EMARKS ON BEHALF OF GROUP 13 “OUTMANI”

Lucky number 13…Who can forget the number 13 and all the characters that make Group 13 shine bright like a diamond.

Ohh how time flies when you are learning in a comfortable and expressive zone. It’s hard to believe that eight weeks has passed since we all started this journey of seeing the land process through the eyes of the keepers of the record, the National Land Agency.

Before this journey began I am sure some of us on numerous occasions as we approached the doors of 93 Hanover Street hummed the following:

 Many rivers to cross, But I cannot seem to find my over, wandering, will my documents be bounced, many rivers to cross and its only my fees that I charged my client that keeps me going, I have been red inked, pencilled, circled, marked up and bounced, ohh why cannot my documents go through with ease and in one go. Ohh but will the cashier and customer care representative understand that this transfer by way of gift needs to be registered. Client a call me phone say she want her title and what me a do, Statutory Declaration here Statutory Declaration there what the Referree a do, him nuh understand that sister Gertrude just want har title and kiss from Portia. When will NLA make my life easier and work with me so me pocket nuh burn and my ears stop ringing from the clients a cloth me with some colourful cloth.

The blame for any and all things that went wrong was placed squarely at the feet at NLA. Caveat bounce fi ten dollar, cuss NLA… wrong volume and folio cuss NLA, system broke down at cashier cuss NLA, the person before me have five documents a lodge cuss NLA, No County Clerk Certificate cuss NLA.  .Nothing could seem to go right and straight through at NLA with five or seven days. We were like a ship in the midst of storm, trying to steer our way through the surges and wind.

However that faithful October morning when we sailed through the doors of NLA, rearing and ready to go to take on NLA for the stress and brusies we all had to endure due to the dreaded and fateful requisition forms which at times caused a many to draw for the “one panadol, one panadol” mixed with a little J Wray and his Nephew for the unexpected surges and torrential rains they caused us to endure. We soon learned that we could have totally avoided the storm of requisition if we had calibrated our compass with precision, skill, patience and insight. As the NLA helped us calibrate our compass and navigate the waters of caveats, vesting, first registration, mortgages, memoranda, power of sale, foreclosures, transfers, surrender and land applications, PIDS, Surveys, Blue prints and valuations. We all soon realized that the waters were not as rocky as we all thought.

As we navigated the waters over the past eight weeks, we soon realized that we had long existed the choppy waters and were now sailing on smooth oceans, panadol and J Wray and his Nephew now thrown overboard and replaced by Hennessey, Don Perignon, Mojitos, Daiquiris and Pina coladas and the NLA now seen as a soothing trusted and kind friend instead of a scorned and bitter lover.

Our many rivers to cross anthem and thoughts of here comes trouble here comes the danger as we saw the NLA customer service representative come with the book filled with requisition   has now been replaced with us chanting “who knows who knows who knows who knows sending love to all my friends at NLA and I suppose I am pleased to be sitting in the cool cool AC NLA a provide all my wants and needs as I collect my bounce free document and go collect my fees fees fees. Ohhh yea”

As our journey has now come to end and we get ready to bite into our last saltfish fritters and await our lobstra and shrimp, as a group, GROUP 13 that is, we can truly say that that we have left here more empowered and enriched by the knowledge and first experience we have gained by participating in the NLA Conveyancing Clinic and understanding the roles played by all at this multifaceted organization.  We will all surely miss the usual Tuesday and Thursday trek to Hanover Street, the bi weekly mandatory exercise of climbing the stairs, the saltfish fritters and food provided, the warm staff members that greeted us and every single person at NLA that assisted us in this Clinic. For all those that have not yet participated in the clinic all we can say is “I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but a bounced document and requisition aint one of them.”

Thank you.