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Jamaica’s Prime Minister welcomes NIA’a Integrity Champion Programme

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#Jamaica, November 15, 2017 – Kingston – Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has welcomed the National Integrity Action’s (NIA) ‘Integrity Champion’ programme, which complements the Government’s ongoing drive to stamp out corruption.

Speaking at the certification ceremony for 434 persons trained under the programme, at Merl Grove High School in St. Andrew on November 12, he noted that through this programme, anti-corruption measures are being brought down to “the grassroots (level) to make it a more sustainable movement to support and complement the legislative and prosecutorial actions that the Government is taking”.

Supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the programme, which is being undertaken in collaboration with the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS), involves the training of trainers in anti-corruption practices.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the project “is really a profound change” in the strategy being employed to stimulate a new culture of accountability, transparency and anti-corruption in Jamaica.

“There is no doubt that integrity, accountability and transparency are necessary pillars of any prosperous and progressive society.   Having true ambassadors of integrity will definitely improve and build capacity for local and citizen-based action against corruption,” he said.

In the meantime, Executive Director, NIA, Professor Trevor Munroe, explained that the main objective of the programme, which began last year, is to strengthen community organisations, and in particular 4-H Clubs, to produce high-quality volunteers to participate in anti-corruption efforts and activities.

He explained that an essential part of the project is the establishment of Centres of Excellence “to be focal points for applied research on anti-corruption strategies and policies” to support the work of the Integrity Champions.

“Already, five Centres of Excellence have been established in Kingston, St. James, Ocho Rios, St. Catherine and Clarendon – each of which shall serve as training facilities for those trained to train others,” Professor Munroe informed.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Peter Phillips, also hailed the initiative.

“I want to commend you for your patriotic commitment, for your courage in standing up, and to say that you will help to generate a culture of law-abidingness, a culture of respect for rules, and a culture that recognises the consequences of corrupt behaviour,” he said.

For his part, Chargé d’Affaires, United States Embassy, Eric Khant, assured the US Government’s continued support in the fight against corruption, noting that over the past five-years, the US Government has spent nearly US$12 million through USAID and other channels to provide training and equipment to Jamaica for anti-corruption initiatives.

“With the training they have received, our hope is that they will be able to promote awareness on the burden corruption poses on society, teach how to implement anti-corruption initiatives within communities, and, more importantly, demonstrate how community members can partner with governmental and non-governmental organisations to blunt corruption,” he said.

This was the first batch of trainers to receive certification under the programme, which is slated to end in March 2019.   The Integrity Champions, who hail from Kingston, Clarendon, St. Ann, St. James, Westmoreland, Hanover, Trelawny, St. Catherine and St. Thomas, underwent an intensive two days of training.

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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