FOR a long time now citizens are being frustrated by the actions, inactions or wrong actions of one individual. The Registrar General overburdens herself with work or she does nothing, except the functions of a Justice of the Peace most of the time. There is need for an enquiry into the actions of the Registrar General and her senior staff. The system at the Registry is one of annoyance, frustration, favouritism, discrimination and corruption.  
According to information coming out of the Registry for Births and Deaths, the Registrar General whose signature appears on Marriage Certificates is the same person who very often signs the Marriage Petition forms as Commissioner of Oaths (JP).
In many instances when late registration application is made or application for minor clerical errors, it is the Registrar General that signs those affidavits as the Commissioner of Oaths to Affidavits.
Such services are done for a fee. This is not only a conflict of interest but also corrupt practices by the head of a department. It is because of these occurrences that the Registrar General and her Senior Staff is always at logger heads. The Registrar General is a retired officer from the Guyana Police Force who now heads the department. Morale among workers are very low. They do not see the scope for promotion. Another former police Oofficer is the Deputy Registrar General. This is unfair to the workers who have been there for years.
There is the saying that when some police can’t make money on the road anymore there is a place for them at the GPO building. Having reached retirement age many senior police officers are granted employment at the Ministry of Home Affairs. They receive a fat salary in addition to their pensions.
As for discrimination and favouritism, the Registrar General knowingly favours marriage Officers of one group over another. Christian Marriage Officers are told that they can perform marriages at their place of worship or the place where the ceremony is being conducted and that they should never perform any marriage in any office or homes.
On the other hand a Christian marriage Officer who is a personal friend of the Registrar General does marriages in her chambers. Another Marriage Officer performs marriages in a bookstore. The Marriage Act states that at the time of application for a marriage licence the name of the Marriage Officer and the place of the marriage must be stated. The Law does not state where a marriage cannot be done.
It would appear that the Registrar is not even familiar with the Marriage Act. Her reason for cancelling Hindu marriages which were performed in an office is that a Hindu Marriage ceremony takes over two hours to complete. According to the Marriage Act, persons from the Hindu faith can chose whatever form of ceremony they want. Therefore, time is out of the question.
A Christian marriage officer from Soesdyke carries out marriages right at the GPO building and give another address as place of marriage. No problem with the Registrar General. On the Other hand a Christian Marriage Officer from Lombard Street has to take couples in the Promenade Gardens to marry them.
Let us not forget that political parties complained about the frustration persons encountered in obtaining birth certificates before our last elections and registration process.
I think Mr. Keith Burrowes should be commissioned to investigate this department.