Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
Mayor of Spanish Town, Dr. Andrew Wheatley (centre), points to a historical monument, while Spanish Ambassador, Jesus Silva (left) and Franklyn Binns (right), superintendent of roads and works in the parish council, look on. The occasion was a brief tour by the new Spanish ambassador of a few historical sites in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, last week. - CONTRIBUTED
SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:
THE DE LA Vega Citizens Association held an open day last Friday at the local community centre, where several public agencies turned out to offer free services to residents of the area.
The groups which came to the community were the Consumer Affairs Commission, Registrar General Department's (RGD) mobile unit, Clarendon Health Department, National Youth Service, Ministry of Labour and Social Security and representatives from the Social Development Commission, who facilitated the day's activities.
An organiser of the day's event, Jennifer Heron, said the aim of the exercise was to bring residents of De la Vega City and surrounding areas up-to-date on the benefits they can get from these agencies.
During the exercise, Rohan Wheattle, RGD customer service representative, told the residents that the RGD's mobile unit, which started out three years ago, would be coming into their communities to assist with the regularisation of fathers who do not want to put their names on their children's birth certificates.
He said this had become necessary as, with the recent GSAT examinations, residents were flocking the RGD office.
Mr. Wheattle said that, as a result, more emphasis would also be placed on the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, to have them up-to-date with the status of children attending the respective schools.
Cultural items were performed by several residents of the community. The consensus was that the exercise was well received.
