The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FAMILY islanders will soon be able to apply for certain services at home rather than footing the travel costs to obtain documents in the capital.

The change comes as the Local Government Amendment Bill was read for the second time and committed in the Senate yesterday.

Senators noted that with islands scattered across miles of ocean, local administrators need the authority to issue documents such as birth and marriage certificates.

Allyson Maynard-Gibson, leader of government business in the Senate, said all Bahamians should have access to every governmental service without inconvenience.

Mrs Maynard-Gibson said: “This Bill will have a tremendous impact on out islanders. They should and must get the same services that Nassauvians have. This Bill also saves them great expense by enabling the administrator to carry out the same job of the Nassau registrar.

“People living in Ragged Island, Crooked Island, Inagua are paying their taxes, and they ought to be able to have the same conveniences as those in New Providence. That is our belief in the Progressive Liberal Party, where we are a government for the people.

“There will be no need to travel to Nassau anymore.”

Once the Bill becomes law, the Registrar General in Nassau can designate any Family Island Administrator, Senior Deputy Administrator, or Assistant Administrator to issue certified documents. They will also be empowered to exercise any of the Registrar’s duties.

“We are putting in place the infrastructure were the administrator right in the Family Islands will be able to register conveyances to register mortgages, to register deaths, (and) to register birth certificates.”

Parliamentarians have estimated that those travelling to Nassau to obtain services spend around $1,000 coupled with a loss in wages.

The Bill also sets out provisions for the proper training of all staff members to use the new system over a six-month period.