KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a move to widen the net for locating missing children, the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) has entered into strategic partnerships to broadcast urgent Ananda Alert messages on digital screens islandwide, reaching thousands of Jamaicans in high-traffic areas.

The collaborations with Intelligent Multimedia Limited (IML) and Visual Vibe— a subsidiary of Kintyre Holdings, operators of Jamaica’s largest networks of digital display boards — was formalised through the signing of separate Memoranda of Understanding and will allow for real-time alerts to be displayed on IML’s and Visual Vibe’s digital screens across the country.

The move is part of the CPFSA’s aggressive strategy to increase public awareness, speed up the recovery of missing children and deter future child abductions.

“This joint initiative marks a powerful new chapter in how we harness digital technology to protect our nation’s children,” Laurette Adams-Thomas, chief executive officer (CEO) of the CPFSA said.

“Time is critical when a child goes missing, and these digital boards will act as immediate visual alerts in communities where every second counts,” she noted, adding “Not only are we highlighting children who are missing in real time to a wide audience, but we are also sending a strong message to would-be abductors and traffickers: our children will not disappear in silence. The entire country will be looking for them.”

Citing daunting statistics, Adam-Thomas noted that 1,011 children were reported missing in 2024, with 898 of those missing children returning home safely, and six being found deceased. Therefore, 107 children reported missing last year have still not been found.

“These statistics should rock us to our very core, and as a nation, we have to find a way to make this disturbing reality a thing of the past,” she said.

Ananda Alerts are Jamaica’s official child recovery tool for high-risk missing children, and are already disseminated through SMS and the Ananda Alert WhatsApp community. With this expanded partnership, the alerts are expected to gain even greater traction and visibility in everyday public spaces—from government offices, to supermarkets, restaurants, hospitals, business districts and town and city centres.

“As we continue to modernise the Ananda Alert System, we are making a deliberate effort to collaborate with companies that are aligned with our mission to protect children. The partnerships with Intelligent Multimedia Limited and Visual Vibe are a part of CPFSA’s initiative to operate at first-world standards in our approach to child protection and recovery and to collectively lay the pathway to fulfilling our vision of Jamaica becoming the place of choice to raise families,” the CPFSA boss said, adding that “We welcome others to come on board, and we are calling on corporate Jamaica in particular to partner with us to protect our children, to keep them safe, and to bring them home.”

The alerts will include the child’s photo, physical description and contact details, and will remain on screens until the case is resolved.

“Our children are the future, and ensuring their safety is a matter for all of us,” said Marc Robinson, general manager of Intelligent Multimedia Limited.

“We are proud to use our digital advertising network with over 50 locations island-wide to assist in reuniting children with their families. It is not just a good cause but a necessary one,” he continued.

CPFSA Director of Intake, Investigations and Court Dr Warren Thompson (right) and General Manager of Intelligent Multimedia Limited Marc Robinson hold their signed copies of the Ananda Alert Memorandum of Understanding between the CPFSA and IML.

Meanwhile, Tyrone Wilson, chairman and CEO of Kintyre Holdings said, “At Kintyre Holdings, we view Visual Vibe as more than just a digital advertising network — it’s a national platform for impact. That’s why we’re proud to partner with the Child Protection and Family Services Agency and the Ananda Alert Secretariat to help protect Jamaica’s children.

“Through this initiative, our screens will share vital alerts and awareness messages, turning public spaces into hubs of vigilance and support. This isn’t just advertising — it’s about using our reach to tackle one of Jamaica’s most urgent issues. Our children are our future, and we all share the responsibility to keep them safe,” Wilson said.

CEO of the CPFSA Laurette Adams Thomas (centre right) holds the signed Ananda Alert Memorandum of Understanding between CPFSA and Visual Vibe with Tyrone Wilson, chairman and CEO of Kintyre Holdings. Accompanying them are CPFSA’s Ananda Alert Officer Annadjae Roberts (right) and Kintyre Holdings Marketing Associate Abigail Dunkley.

The Ananda Alert System is supported under the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, and functions in close collaboration with the Jamaica Constabulary Force and other partners.

Adams-Thomas added, “We will not stop until every corner of Jamaica is mobilised in the effort to find our missing children. With each new screen that lights up an alert, we are one step closer to bringing a child home.”