-For all Region five residents

A brand-new Service Centre has opened in Fort Wellington, making it easier than ever for people to access vital government services.

Among the services now available are passport applications and renewals, police clearances, requests for birth, death, and marriage certificates, as well as applications for the new electronic identification, or E-ID, card.

The move is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to decentralize public services and make them more accessible to citizens across the country. Speaking at the opening, Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation, Zulfikar Ally, emphasised that these facilities are designed to serve residents with dignity and respect.

“I don’t want to hear that our citizens are going into public offices for public services and they’re given a hard time. They’re not spoken to well, they’re not treated well. That is not the government we will be leading. The government we will be leading is that the citizens come first and services will be brought to them in their communities and every citizen, young or old, will be treated with respect,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Education Sonia Parag, who has responsibility for Region 5, welcomed the initiative, highlighting that residents will now save time and money, no longer having to travel to other regions to access these essential services.

“While you have to travel and many of you will have to take a day out from your jobs, a day out from your life and when we’re saying a say, it’s not just an hour, it’s an entire day to go from Region 5 to Georgetown to access these services. And when you do that you don’t get on that day the service that you want and you’ll have to go back again. Having it in your region and a stone throw away from your community is something that is very important to us,” she expressed.

With these new services now available in the region, residents can expect to receive their documents within just three business days and are encouraged to take full advantage of the facility.