
Ananda Alert System is Jamaica's Child Recovery Strategy which was modeled off the Amber Alert System in the United States of America (USA). According to the Ananda Alert Policy document (2008): "there has been a steady spate of child abductions that ultimately led to murder." The Constabulary Communication Network (CCN), reports that between January 1 and September 30, 2008, 737 children were reported missing (177 males and 560 females). 519 were returned, with over 200 still missing. Two murders have been confirmed, with one unconfirmed.
These horrendous occurrences culminated with the much publicized murder of Ananda Dean which triggered the Department of Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, in conjunction with the Association of Local Government Authorities of Jamaica (ALGAJ) - the representative body for the island's 14 Local Authorities, including the KSAC and the Portmore Municipal Council - to offer its support in the form of a partnership with law enforcement, through the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), in setting up an Amber Alert type system across the island."
This system, which replaces the Red Alert, was named after Ananda Dean, who was abducted and subsequently murdered, is aimed at mobilizing public and private sectors, civil society and communities to work with law enforcement to assist in the speedy and safe recovery of missing children.
Ananda Alert Secretariat was originally established in the Ministry of Local Government, however, since March 01, 2013 has been transferred to the Ministry of Youth and Culture and is being operated from the Office of the Children's Registry (OCR), an agency of the Ministry. The OCR has been able to forge alliances with the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN), Missing Person Call Centre (MPCC) and a few media houses in publicizing information on missing and recovered children.
BE THE CHANGE! Help us bring our children home!
Listen to the Ananda Alert Jingle: