The office of the Public Defender will be increasing its representation for Rastafarian survivors and their family, who were affected during the 1963 coral gardens incident.

Speaking at a ceremony to officially open the doors of the Western Regional Offices of the Public Defender in Montego Bay this afternoon (Jan 5), Public Defender Arlene Harrison-Henry says her office will be broadening its reach on the discussion of human rights issues.

Last April, acting on the recommendations of the Public Defender’s Office, Prime Minister Andrew Holness tendered an apology to the members of the Rastafarian community in Coral Gardens.

Mrs. Harrison-Henry says the apology came 54 years after more than 150 Rastafarians were rounded up, arrested, beaten and abused.

The Public Defender says her office has had many successes as one of the six established Commissions of Parliament.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Harrison Henry says the last calendar year was very active for her office, as it was busy carrying out its mandate of protecting and enforcing the rights of citizens, especially those in the May 2010  Tivoli Gardens operation.