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Government to spend more than $600 Million on Road and Infrastructure Project for St. Mary

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#Jamaica, September 19, 2017 – Kingston – The Government has signed a contract with Surrey Paving and Aggregate Company Limited for the first package of improvement works to be undertaken on 4.8 kilometres of main road from Agualta Vale to Broadgate in St. Mary.   The contract, which is valued at more than $597 million, is expected to begin in October and last for 14 months.

The project, which is being implemented by the National Works Agency (NWA) forms part of plans to improve an overall 18.4 kilometres of main roadway from Tom’s River to Agualta Vale.   The second phase, which involves 13.6 kilometres of main road from Broadgate to Tom’s River, will be undertaken over fiscal years.

Works to be carried out on the Agualta Vale to Broadgate main road include construction of shoulders, provision of sidewalks, relocation of utilities, installation of road furniture and road traffic control devices and the construction of surface and subsurface drains.   Construction of bridges and pavement upgrading are also to be carried out on the 28 parcels of lands that were acquired by the Government.

Addressing the contract signing ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister on September 15, Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, said the need to have the roadway repaired has long been expressed, having been proposed years ago.   He said the project is being financed from the Capital ‘A’ budget, which is designated for Government of Jamaica-funded projects.

The Prime Minister informed that the works will improve road safety and maneuverability by removing some of the deep curves in the roadway.

“It will (also) increase mobility and reduce both travel time and transportation costs. The project will also resolve the drainage issues in the area while providing greater connectivity between the northern and southern highways of the country,” he said.

The Prime Minister added that the project will have a positive effect on the long-term economic benefits on neighboring towns and communities, through the creation of employment directly related to the works.

“At the end of the project, I expect the people of St. Mary and indeed Portland to say that their tax dollars were well spent,” he noted.

Mr. Holness informed that the contract-signing is a tangible demonstration of the government’s commitment to using infrastructural works to bring improvements to the lives of the people.   He indicated that the improvement works is but a “portion of the Government’s financial commitments to the parish of St. Mary”.

Since April 2017, approximately one billion dollars has been spent on infrastructural works in St. Mary.  They include river training, road patching, drainage improvements and the general rehabilitation of roads and bridges.

Meanwhile, State Minister in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Everald Warmington, said the overall purpose of the project is to “reduce the fear and trepidation associated with travelling through the junction because of ravines and hair-pin curves”.

“We intend to make the corridor far more reliable and intend to reduce travel times. These are all positives, which will redound to the benefit of not only those who live in St. Mary and Portland but to the entire country,” he said.

Consultancy firm, Stanley Consultants will assist with supervision on the project, and signed a contract with the Government valued at $29.4 million for this undertaking.

Release: JIS

 

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CARPHA Progresses to Eligibility for the First Disbursement of Pandemic Funding

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Following a landmark Public Signing Ceremony for the Pandemic Fund (PF) Technical Cooperation Agreement (“Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” [RG-T4387] Project) on December 14, 2023, in Trinidad, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to progress towards the start of implementation.

 CARPHA fulfilled the IDB’s nine conditions prior to first disbursement, achieving full eligibility on March 15, 2024, and is now eligible for the first disbursement. This milestone achievement in just 3 months after the signing speaks to the commitment of both CARPHA, the Executing Agency, and IDB, the Implementing Entity, toward the regional PF project with the objective of supporting the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) surveillance & early-warning systems (EWS), laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and in countries.

Since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement and as part of the conditions prior to first disbursement, CARPHA has achieved the following key outputs (i) the development of the PF Project Operations Manual, Multi-annual Execution Plan, Procurement Plan, Financial Plan, Procedure for CARPHA’s Financial Reporting System; (ii) vacancy announcements for two tranches of consultants with the subsequent hiring of five (Technical Coordinator, Financial Specialist, Procurement Specialist, Operations Officer and Project Operations Coordinator) and (iii) the establishment of the Project Execution Unit (PEU) and Project Execution Steering Committee (PESC). The dedicated PEU will be responsible for execution according to its planned timelines, which will be led by the Dr. Lisa Indar, the Project Director (CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division).

 CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean Cooperation in Health is mandated by its Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to support its 26 CARPHA Member States (CMS) in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional response to public health threats. The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks for coordinating its public health response work.

In July 2023, the PF Governing Board announced that CARPHA’s regional entity proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing. It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project. The three priority areas in the proposal are: (i) Comprehensive disease surveillance and EWS, (ii) Laboratory systems and (iii) Human resources and public health and community workforce capacity.

This project is expected to begin implementation in March 2024, starting off with a blended onboarding session. A Stakeholder Meeting with countries is tentatively planned for July 2024.

CARPHA remains dedicated to working together with the IDB, CARPHA Member States and the Pandemic Fund to successfully implement the regional proposal geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.

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Men who had Murdered Man, Marley Higgs’ cell phone face Court

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Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

The prosecution intends to try two young North Caicos men, both age 21 for the offense of possession of property of a murdered man, property that was stolen and landed in their possession.

The phone belonged to Peureton ‘Marley’ Higgs, who is believed to have been an innocent gunned down at his apartment complex in the Glass Shack area in a spray of bullets on February 2 that killed another man and wounded two others, including a ten-year-old little girl.

The cell phone was described as white in colour, an iPhone, in a hard black case. 

On Monday, March 18th, JEFFVANO HANDFIELD of North Caicos pleaded not guilty to the offense, and the matter was adjourned to April 2024. He was granted bail in the matter.

A second North Caicos man was charged similarly.  

SARENO CAPELLAN aka, Kino Williams is the second individual brought before the court pertaining to the said cellphone. He appeared in court a week after JEFFVANO HANDFIELD, the date being Monday March 25th 2024.

The case for the Crown is that both men sometime in February of this year possessed the cellphone knowing or suspecting it to be stolen property.

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Supreme Court Closed for Easter

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NOTICE is hereby given that the Easter Recess shall commence on Friday 29th April, 2024 and end on Friday 5th April, 2024. During the Easter Recess Judge Selochan will be available to deal only with matters that are urgent or require prompt attention.

Court Business During the Easter Recess

A person who wishes to have a matter heard during the recess must file a certificate of urgency along with an affidavit, which must set out the reasons why the matter is urgent or requires prompt attention. The matter will not be listed during the recess unless the Judge deems it fit for urgent hearing.

Opening Hours During the Easter Holiday

The Supreme Court’s last sitting day for the first term is Thursday 28th March, 2024. The Court will officially resume sittings on Monday 8th April, 2024. The Supreme Court Offices in both Grand Turk and Providenciales will continue to operate while the Court is not sitting during the recess.

The Court Office will be closed on the following public holidays:

  • Friday 29th March, 2024 (Good Friday) CLOSED
  • Monday 1st April, 2024 (Easter Monday) CLOSED

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