Stricter Birth Registration service for Thomas Hill
─ Measures to be implemented for more reliable registration, delivery of certificates
DPI, Guyana, Sunday, October 20, 2019
On Saturday, as his colleagues fanned out across the Barima-Waini sub-district of Mabaruma, Minister of Citizenship, Hon. Winston Felix visited the small community of Thomas Hill.
There, among other matters, he addressed the residents’ concerns about the need for improved delivery of birth certificates in far-flung communities. He assured that measures will be put in place to better the current distribution of certificates in the community.
“We are here today to ensure your needs are met, to evaluate each community’s development and to fix what is lacking. As I am here, I urge those who have issues with their existing birth papers to come forward so that your issue can be documented,” Minister Felix told the gathered residents.
The Citizenship Minister also outlined the measures his office has implemented so far to decentralise citizenship, immigration and birth registration services across the country. He noted that to date, two new passport and immigration offices have been opened. In Linden and Berbice, a $31M and $57.5M offices were opened respectively. Both provide services in the application of birth, marriage and death certificates.
Before meeting with the residents, Minister Felix also conducted a walk-about to assess the development within the community.
He noted that there was a “well-constructed primary school, a solar farm, proper water storage and distribution for the villagers.”
These services, he assured, were just a start and the administration will continue to provide more to the hinterland communities.
Sheila Adams, who grew up in Thomas Hill all her life, mentioned that for years, the small community suffered from several shortages, such as inadequate water and poor health service. However, the resident expressed her satisfaction with the development thus far. “My family; all grew up here, this is our home, we try to make ends meet, but we are very happy that the government is doing their part to ensure we are living with the much-needed necessities,” Adams remarked.