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JAMAICA: Prime Minister Breaks Ground for New US $250-Million Hotel in Trelawny

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#MontegoBay, February 8, 2019 – Jamaica – Ground was broken for the new Ocean Coral Spring Hotel in Falmouth, Trelawny, on February 6 by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness.  The US$250-million project is being undertaken by the Spanish hotel chain, H10, and will include construction of 1,000 new rooms, 500 of which are expected to be completed by the end of the year. The chain also has 50 hotels in 18 other destinations.

In his address, the Prime Minister commended the Spanish hotel chain for its investment, calling it a major boost for tourism and a testament to the Government’s glowing economic policies.

“One of the most important things that any Government can do is to create the regulatory environment where businesses can make decisions,” Mr. Holness said.

“This Government has created a fiscal environment that is certain.  You know that when you make your investment here, you are not at a risk of unplanned and unexpected taxes,” he added.

Mr. Holness said Jamaica’s economic climate is now on such solid ground that there are many new projects in the pipeline as well as many more on the horizon.

“We have many projects that are now under consideration. These projects come across my desk and we are trying to move them through very quickly.  Still much more work needs to be done at the regulatory and approval levels to ensure that we get projects through.  Even though we are amazed at the speed of these projects, you would be even more amazed at what is in the pipeline,” he noted.

The Prime Minister said that while the Government must at all times be in full compliance with the law, it also has a responsibility to ensure that projects are not being unnecessarily delayed.  He said the Government must find a balance in complying with rules and regulations, while delivering results in a timely fashion.

“Jamaica is at the stage where it has to refine its ability… its skill… its dexterity in meeting compliance issues, but at the same time getting results quickly,” Mr. Holness emphasised.

“This is why I am making the commitment to the country that the reforms that we are doing in Government will ensure that you have an agile and dexterous Government that will be both compliant with the rules and regulations but at the same time delivering results as quickly as possible,” he added.

The Prime Minister said the Government cannot allow itself to be an impediment to business, but must, instead, fulfil its role in removing “all the blockages” to ensure that the projects “can flow through”.  He further pointed out that the Government’s strategy has always been to improve on the micro economy, where full attention is paid to getting projects off the ground.

“A big part of it is to pay attention to the speed of business… how fast can we make this project happen…from conception to cutting the ribbon,” Mr. Holness said.

“The Government’s role is, therefore, very critical, and this is why I was so happy to hear the developers commend JAMPRO and the other agencies, as well as Minister Daryl Vaz and the facilitating role played by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, in getting this project off the ground,” he noted.

 

Release: JIS

Contact: Garwin Davis

Header: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (fourth left),  breaks ground for the new Ocean Coral Spring Hotel in Falmouth, Trelawny, on February 6.  Also participating (from left) are  Director of Projects, H10 Hotels, Gustavo Arroyo;  Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Shahine Robinson;  Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett;  Director of International Division, H10 Hotels, Antonio Hernandez; and Minister without Portfolio, Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation,  Hon. Daryl Vaz. (Photo: Ministry of Tourism)

Insert: Prime Minister, the Most Hon.  Andrew Holness (left), is greeted by Director of International Division, H10 Hotels, Antonio Hernandez (right), on his arrival for the official ceremony to break ground for the new Ocean Coral Spring Hotel, in Trelawny, on February 6. Sharing the moment are Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (second left) and Director of Projects, H10 Hotels, Gustavo Arroyo. (Photo: Rudranath Frazer)

 

 

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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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