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	<li>The <strong>University of Guyana has recently laid on 10 cellular phone lines which are manned by student volunteers specifically to deal with the safe collection of certificates in the ongoing Covid- 19 context. </strong>They are servicing about 2000 students at this moment.</li>
	<li>These, <strong>cellular phone lines are also WhatsApp enabled so if persons don’t get someone to speak to, they are encouraged to leave a message</strong>, and someone will return the call or message.</li>
	<li>We continue to urge our alumni to use these and all other avenues, such as email to receive services while covid conditions persist.</li>
	<li><strong>While we are working to perfect our systems and services, we are not able to respond to everyone immediately</strong> given the size of the staff and the volume of requests that come in each day. <strong>Most requests are addressed within 72 hours depending on their complexity and when&nbsp;they are made.</strong></li>
	<li>We have advised our students in writing that <strong>The Registry of the University has the following schedule for picking up certificates at this moment, by appointment: Monday and Thursday, 10 am -13.45 pm and Tuesdays from 2pm to 6pm.</strong></li>
	<li><strong>The accommodation from 2 pm to 6pm on Tuesdays is for working students who are having difficulties visiting during working hours.</strong> It is not that the Registry staff does not work in the mornings. The certificates delivery process is requiring a modification in Covid-19 context. Prior to this certificates could have been collected at any time during working hours.</li>
	<li><strong>UG’s Students Records Management System (SRMS) is automated.</strong> This means that any outstanding amount, large or small, will be recognized by the system as a debt and it will automatically trigger all systems which are associated with the debt.</li>
	<li>It should be noted that <strong>UG unlike many other Universities does not charge interest on monies owed to us by our students.</strong></li>
	<li><strong>UG also has been doing its best to work with students on payment plans, reductions, waivers, and other student supports </strong>to the best of our very modest means. At this precise moment about 3100 of our 10000 students have been unable to pay or pay in full. We are still working with them and are allowing them to continue, despite this creating grave difficulties for the University. <strong>We want them to still succeed and do our best to support this.</strong></li>
	<li>It should be noted that <strong>the student who started this line of comment yesterday had been already contacted by a student volunteer long before the post was re-posted since the student volunteer indicated she called him back yesterday. His situation is being addressed.</strong></li>
	<li>It should also be noted that <strong>certificates from 2017 or anytime before 2020 will have to be retrieved from safe storage, so appointments must be made</strong> so that these can be ready when the recipient arrives.</li>
	<li>Also, <strong>UG is legally required to ensure full settlement of all financial obligations before certificates can be collected.</strong></li>
	<li>However, <strong>UG does now give letters of completion FREE, unlike other institutions, to assist students in moving onward.</strong></li>
	<li><strong>While the University, which serves thousands of students and alumni daily in difficult circumstances, recognizes that there are failures which are not acceptable and which we find institutionally regrettable, we wish to advise that a lot of energy is being expended to track, investigate, and correct these incidents as soon as they come to our attention.</strong></li>
	<li>We trust this serves to clarify and factually inform the specific issues raised in regard to this issue. (The University of Guyana, DEC 8. 2021)</li>
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