OCR to Undertake Several Major Activities in 2014

The Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) will undertake several major activities throughout 2014, as part of its seventh anniversary celebrations.

Operations at the OCR, an agency of the Ministry of Youth and Culture, began on January 1, 2007.

The year-long events will begin with a church service at the Bethel United Church of Jesus Christ (Apostolic), 20 South Camp Road in Kingston, on Sunday, January 19, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Persons are being asked to be seated by 10:15 a.m.

Representatives of the Ministry of Youth and Culture are expected to speak at the service as well as the Registrar of the OCR, Greig Smith, who will give an overview of the agency.

The sermon will be delivered by Elder Clifton Black, who is visiting from Alabama, USA, under the theme: ‘Be the change: Speak out, protect our children’.

“We will be celebrating our achievements and giving thanks for the work we continue to do as well as the support that we get from persons. So, we are encouraging persons to come out and worship with us on that day,” Public Education Specialist at the OCR, Julia Smiley-Green, told JIS News.

Another major activity will be the opening of the OCR’s parish office in Westmoreland on Monday, January 20. Mrs. Smiley-Green said the office, the third to be opened outside the Corporate Area, will operate from within the Child Development Agency’s (CDA) office at Shop 10, Hendon Plaza, in Savanna-La-Mar.

The office will be opened from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Mondays to Thursdays and 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Fridays.

Mrs. Smiley-Green pointed out that even though one officer will be stationed at that office, all calls will be answered and those that cannot be taken, while the officer is engaged, will be re-routed to the main office as well as the other parish offices.

The Public Education Specialist said another office will be opened in St. Mary later this year. Last year the OCR opened two offices in the parishes of St. Ann and Manchester.

“What we are trying to do is to expand our reach, so we are able to cover more of a wide cross-section of the island with direct contact,” she noted.

Mrs. Smiley-Green said members of the public can call the Registry’s central location at the toll free number: 1-888-PROTECT (1-888-776-8328) or at 908-3132 and 822-7031. Persons can also email reports to: report@ocr.gov.jm or fax to 908-2579.

She said the OCR has also been accepting “please call me” requests from persons who do not have credit.  These can be made to 822-7031 or 878-2882.