‘Chichibella’ wants her birth certificate - Woman born in either ‘76, ‘77 or ‘78 endures long wait for vital record

Despite trying for years to get a birth certificate, Diandra 'Chichibella' Francis says she appears to be nowhere close to getting the document.

A resident of Trelawny, Francis has no record of her date of birth of given name. Her mother, she said, told her that she was born in either 1976, 1977 or 1978. She answered to the name 'Chichibella Francis' while she was a student at Lowe River Primary School in the parish, but after being constantly teased she opted to use the name Diandra Rosemarie Francis.

There is no official record of a deed poll being done for the name change, which she said was done when she was about 14 years old.

In 2021, she shared her story with this newspaper, which caught the attention of the Registrar General Department (RGD), which reached out to her to provide her with assistance. The Trelawny woman said the RGD requested that she provide documents such as school record and a form which was filled her by her mother, declaring that the birth tool place. Francis said that the documents have been submitted to the RGD, but she is yet to get he birth certificate.

"Everything that they asked me to pay for, I did. I did a late registration, as requested, about eight months ago. I paid for the birth paper to be completed in seven days and up to now I can't get it," Francis said.

In Jamaica, persons who have never received a birth certificate can still request one from the RGD through its late registration process. After receiving requests, the RGD conducts searchs of all the births that were recorded around the individual's declared date of birth. If there is evidence to support the claim that the birth took place in the country, the RGD then issues a birth certificate to the applicant.

REMEMBER THE YEAR

Francis' mother, Elaine Allen, told THE STAR in 2021 that Francis is the fourth of her 10 children, She said that she gave birth to her at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, but cannot remember the year.

"I know that I went to Public on the third of March, either 1978 or '76. I know it wasn't 1980 because 1980 was the [general] election and she was walking dem time dere. I didn't get anything at all when I register her. Her father come and take her when she was very small suh I don't know if is Chichibella she go to school name, but that's what we call her because she was fat," Allen said.

Meanwhile, Francis said she has been waiting with baited breath for a call from the agency to collect her birth certificate but that has not been forthcoming.

"All I hear is that they are dealing with it, but I have stuff to do so I am begging them to hurry up as I really need it. My life is like at a stand still," Francis said.

Without a birth certificate, Francis has been unable to apply for a passport, Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN) or National Health Fund (NHF) card. She, however, has a voter registration card, which was issued by the Electoral Office of Jamaica. Francis said that she was not asked by the electoral officials to provide a birth certificate at the time of her registration. She said that not having a birth certificate has made life difficult for her.

"I have asthma and a heart condition and everytime the doctor keeps telling me that I need health insurance and asking how she can get me one, but she can't do anything without my birth certificate. I would want to apply for NHF but I don't have a TRN and that is required. If I have NHF it would be a lot easier on my pocket," she said.

Securing a stable job has become a task as she does not have an NIS card.

"There are entities that would want to help me, but I am in need of a NIS and TRN. I would want to get a good job but I can't do anything without a birth certificate at all, so I am just begging the RGD to make haste," Francis said.