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JAMAICA: ODPEM Developing National Disaster Risk Management Volunteer Programme

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#Jamaica, January 15, 2018 – Kingston – The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has launched its National Disaster Risk Management Volunteer Programme, designed to strengthen community and parish level stakeholder response to catastrophes.   The initiative is rooted in the need identified to establish and provide a collaborative and coordinated approach to disaster management through volunteerism.

Community volunteers, who are being invited to participate, will be trained in various emergency techniques that equip them to act as first responders in the event of disasters.   These include: cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, light search and rescue, and shelter management.

Senior Director, Projects Development Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation at ODPEM, Pauline Brown, says the entity received approximately $8.94 million (€60,000) from the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to undertake a nine-month project, ahead of the national programme’s development and implementation.   The project entailed designing of the programme’s logo and training of 117 volunteers in basic disaster management, shelter management, and initial damage assessment.

“A national database was (also) created, with technical assistance through the Argentine South-South and Triangular Cooperation which, to date, has 1,165 persons registered to become national volunteers,” the Senior Director states.  She adds that other donor partners will be lobbied for funding support to provide the necessary training for the volunteers.

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The Senior Director was speaking at the launch of Earthquake Awareness Week at ODPEM’s New Kingston head office on January 8.   Mrs. Brown noted that while there are many groups established to deal with disasters in communities islandwide, their activities are not aligned with the mechanisms of the various parishes.  She explained that during the onset or occurrence of a disaster, community volunteers routinely report to the parish operation centre.

“This centre then reports to the national emergency centre which will facilitate any need for deployment across the parishes as well as any support requested. The volunteer groups will operate in a similar manner,” she pointed out.

In this regard, the Senior Director said the national volunteer programme is intended to provide the framework consolidating coordinated responses to all emergencies at the community and parish levels.   Mrs. Brown pointed out that the programme will focus on boosting the capacity of persons volunteering individually and in groups, adding that they will be managed and facilitated by under the parish mechanism in relation to the requisite attendant responses to disasters as well as planning at the national level.

Meanwhile, volunteer and project participant, Honief Myrie from Portland Cottage, Clarendon, said the training he received has bolstered his ability “to assist my community members as a first responder”.

Another volunteer, Paulette Coley, of Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine, noted that her community is prone to disasters, and as such “I want to be able to assist my community as a first responder; that is what I enjoy doing…that is my passion”.

“In past times, by the time external agents come in (to) assist, persons are (faced with challenges) to their detriment. But because we (volunteers) are there, we are able to (act as) liaisons and we are the first persons who can get out there and help persons to better protect themselves,” she stated.

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Meanwhile, Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said the persons offering to serve as disaster risk management volunteers are rays of hope for the country.

“The volunteers come from all over Jamaica…from communities which include those officially assessed as being vulnerable to disasters.  I want to thank them for stepping forward to serve,” he said in a message read by Director of Urban and Regional Planning in the Ministry, Marsha Henry-Martin.

Persons desirous of becoming volunteers must be Jamaican or legal residents, 18 years or older, and be able to manage challenging situations.   Individuals should be time and task-oriented; able to communicate well with persons of various ages and socio economic backgrounds; and willing to lend service to national duty without prejudice.   The advantages of becoming a member of the programme include opportunities for: learning or skills development; obtaining professional experience; contributing to national development; and network expansion.

Interested persons should register online at www.odpem.org.jm; contact the ODPEM at (876) 906-9674; or send an email to: volunteer@odpem.org.jm.

 

By: Latonya Linton(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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Caribbean News

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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