AUGUST 11TH, 2018 – AUGUST 18TH, 2018
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VOLUME 14 - NO. 32
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BIRTH CERTIFICATE CONTROVERSY by Hayden Boyce Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
S
everal mothers in the Turks and Caicos Islands are being denied birth certificates for their babies after giving birth at the two InterHealth Canada hospitals in Providenciales and Grand Turk. Investigations by The SUN revealed that the hospitals have allegedly not been giving the required documents to mothers of various nationalities, including Belongers, if they are in arrears with the National Health Insurance Board (NHIB) or the hospital. Without those documents from the hospital, the mothers cannot then get a birth certificate from the Turks and Caicos Islands Government. Stemming from this practice, InterHealth Canada could soon face legal action, as at least one Belonger mother said will be seeking legal advice to challenge the legality of denying her the documents and the birth certificate. “I’m a born and bred Turks and Caicos Islander and I delivered my child at a hospital that me and other tax payers money paid for and still paying for and they’re giving me hell to get documents so I can get a birth certificate for my baby. This is so freaking wrong. Government really needs to do something about that hospital,” the frustrated mother told The SUN. The SUN understands that the controversial birth certificate issue was raised at the one-day summit on illegal immigration which was conducted by The Office of the Deputy Premier and Ministry of Border Control and Employment, under the leadership of Hon. Sean Astwood, on Thursday 9th August 2018 at The Shore Club hotel, in Providenciales. When contacted, Nikira John, marketing and public relations manager for InterHealth Canada TCI, shifted blame from the hospitals
Cheshire Hall Hospital
to the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, saying that there appears to be a “common misconception” about the process and the role of each entity (InterHealth Canada and TCIG). In light of this, she said a meeting was recently held with a representative of the Human Rights Commission to provide information on the process, should queries arise in the future.” John explained that upon discharge of a newborn, a birth return form is created, which contains biographic information of the mother and father, and other information such as the weight, height etc., of the newborn. She explained: “This is a temporary document, which is sent to the Government Registry to support the generation of birth certificates.
The document is submitted by the 31st of each month as per InterHealth Canada’s contractual agreement with TCI Government. In support of the rights of the child, this practice is customary. TCI Hospital’s obligation is only to complete and submit the birth return document.” John said that any queries related to the generation or issuance of birth certificates for newborns should be referred to the Government Registry. The SUN understands that the Ministry of Immigration will soon be implementing a system of bedside registration where officials from the Registration and Citizenship Department will be at the hospitals on a daily basis to record the births. Director of the Human Rights Commission, Sabrina Green, writing in a column on page 15 in this edition
of The SUN under the heading “Your automatic right to a birth certificate”, stated: “In the Turks and Caicos Islands, any child born on our soil has a right to a birth certificate under the law and it is the responsibility of the parent to make that application utilising the documentation that the hospital is required to send to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Green stressed that the process is relatively straightforward and cannot be refused as long as the relevant documentation has been submitted. “The Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2011 Part 1 protects all inhabitants of the islands from discrimination and as such your birth certificate cannot be refused on the basis of ethnicity or your economic standing,” the Human Rights Director added.
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