ROAD TOWN, Tortola — The Civil Registry and Passport Office has completed a two-week inter-agency consultation aimed at strengthening the Virgin Islands’ civil registration system.
The consultation, held from August 17 to 28 in partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), brought together government agencies and other stakeholders to examine how vital events are registered and how the resulting data is collected, coordinated and used across the Territory.
The engagement was facilitated by PAHO and its contracted consultant, Peter Ricketts, who worked with participants to assess the Territory’s existing civil registration framework.
Discussions focused on current systems and procedures, inter-agency coordination, the quality and timeliness of data, and opportunities to improve the registration of vital events and the production of reliable statistics.
Registrar General Tashi O’Flaherty Maduro said the consultation was important not only for the Civil Registry and Passport Office but also for other government agencies that depend on accurate civil registration data.
“Engagements like these are key to strengthening the work of both the Civil Registry and Passport Office and the other agencies that rely on similar data,” she said.
“A robust and effective civil registration system is essential to ensuring the accurate and timely registration of vital events, while also providing critical data to support national development planning, public policy, public health interventions, and the effective delivery of government services.”
Participants used the two-week consultation to examine the strengths of the existing system while identifying challenges and areas requiring improvement.
The process also resulted in joint recommendations intended to create a more coordinated, efficient and responsive civil registration system for the Virgin Islands.
Accurate civil registration plays an important role in government planning because records of births, deaths, marriages and other vital events provide essential information about the Territory’s population and demographic trends.
Reliable registration data can also assist government agencies in planning healthcare and social services, allocating resources and developing policies based on the needs of the population.
The Government said the consultation represents an important step towards strengthening the Territory’s civil registration infrastructure and improving collaboration among agencies responsible for collecting and using vital statistics.
The Government of the Virgin Islands has expressed appreciation to PAHO, Ricketts, participating government agencies and all stakeholders who contributed their time, expertise and commitment to the consultation.