Bunny Wailer’s family wants ‘Jean Alert’ for missing elders

Similar to the ‘Ananda Alert’ for missing children, the family of the late Bunny Wailer is proposing a ‘Jean Alert’ for missing seniors.

It was on May 23, 2020 that Bunny Wailer’s partner of more than 50 years, Jean ‘Sis Jean’ Watt, who has mental health issues, went missing from their Washington Gardens home in Kingston. Bunny Wailer, who was ailing at the time, has since passed, however, his children and the Watt family continue to be relentless in their search for Sis Jean. They have worked tirelessly to keep the public aware of her disappearance, even making a documentary on missing persons.

On Saturday, the Bunny Wailer Foundation will host a birthday party in her honour, three days after her 77th birthday. The event, which will be held at the Trench Town Culture Yard will also feature an elders’ brunch and a kids’ treat, but it will also amplify the ongoing search efforts.

Bunny Wailer’s son, Abijah ‘Naki Wailer’ Livingston, is leading the charge to bring his stepmother home.

“The goal is and has always been to keep the public engaged in the continued search. Even months ago, I received a call about a potential sighting, only to find it was another lookalike,” a concerned Abijah told THE WEEKEND STAR.

“This birthday, we’re amplifying the search by caring for our elders through an elders’ brunch and registry. We’re also calling on the Government of Jamaica to establish an alert system for missing elders, similar to the Ananda Alert for children,” he added.

The only son of Bunny Wailer, Abijah said that elders are just as vulnerable as children and are often targeted by criminals seeking their estates, homes, and possessions.

“Cases of coercion, fraud, and even abduction linked to property disputes show the urgent need for protective measures. We’re proposing the system be named the ‘Jean Alert’ in honour of Sis Jean. It goes to show that even someone as popular as Bunny Wailer can be targeted, as it has become increasingly evident Sis Jean may have been targeted due to her wife status in his estate,” Abijah said.

Throughout this journey, Abijah, his sisters, and the family have spoken a lot about how Jamaica handles mental health and dementia. Educating attendees on looking out for vulnerable elders in communities will be a big part of Saturday’s event.

“This celebration is framed as a family day. We’ll hold discussions, as we did at the Sis Jean Rally in May, to explore how, as a society, we care for our aged. The Bunny Wailer Foundation is guided by the mission: ‘Let the aged be protected and the infants cared for.’ Alongside pushing for a Jean Alert and continued advocacy for a JCF Missing Persons Unit, we’ll discuss how we can change our behaviour toward the elderly while highlighting the importance of demanding systemic change,” Abijah told THE WEEKEND STAR.

He is imploring the community not only to support agencies dedicated to elder care and missing persons, but also to “support the elderly in our own families by recognising them as vital to our history and culture”.

“As African people, we’ve strayed from traditions that valued elders as keepers of our education and history. This ‘Sis Jean Family Day’ is about bringing youths and elders into the same space, as both need each other now more than ever,” the Rastafarian singer stated.