DDP 734. Brian Trackman, William Fisher, and Luis Salas. "The Reform of Property Registration Systems in Guatemala: A Status Report." October 1999. 36 pp. Central America Project Series

Guatemala is in the midst of a substantial reformation of its real-property registration system. The purpose of this paper is to provide the foundation for an analysis of how that reform process might be accelerated and improved. To that end, the paper describes the current condition of the Guatemalan registry and the changes that have been instituted to date. Sections II and III describe the authority, jurisdiction, and structure of the Registry. Section IV outlines the way in which the Registry is currently financed. Section V sets forth the functions of the Registry – principally inscription, certification, and information management. Sections VI and VII catalogue the respects in which the Registry is currently being reformed. Among the dimensions of change are: automation; titling projects; conversion of existing documents to digital form; streamlining the certification process; restructuring the Registry administration; and the institution of new procedures to reduce fraud. Section VIII considers the relationship between registry reform and the Guatemalan system of “supplementary title.” Finally, Section IX outlines the ways in which disputes that arise out of the registry process currently are being resolved.