Re: 鈥�Taxpayer trapped by the 鈥�-鈥� in her name,鈥� column, Sept. 11.
I can relate to the new combined driver鈥檚 licence/sa国际传媒 medical card problems with mismatched names.
My driver鈥檚 licence shows the hyphen in my first name, my birth certificate shows the hyphen in my name and my 鈥渙ld鈥� sa国际传媒 medical card depicts the missing hyphen by leaving a space. So when I renewed my driver鈥檚 licence and the difference was spotted, I was instructed to go to Services sa国际传媒 with my birth certificate to show the correct spelling and the problem would be fixed.
Not so fast. My medical is First Nation coverage, so they gave me a form to complete, and I would need to seek approval of the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program to change it. My government-issued 鈥渟tatus鈥� card shows the correct spelling with the hyphen 鈥� still not good enough.
So now I need to fill out more paperwork, send in my birth certificate or a notarized copy of my birth certificate and probably my correctly spelled status card. I showed the agent my status card and asked: Why can鈥檛 you just verify it all here? I鈥檝e had this medical card for so many years, I have all the documents required and still I would have to do the work for the sa国际传媒 government, which can鈥檛 fix a hyphen glitch in its system.
The answer: NIHB is group coverage, so we need their approval to give you the new card. Are they kidding me? I鈥檝e had my own health care since turning 18. I鈥檓 not applying for health coverage.
This begs the question of how antiquated the government鈥檚 record-keeping systems are, or how resistant they are to changing policy? The man-hours spent with people running around accommodating something this ridiculous leaves little faith in how efficient other systems are when it comes to dealing with services or rules that taxpayers must abide by when it comes to outdated systems.
To date, I have not filled out more paperwork, photocopied my 鈥渃orrect鈥� birth certificate given to me more than 60 years ago, taken the photocopy to a notary to certify as a true copy, filled out the envelope, copied all my documentation to put in the envelope, put a $1.25 stamp on it or driven to the post office to post it.
It鈥檚 the principle of it. I agree with the woman facing the problem: Why don鈥檛 people do their jobs, and if this has to be run by the premier to fix a 鈥�-鈥� so be it. It is a waste of my time and taxpayer dollars. So maybe in five years, when I need to renew my licence, they will have fixed this in a 鈥渄ash鈥� of time.
Jo-Anne Berezanski lives in North Saanich.
