New service centre at Region Five to better support residents

Residents of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) can better access government services as the Government of Guyana Service Centre opened at Fort Wellington this week.

Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Zulfikar Ally said this is a major milestone in decentralising essential public services for residents. He was joined by Minister of Education, Sonia Parag, as they ushered in a new era of public service accessibility for the region.

Ally said that citizens can now obtain passports, birth, death and marriage certificates, E-ID cards and police clearances without the long and costly trip to Georgetown.

“We don’t want you going and lining up at [the National Insurance Scheme- NIS]. We don’t want you go in to find out how much contributions you had or whether your employer is actually making your contribution.

“The full digitisation which is coming very soon will see you having access to everything from your phone,” Ally said.

The commissioning of this centre marks a strategic expansion of the Government’s citizen-centric service delivery model that began with a similar facility in Leonora, Region Three, late last year.

According to Ally, thousands of people have already started accessing these services through that facility in Region Three. He said that the initiative is part of the government’s broader vision to bring government services closer to the people and to continue moving toward full digitisation. He urged residents to familiarise themselves with the government’s digital tools and to take full advantage of the new platforms being introduced to streamline appointments and service requests.

The E-ID cards which are also being rolled out will become a key credential for both public and private sector transactions, making everyday interactions easier and more efficient for all users. Importantly, it is aimed at reducing travel, wait times and bureaucratic hurdles.

Minister Parag underscored the transformative impact of bringing these services into Region Five.

“Many of you would have to travel and take a day out from your job, travel to Georgetown and when you do that, sometimes you don’t get on that day the service that you want and you have to go back again.

“Having it in your region and a stone’s throw away in your community is something that is very important to us,” Parag said.

Parag said that the government intends to make these services accessible locally for convenience and efficiency.