The Jamaican Government has earmarked US$350,000 through the National Identification System Project to fund the recently launched Operation BirthRight.

Operation BirthRight, which was launched last week by Prime Minister Andrew Holness, will provide birth certificates free of cost for undocumented Jamaicans with a monthly income of less than J$37,000.

Floyd Green, minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, who made the announcement in Parliament yesterday, said the target is to reach more than 11,000 undocumented Jamaicans islandwide.

It is estimated that about four per cent of the population do not have a birth certificate, which is even more severe for the disabled population, where only 15 per cent of those who are registered with the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities have a birth certificate.

Eligibility and application process

Green told parliament that about the eligibility and application process of Operation Birth Right.  Persons can access and download the application form for the programme at www.nidsfacts.com and submit the completed form to any Registrar General’s Department (RGD) office islandwide for processing.

The RGD will also be printing and distributing the form at its branch offices. In addition, the Government on Tuesday distributed nomination forms, to the members of parliament, that are to be used to nominate persons who are in need of birth certificates and who fit the criteria of:

·      Being born in Jamaica

·      Being aged one year and above.

·      Having a monthly income of J$37,000 and below.

·      Not currently receiving or have received similar assistance under another similar programme and;

·      Being recommended by any person listed in the Authorized Official List.

Also, the Office of the Prime Minister has sought to extend the scope of accessibility and ease for applicants to the programme and so have ensured that the list of authorized individuals that can recommend applicants is comprehensive to include among others, members of parliament and justices of the peace.

The minister explained that, under Operation BirthRight, the administration “is not just giving our citizens a chance to identify themselves, but it is about solidifying who they are and opening the doors of endless opportunities for them to become the best versions of themselves as Jamaicans”.

He made the point that a birth certificate is not just a piece of paper but is the start of a journey that allows access to education and economic empowerment.

In conclusion, Green declared that Operation BirthRight is a show of good faith and an extension of the celebrations being carried out in the island’s 60th year of independence, to “ensure that all Jamaicans are accounted for and that they can truly say that they belong to this piece of rock that we call our home”. 

READ: Floyd Green | Operation BirthRight aimed at fixing culture of invisibility and exclusion