After a recent trip to Jamaica from which I thought life in Jamaica had improved from the old days of having to wait months on a piece of paper from the beauraucracy, I had a first hand experience with the Registrar General's department. I was quickly reminded that time had stood still.

I requested copies of a birth certificate for a twelve year old child of a relative of mine; basically for the convenience of paying on a credit card. this request was made and paid for on the website sometime in March/april of 2007. It is my understanding that the request for the same birth certificate had been made several times before. The road block is that the child was not registered in the right district in Jamaica- so the birth certificate could not be issued. Of course you better not be born in one place and be registered in another in Jamaica - why would you ? It seems that even registering the child at the hospital or at the post office - any post office would be a federal crime of no small magnitude. In the mean time US$85.oo were paid. a refund request was made by email but - no one has responded - at least not yet. it is now June. So while the saga continues the child remains without a birth certificate and unable to get a passport. How about that for progress- in the meantime the road dem pretty to ratid! but jamaica is caught in the time warp and is still many years behind. Step up Registrar General. this system needs revision. this child needs his birth certificate.