LEFT: 1978: Olympic heroes past and present, Herb McKenley (wearing helmet) and Donald Quarrie, are being put through their paces by this member of the Trelawny team. Don and Herb competed against each other in a special pushcart event which climaxed the day's activities at the Kaiser-sponsored National Pushcart Derby Championship at Discovery Bay, on Saturday. Don Q just managed to last home from a fast-finishing McKenley.
RIGHT: 1978: Reggae superstar Bob Marley is flanked by then Prime Minister Michael Manley (left) and Opposition Leader Edward Seaga at the historic 'One Love' concert on April 22, at the National Stadium, in St. Andrew. Every day until August 6, The Gleaner looks back at significant milestones that have helped to shape the nation. Don't miss this nostalgic journey.
Jamaica's first Ombudsman and roles
1978:
A proposal by attorney-at-law Dudley Thompson in 1966 for an Ombudsman came to fruition in November 1978 when the Ombudsman Act was passed in Parliament. The first Ombudsman was Mr. E.G. Green, a former Resident Magistrate.
The core function of the Ombudsman was to deal with any complaint by anyone who felt they were not fairly treated by agencies of government. These agencies were:
A ministry or department of the Government The Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Island Special Constabulary Force or the rural police A statutory body, such as the Bureau of Standards, or a statutory authority, such as the National Water Authority A company the Government controls.Some examples of unfair treatment which could be dealt by the Ombudsman were when something takes longer to be done than it should; when something is not done in the right and proper way; when rules are not followed; and when faulty systems are used.
