ST JAMES, Jamaica — The Jamaica Baptist Union (JBU) is joining forces with various public-sector entities to stage a ‘Community Partnership Fair’ on February 22 at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay.

The event will bring a range of social services to residents free of cost. These include health services such as blood pressure and blood sugar checks, vision screening, hearing tests, pap smears, dental checks, HIV tests, and filling of prescriptions; the processing of passports and birth certificates, and counselling services.

Business process outsourcing (BPO) companies will also be on hand to recruit potential employees.

Speaking at the press launch of the fair at the Grand-A-View Restaurant and Event Place in Montego Bay on Tuesday, Councillor in St James Municipal Corporation, Richard Vernon, commended the JBU on the “vision which has been employed” in staging the fair.

“This is a clear signal that the church community, and in this instance the JBU, continues to intercede on our behalf, and for that we owe you a debt of gratitude,” he said.

Vernon, who was representing Mayor of Montego Bay, Homer Davis, assured the JBU of the full support of the corporation in its nation-building efforts.

“I am giving this public assurance that you have our full support in carrying out your work. You have a solid partner in the St James Municipal Corporation,” he said.

The Community Partnership Fair forms 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’.

Partners in the staging of the event are Registrar General’s Department (RGD), Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP), Peace Management Initiative (PMI) – Western, Social Development Commission (SDC), National Health Fund (NHF), among others.

—JIS