Cops step up community policing in Ocho Rios

OCHO RIOS, St Ann — The Ocho Rios police in St Ann will be stepping up their community outreach programme this year by visiting schools, neighbourhood watches and youth clubs in the resort town.

Inspector Lionel Rayson told JIS News recently that the chief objective of the programme was to enhance the relationship between the police and the public.

“We were somewhat delinquent last year due to pressure of work but we have now mandated three officers, including a woman corporal, to help monitor meetings and give lectures in the area,” Inspector Rayson said.

Lectures will be given on a number of topics including conflict resolution, general conduct, discipline, drug abuse and road safety.

The outreach programme is expected to start on Wednesday, January 16 with a lecture to Grades 10 and 11 students of the Ocho Rios High School. “The aim is to help students practise good habits, to divert them from crime and violence and for the students to see the police as their friends,” Inspector Rayson said.

Cornwall School of Nursing said playing major role in training

MONTEGO BAY, St Ann — The Cornwall School of Nursing, located at the Cornwall Regional Hospital building in Montego Bay, is said to be playing a major role in the training of nurses for the local health sector, which is estimated to be short by about 800 nurses.

There are about 1,600 registered nurses in the health sector at present and the Cornwall School of Nursing graduates between 25 and 40 students per year.

Vivette Tulloch, senior tutor at the institution, said the high level of performance from students at regional exams has given the institution high recognition as a premier institution for the training of nurses locally.

The school’s pass rate varies between the high 80s and low 90s but on several occasions the institution gained 100 per cent passes for students entered for the Regional Examination for Nurses Registration.

Established in 1975, the school operates as a campus of the Kingston School of Nursing, offering its students courses in general nursing, basic midwifery and post-basic midwifery. The school has 106 students on roll with 11 doing basic midwifery, 15 in post-basic midwifery and 80 doing general nursing.

“At this point in time we operate two midwifery programme, a post-basic programme for the registered nurse who is doing a one-year specialty course in midwifery and also a two-year programme for the school leaver or direct entry midwifery programme,” Tulloch said.