not ready or it’s not signed by a person in charge who is never in office or always late.

As a legal marriage officer, I am concerned about the long, tedious process the General Registrar Office is taking to process marriage certificates after I register a marriage and apply for certificates, or when those whom I marry apply for theirs.

I believe that as marriage officers we should be given the privilege to register a marriage and apply for the certificates and at the same time be given a slip to uplift the certificates in a few days for those whom we marry. Most marriage officers are religious leaders, and they are disrespected by this office. I asked several times if I can apply for the certificates and uplift them on behalf of those whose marriages I had officiated at, but was bluntly told in a rude manner to go downstairs and apply. These people have no respect for ministers of religion.

Just a few years ago, that service was offered to us as marriage officers, but now we have to wait months for marriage certificates, and we are blamed by those whose marriages we have performed. Now they are telling me that if the person I ‘marry’ is from overseas, then they can uplift the certificates in a few days’ time, when I register it and paid upstairs, if they go with me.

I find all these regulations absolutely ridiculous. What about women who marry here, who need their marriage certificates for a name change and for immigration? Are they not counted? In many cases, people told me they have to offer bribes to get these certificates.

These corrupt practices need to be stamped out, and more competent people need to run this office. We cannot suffer another 50 years for these basic certificates. A good gentleman told me once that “anything can be purchased for a price in this country.”

I believe the General Registrar Office needs a very efficient registrar general and an assistant registrar general, which they don’t currently have. I also believe they need to computerize births, marriages and deaths, and decentralise this office to the various regions. After 50 years of independence, it’s time we upgrade this system of administration.

When one applies for a passport or police clearance, one would be told to uplift it in a few days’ time in person. We need that same system at the GRO. Some can be posted too, very expeditiously; yet sometimes mail can get lost and be misplaced.

I am calling on our present administration to upgrade the GRO system of administration; too many people suffer daily to get these basic certificates. A few years ago, we used to have marriage officers meeting at police headquarters with the Minister of Home Affairs, Registrar General, the police, and various embassies. We need to have these meetings again every six months, so marriage officers can voice their opinions on issues that are affecting them. If we don’t upgrade all our systems of administration, we will be a nation left far behind our Caribbean neighbours.
Regards,
REV. GIDEON CECIL
Legal Marriage Officer