Office of the Public Defender Extends Deadline for Essay Competition

The Office of the Public Defender (OPD) has extended the deadline for the submission of entries for the Nationwide Essay Competition from August 8 to October 3, 2014.

“We have extended the deadline based on requests from our sponsors, and we have not received sufficient scripts from males. We also think it would benefit us and other applicants to have the cut off date during the school year,” competition organizer and Director of Investigations at OPD, Kayla Beckford, explained to JIS News.

She informed that category one of the competition will involve students 13 to 17 years, who will respond to the following statement in no more than 1,500 words: ‘The Disabled in my school are treated fairly and equally. If you do not agree say how you would change it.’

“In this category…we are hoping to get submissions from disabled children,” Ms. Beckford said.

Entrants for category two, ages 18 to 25 years, are being invited to respond to the topic: ‘Daily, we watch the news and we see persons protesting, “we want justice”. Many Jamaicans are unaware of their rights as cited under the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedom’. In your own words, say which of these rights you consider most important and why. Say how this Commission can enlighten Jamaicans’ awareness of these rights’. Responses should be limited to 2,500 words.

Ms. Beckford noted that only one entry is allowed per contestant. Winners of the Nationwide Essay Competition will receive prizes in cash and kind from the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), First Heritage Co-operative Credit Unit (FHCCU), Wisynco, Jamaica Observer, and Jamaica National Small Business Loans.

For submissions and additional information, please contact Kayla Beckford in the Office of the Public Defender at kbeckford@opd.gov.jm or 922-4882.