The law requires the registration of every birth, death and marriage in Anguilla. This is important for many reasons: it keeps track of the population, helps to identify persons entitled to Anguillian status and aids with the production of statistics. For example, the law requires that every year the House of Assembly shall be provided with details of all births, deaths and marriages for the previous year.

These functions are carried out by the Court office. The Magistrate is ex-officio the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, but any other fit person may be appointed by the Governor. Anyone is entitled to search the public records kept by the Registrar-General and to obtain certified copies of any document in the records.
The birth of every child must be reported, along with details including the date of birth, sex, name and the names of the parents. This must be done within 30 days of the child’s birth. Likewise, every death must be reported within 5 days along with the date of death, residence and name of the deceased, and a medical certificate showing the cause of death. Anyone who fails to comply with these requirements is liable to a fine of up to $1000. A similar fine is payable by anyone who buries or inters a dead body anywhere except in a public cemetery or burial ground, unless they have a licence from the Registrar-General.
Certified copies of any document kept by the Registrar-General are admissible in any court as evidence of a birth, death or marriage.

Ministers of Religion and other persons authorised to perform marriages are provided with marriage registers by the Registrar-General. It is also possible to have certificates of baptism registered.

Various penalties apply to persons who violate the provisions of the law. A person who destroys, injures or counterfeits any register is guilty of a crime and is liable to imprisonment for five years. Any person who is required by law to register a birth, death or marriage and fails to do so may be liable for a penalty of $960. Also, any person who wilfully makes a false statement or gives the Registrar-General false information is liable to pay a fine of $1520 or a term of imprisonment ranging from six months to five years. Fines and penalties are recovered by summary process in the Magistrate’s Court.

Alex Richardson is Managing Partner of the law firm Alex Richardson & Associates, P O Box 371, The Babrow Building, The Valley, Anguilla, Tel: 264 498 4224, Fax: 264 498 4220, email: arichardson@anguillanet.com. He is also Managing Director of Paragon Corporate Services Ltd.

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