Monrovia – A recent announcement by the National Archive, informing the public about the payment of US$15 to ascertain spinster or bachelor certificate is generating disapproval by many unmarried Liberians.
Report by J. H. Webster
Critics of the policy say it would make no impact on the lives of the ordinary Liberians.
But others say it will curtail the many of the social problems married couple are faced with and also generate revenue for government.
FrontPageAfrica spoke to some Liberians, who shared their views on the new policy.
“That policy is counter-productive to the social fabric of the Liberian society. I think government can exert more efforts on other tax-based issues that will raise revenue for government instead of dwelling on something that is very trivial, and it is very comical.
I am still wondering how the people at the archive derived such a policy that is very comical. I do not think that the Liberian masses that are not doing well economically will be willing to buy such a thing. I think such policy is dead on arrival.
“I think it is important that everybody who is a bachelor or spinster in this republic should register to be a certified bachelor or spinster.
The reasons are very simple: many people do not want to be embarrassed when it comes to the issue of marital status. So, to do away with all these negative embarrassments that associated with all these loving affairs, I do believe that just how some can be certificated when they are married, people too should also be certificated within the bachelor or spinster context.
It has some lasting benefits, most especially it places revenue in government’s coffers.
“I am not interested in such policy. What I think is that government just creating ways to take money from the ordinary Liberians.
In fact, I am not married and I am not working; how will I register in the first place?
All those kinds of stuffs do not make sense at all; let the government help us with jobs.
So even if you show your certificate for being single will it make us get man?”
“The recent proposed policy will help government generate revenues and it will also help those that are married to not get re-married.
It will also help other people that are looking for partner to clearly understand the status of such individual before getting marry.
This plan again is good because it will benefit us as individual and it will also help our government in generating revenues.”
“It is good for a single person to register or be certificated as bachelor or spinster. For me, I can pay that money to have myself registered.
Someone, this morning posted on Facebook, that most guys are always refusing to post their girlfriend picture as their profile picture on Facebook but will like to send friend request to other ladies while they’re already in a relationship.
So, I think people who are bachelor or spinster should register themselves to avoid embarrassment.
I am not interested in such a proposed plan from government. What I know is, people who should be certificated are people that are married.
I do not know about other people, but I can say it is not good for me. We do not need to be registered; let the government go to the marry people. That other money we will not spend it.
Even if we registered as single, will the government find men for us? If the time reaches when I am getting marry and the government says I’m force to register, then I will go and register but for now, I cannot pay any money to register as a spinster.
Josephine W. Railey, resident of RIA Highway
Since I was born, I only know about marry certificate and not spinster or bachelor certificate. I do not find it necessary because when you are a bachelor or spinster, everybody will know because you will not have a ring on your finger.
As for me, this proposed policy from government is not necessary for people in this country.
If someone was married before it will not be in secret. I do not see it necessary to get certificate for being single and another certificate for being married.