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Jamaica COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force Established

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#KINGSTON, April 28 (JIS): Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has announced the establishment of a Cabinet-approved multisectoral task force to oversee Jamaica’s economic recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Speaking at a digital media briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Monday (April 27), Mr. Holness said the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force will be chaired by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, who is one of several Cabinet members on the team.

Dr. Nigel Clarke, Minister of Finance and the Public Service

The others are Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw; Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett; Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Fayval Williams; and Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz.    

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Other stakeholder members are Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) President and Chief Executive Officer, Professor Gordon Shirley; National Road Operating and Constructing Company Chief Executive Officer, Ivan Anderson; Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) President, Keith Duncan; Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) President, Lloyd Distant Jr.; Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (JMEA) President, Richard Pandohie; and Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) President, Omar Robinson.

Also on the Task Force are MSME Alliance President, Donovan Wignall; Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) President, Helene Davis-White; Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) President, Lenworth Fulton; Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ) President, Gloria Henry; former PSOJ Presidents, Joseph M. Matalon, Christopher Zacca, and William Mahfood; gender activist, Nadine Spence; hotelier, Adam Stewart; tourism attractions operator, John Byles; and member of Partnership for Jamaica, Professor Alvin Wint.

Mr. Holness said the Task Force’s establishment follows Cabinet deliberations over the past two weeks on Jamaica’s recovery from the prevailing and projected economic fallout from COVID-19.   

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This, he noted, has become imperative in light of the fact that “every measure that the Government has put in place to slow down movement [and further spread of the virus]… every curfew measure, every stay-at-home measure… slows down our economy”.

“It means that people will be out of work and out of a job [and] out of income…. frustration grows and then people [will eventually] say [that] the medicine is worse than the illness,” the Prime Minister said.

 As such, Mr. Holness emphasised that “we have to figure out how to put in place measures that slow and control the [COVID-19] spread… whilst, at the same time, not doing irreparable damage to our economy”.

Against this background, he praised the private sector for being “an outstanding partner” and “very forthcoming” in wanting to be a part of the national recovery planning and efforts.

This, Mr. Holness noted, through the provision of resources and other forms of support to many Jamaicans, citing their involvement and pivotal role in the national partnership mechanism, Partnership for Jamaica.

“Last week, I had a discussion with the Partnership for Jamaica… and they too have said that they would want to play a critical role. So, the Cabinet has decided to put that mechanism together… now [that] we’re going to be shifting some attention to the economic recovery,” the Prime Minister said.

Mr. Holness said, however, that the Task Force’s engagements will have to be done in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

This, he indicated, “because all the economic activities that we are going to do should be viewed through the prism of the Ministry”.

Doctor’s Cave Beach, Montego Bay, Jamaica

In his remarks, Dr. Clarke said he is “highly confident” that the Task Force “will be able to put together the contours around Jamaica’s economic recovery”.

Reiterating the health and economic impact and implications associated with COVID-19, he emphasised that “we want to make sure that the decisions that are made… don’t have long-term or permanent economic damage”.

“We want to ensure that we can always recover economically… even [as] we [are instituting measures] to deal with the health effect of the crisis,” the Minister said.

Additionally, Dr. Clarke said “we want to position ourselves to be able to take advantage of the opportunities that a post-covid-19 global economy offers as well as to ensure that we take account of the realities of post-covid-19”.

JIS NEWS BY DOUGLAS McINTOSH

Magnetic Media is a Telly Award winning multi-media company specializing in creating compelling and socially uplifting TV and Radio broadcast programming as a means for advertising and public relations exposure for its clients.

Caribbean News

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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Caribbean News

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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