Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Understanding the Law
March 25, 2011

Birth Certificate woes

You like the colourful birth certificate with the parrot on the background and its typescript given in a vertical style. It is much neater than the old horizontal certificate even though the colour and the picture appear to dominate and the typescript recedes to the background so that you have to look carefully for the information.{{more}} It is easy to use for documentary purposes, though many would prefer to have the information on a small plastic card like the personal license card.

There are still some serious problems with birth record of older persons. It is difficult to extract our grand or great grandparents’ birth records because our foreparents did not see it necessary to include the name of the child on the record.

Children were mostly born at home and delivered by a midwife of the village. It was the duty of the parent to give the information that constitutes the record at the General Register Office at the Court House. You become part of the statistics, but it is the information that identifies you. As sometimes happened in those days, the birth information was given without giving the name of the child. The name of the child was not used until after baptism. Some children’s names were never included on the birth record. The effect is that there are difficulties in retrieving a birth certificate for those persons. Persons seeking a birth certificate must provide the name of the mother and the date of birth of the child to facilitate the search. In many cases, persons do not have sufficient information of grand or great grand parents.

Today the situation is different. The majority of children are born in the hospital and the information is collected by the hospital and sent to the Registrar General. There after, the parents must go to the Register Office to register the birth.

If a child is born out of wedlock, the father must go also to give consent for his name to be inserted on the record. There is a practice of using the father’s name when it is not included on the birth certificate. You must make sure his name is on the certificate before you use his name. You need to have his consent to insert it. If the father is dead, then you must seek the assistance of the court in a paternity proceeding.

Re-registration

If you were born out of wedlock and your parents marry after your birth, you can have your birth record re-registered to reflect your father’s name. A declaration must be done with the signature of your parents. If you wait until after your father’s death to do so, you would have to go to court to seek legitimation. This could be a long drawn out proceeding because you have to give the Attorney General at least one month’s notice before you start proceeding and you must include the Attorney General as respondent.

Correction of errors

The law provides for correction of errors on the birth record, but there must be a declaration in accordance with Section 43, Cap 179 of the Laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Revised Edition 1990.

There is no mistake that is so grave that cannot be corrected. The only problem is that it could be time consuming, as you must allow at least seven days for it to be processed.

Ada Johnson is a solicitor and barrister-at-law.
E-mail address is: exploringthelaw@yahoo.com

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    ULP presents slate of candidates for National Council’s approval
    Front Page
    ULP presents slate of candidates for National Council’s approval
    Webmaster 
    September 16, 2025
    THE GOVERNING Unity Labour Party (ULP), last Thursday, September 11, 2025, presented its full slate of candidates for approval at the party’s National...
    Ollivierre promises Ministry of Grenadines Development under NDP
    Front Page
    Ollivierre promises Ministry of Grenadines Development under NDP
    Webmaster 
    September 16, 2025
    OPPOSITION MEMBER of parliament for the Southern Grenadines, Terrance Ollivierre is promising a better life for the people of the constituency under a...
    North Windward elderly enjoy ‘Age with Grace’ at Sandy Bay
    Front Page
    North Windward elderly enjoy ‘Age with Grace’ at Sandy Bay
    Webmaster 
    September 16, 2025
    SCORES OF NORTH Windward residents turned out to the Sandy Bay Primary School on Saturday, September 13, 2025 to take part in a body care and wellness...
    ‘Outsider’ shot and killed in Layou
    Front Page
    ‘Outsider’ shot and killed in Layou
    Webmaster 
    September 16, 2025
    A MAN WHO WAS DESCRIBED as an “outsider” by several villagers before he was shot and killed in Layou last weekend, has been identified as 23-year-old ...
    Mainland, firmly NDP territory says Cummings
    Press Release
    Mainland, firmly NDP territory says Cummings
    Webmaster 
    September 16, 2025
    CHAIRMAN OFTHE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY (NDP), Daniel Cummings, has appealed to constituents in the Southern Grenadines to re-elect Terrance Ollivierre in...
    GEF, UNDP and Ministry of Agriculture Summer engagement Programme a success
    Press Release
    GEF, UNDP and Ministry of Agriculture Summer engagement Programme a success
    Webmaster 
    September 16, 2025
    IN A BOLD STEP toward cultivating the next generation of environmental leaders, the Ridge to Reef Project – funded by the Global Environment Facility ...
    News
    Vendor fined, bonded, and ordered to pay compensation for striking sleeping man
    From the Courts, News
    Vendor fined, bonded, and ordered to pay compensation for striking sleeping man
    Webmaster 
    September 16, 2025
    A VENDOR, who accused another man of vomiting and urinating in front of his family’s business place was bonded for striking the man in his stomach whi...
    Collaboration needed for more growth, says Tourism Authority President
    News
    Collaboration needed for more growth, says Tourism Authority President
    Webmaster 
    September 16, 2025
    GENERAL MANAGER OF Grenadine House and President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority (SVGTA) Isola Giddings, says the country’s to...
    Foundation implements community driven project in SVG
    News
    Foundation implements community driven project in SVG
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    THE ASHLEY LASHLEY Foundation, with support from the United States Government, is implementing a local-level project entitled “Community-Driven Strate...
    Skills not available locally, non-nationals have to be hired says Finance Minister
    News
    Skills not available locally, non-nationals have to be hired says Finance Minister
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    NON- NATIONALS ARE being hired to fill several jobs in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) simply because locals did not have the required skill sets....
    Montgomery Daniel squashes rumours that he’s sick
    News
    Montgomery Daniel squashes rumours that he’s sick
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER Montgomery Daniel has sought to clear around rumours that have been circulating relating to his health. Speaking on NBC radio on...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok