7.       Competent authorities

            (1) The authorities who are competent to issue the certificate referred to in section 8(2) are-

     (a)     the persons for the time being exercising the functions of-

           (i)       Permanent Secretary;

          (ii)       Registrar of the High Court;

          (iii)       District Commissioner;

     (b)     a Magistrate Grade I; and

     (c)     such other persons as the President may appoint by notice published in the Gazette.

            (2) Each of the said authorities shall keep a register or card index in which shall be recorded in respect of every certificate issued-

     (a)     the number and date of such certificate;

     (b)     the name of the person signing the public document and the capacity in which he has acted or, in the case of documents signed otherwise than by an individual, the name of the authority which affixed the seal or stamp.

            (3) At the request of any interested person, the authority which has issued the certificate shall verify whether the particulars in the certificate correspond with those in the register or card index.

8.       Method of authentication

            (1) Authentication of a document for use outside Botswana shall be in accordance with the laws of the place where the document is to be used.

            (2) Subject to the provisions of subsection (1) a document for use in a place where the Convention is in operation may be authenticated by a competent officer who shall place on the document itself or on an "allongé" a certificate in the form in the Second Schedule the dimensions whereof shall be a square of which the sides shall not be less than 90 mm long.