Sign Your Life Away!

By the way, kimtojin has got a new PhotoBlog! :)

Now back to the business side, talking about complaining, incidentally, I do have something to write about today. Last week at work, I received a much unanticipated phone call from the Department of Immigration regarding a statutory declaration which I have witnessed about a year ago. The person at the other end was identified as an investigator who works for the department. He refused to clarify the nature of the investigation over the phone and instead, wanted to discuss the issue with me personally. With much anxiety and confusion, I waited for him on Monday at work. He finally showed up in the morning, when we were flat out with customers and I was inundated with prescriptions. "He couldn't have picked a better time" I said to myself. I went to the semi-secluded backroom with the two investigators, I was interrogated like I have done something seriously "dodgy" and of course, the whole conversation was recorded as well.

The problem was I might have witnessed an alleged false declaration and the signature on the paper was suspected not to be that of the declarant! I must say, I did witness every declarant signs off their declaration in front of me and I thought I was doing the right thing. He pulled out a copy of the declaration in question and placed in front of me and said, "Do you still remember who the person was?" Yea...like I remember what I signed off yesterday!

He pulled out another two pieces of paper stating my responsibilities as a witness and gave them to me. In a nutshell, apparently each time, I suppose to check what their are declaring and double check with them to make sure they understand what they are declaring?? ....and demand a photo ID with their usual signature to make sure that the declarant is not putting false signature on or something. It's also prudent for a witness to check that the statutory declaration does not contain any blanks and all information is completed! Of course, this doesn't prevent them from adding extras at home after it has been witnessed right??

What a lot of rubbish and a totally bonkers if you ask me! ...and all these trouble for performing a free service to the public? Next time I am going to start charging at least $5/signature!