THE EDITOR, Sir:
WHEN I found the tattered remains of my father's burial order it must have been the shame that I had never once visited his grave site in the May Pen Cemetery after 29 years that propelled me to seek copies of his Death Registration Certificate as a means of appeasing my conscience.
At the Registrar General's Office on Half-Way-Tree Road I was directed to the Head office at Spanish Town in order for a search to be conducted. After some four hours at that location, the clerk informed me that no records were found and the death was never registered. I was directed to the nearest Police station where the accident that caused his death had taken place.
From two police stations to the Coroners Court where a Mr. Jones stated that the section of the burial order did not indicate the cause of death and records from that time were lost in Hurricane Gilbert, I was directed to the Office of the Public Defender.
After months of waiting I was recently contacted by Mr. Howard Hamilton's office and informed that the death was in fact registered and was given the registration number.
I returned to the Registrar General's Department on Half-Way Tree Road, re-applied and attached a copy of the letter from the Public Defender's office. A day short of the 30th anniversary of my father's death two copies of the death certificates were delivered by post. A big thanks to Mr. Jones of the Coroners Court and the office of the Public Defender.
This is a rare occasion on which that I feel my tax dollar is well spent.
I am, etc.,
JOAN FRANCIS
Brotherton Avenue
Kingston 13
