By Fareeza Haniff
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee says the decision to implement a six month timeline, followed by a two year timeline for the issuance of birth certificates before being granted a passport, was well thought out.
Rohee admitted that the public was not consulted prior to the decision; however his Ministry consulted with the police and other ‘stakeholders’.
“When we moved to six months to two years, it was an effort to appease the general population and those who feel that the timelines were unhelpful,” Rohee said.
He added, “before we arrived at the six months, we sat with the Police, we sat with many other stakeholders and we discussed it. This is not a decision where Clement Rohee wakes up one morning and at breakfast decides on something.”
When asked if the Ministry never thought about the challenges it would impose, before implementing the timelines, he responded: “What do you mean if we’ve thought about it before? We’re not dumb dumbs as some people are trying to make out,” Rohee told reporters during a press conference of the People’s Progressive Party today, Monday August 04.
The timelines were both reversed by the Ministry following public outrage. Additionally, citizens also took the government to Court, but Rohee remains adamant that the reversal of the timeline had nothing to do with the Court action.
“It had nothing to do with the process of the Courts, nothing to do with that. We take our decisions independent of what the Courts are doing.”
Meanwhile, the Home Affairs Minister informed that there are hundreds of false birth certificates in circulation, by persons who pay outside of the regular process of the Guyana Register Office.
ROhee we all know you are Dumb…. you dont even know why you implemented this
It’s not only goats that wears horns
M P…. u catch on to the name Indira Singh real fast … u r right..it has to be from linden hahaha
Chris what nonsense. Show me the web site that ask for a birth certificate to be within the past 6 months for a US visa. It’s the picture they have that requirement. Your birth certificate don’t have a picture on it just information why the 6 months requirement. Why not fix the curruption at the post office instead?
Ms Singh (nice name to assume if you did – high nation) when you voted for APNU, you gave them the mandate to talk for you. So shut your big mouth. The Government will speak for you too.
The people elect a government to act on their behalf.
More people in Guyana voted for the PPP/C, hence we have the Presidency. Perhaps you need to whine on Mr Granger’s shoulder. If you are from Linden, I hope you were not disenfranchised at Congress Place.
Here we go again …The mighty Rohee speaks::: Fuss time was ” goat bite he” this time ” hes a dumb dumb” the public is never consulted by ppp on anything…everything is done behind sealed doors until its let out…ppp good at economics while pnc knows nothing about economics..ppp does not know or does not want to know about security..ppp doing the hiring so things can be forged…ppp hiring police who shake down motorist…certain motorists only..ppp hiring army people to defend what I dont know..anyone guess that our mighty powerhouse will clobber brazil – venevuela US army…yall dont make joke with ppp army yeah..
I am not sure how much research Patricia did but this requirement of a birth certificate issued no more than sex months for immigration purposes is not percular to Guyana, in several countries this is a requirement, even the US embassy in Guyana on their application form ask for a birth certificate no older than six months when applying for a US visa.
The new system has caused some staff in the Post Office to delay the issuance of Birth Certificates applied for in order to obtain a new passport. My sister from the Bahamas applied on 4 July for a new Birth Certificate and has not yet received it and no one can give her an update on her application. The GRO is saying that it has been mailed since 10 July and it would take 3 days to reach the Soesdyke Post Office. Yet, to date, she cannot receive the birth certificate. She has called the Soesdyke Post Office everyday and they have not received any GRO for her.
Once again Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb confuse stakeholders with money collectors. The largest stakeholder in this case was the public. Why were they not in the decision making process from the get go. These clowns should be made to pay back the public for each hour wasted on that ridiculous plan.
This is called growing pains.
Many will be inconvenienced as we proceed along progressive paths. We cannot see everything which can be issues, though the grass always grows green side up, always there will be hicups along the way. But we must bite the bullet somewhere down the line.
We know how criminals will spare no effort to beat the system.
They are deported today and back on the plane soon after.
They put drugs in fruits and vegetables. They hollow out wood and inplant drugs. They hide drugs in their private parts.
In time, everything will be computerised. And a physical, false birth certificate can be easily verified.
Go for it Minister Rohee, only the dishonest have things to fear.
“We take our decisions independent of what the Courts are doing.” This alone tells you what they thing about upholding the law.
In the first place it should not have happened no other part of the world this happens a birth certificate is for life, so if walk like a duck and quack like one it is one enough said