Passports for Persons at JBU’S Community Partnership Fair

Eighty passports were processed for persons who took part in the Jamaica Baptist Union (JBU) Community Partnership Fair, which was held on February 22 at Jarrett Park, Montego Bay, in St. James.

This has been revealed by Customer Service Manager of the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Sasha Wedderburn.

“The JBU partnered with us and got sponsorship for 50 adult and 30 minor passports. We are here to ensure that the persons who cannot afford the service can still access it,” Ms. Wedderburn told JIS News.

Persons from inner-city communities in Montego Bay who were first-time passport applicants were the target of the fair.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the JBU’s fair planning committee, Joy Clark, told JIS News that PICA processed passports that were sponsored by private corporate entities.

She also highlighted that the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) also processed several birth certificates at the event for persons acquiring a certificate for the first time.

Additionally, the Ministry of Health, in partnership with private medical entities, conducted a range of medical services at the fair, including blood pressure and blood sugar tests as well as dental checks.

The event also consisted of a job fair during which business process outsourcing (BPO) company, Advanced Call Centre Technologies, as well as VIP Attractions, interviewed several unattached youth.

The fair was a collaboration among the Legal Aid Council, Ministry of Justice, PICA, RGD, Ministry of Health, Peace Management Initiative (Western), Social Development Commission (SDC), Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) and several corporate entities.

The Community Partnership Fair formed part of the JBU’s 169th General Assembly and Convention from February 20 to 24, under the theme ‘Being God’s People in God’s World – Living in Partnership’.