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The top brass of the country's only state organization responsible for birth and death registrations as well as record keeping on Monday said they had no choice but to hike costs for some services offered to the public.
Dr. Patricia Holness, Chief Executive Officer of the Registrar General Department (RGD) said the hike was a result of escalating operational expenses.
The RGD hosted a press briefing at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel Monday afternoon to justify the increase which came into effect on Monday.
An average 68% increase was affected on the cost of 16 services offered by the agency.
The RGD expects to realize earnings of $15 million over the next six months of the 2009/2010 fiscal year as a result of the increased service charges.
Dr. Holness pointed out that internal cost cutting measures were not adequate to meet rising expenses at the department since the last increase was implemented in 1999.
"We have implemented a series of cost saving measures to reduce our expenditure. These include reducing our shift system, recycling our stationary, car pooling, energy conservation, discontinuing some security services and identifying some other areas where we could make further cuts or cost saving changes," she said.
Small percent of customers to be affected by increase
Dr. Holness stated that internal initiatives have already led to cost savings of $9.6 million.
In announcing the adjusted fee structure, the RGD's Chief Executive officer noted that only 1% of the agency's customers will be affected.
"For recording any deal or writing, $110 per page now goes to $210 per page, genealogical research per hour moves from $600 to $850, recording any plate or diagram for half an hour moves from $300 to $500, recording memorandums of mortgages under the Building Societies Act is now $250 and the increase which will affect more than 20,000 individual items will be the office copies, the recording of any deal or writing per legal sheet," said Dr. Holness.
Meanwhile the RGD said it was not worried by its inability to fill 50 critical vacancies at the Agency.
The agency has faced fierce criticism from members of the public about its efficiency in delivering on its products and services.
According to Dr. Holness, the vacancies cannot be filled at this time due to cost constraints at the agency.
Nevertheless, she stated that innovative means have been employed to keep the agency efficient.
I'm too shy to chat live on the radio 
but if he brings it up that would be good 
I eventually hired someone to do so on my behalf b/c of course I couldnt keep returning....didnt have the time.
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