News

Jamaicans urged to make fire safety a priority

Published

7 years ago

October 26, 2016

Montego Bay, Jamaica, October 24, 2016 – Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, has called on households and business entities to put safety measures in place in order to reduce the devastating consequences of fires. “Across Jamaica each year, fire is a major cause of damage to property and physical infrastructure and, sadly, loss of life. Risk assessment and careful monitoring of situations that are likely to result in combustion is important,” he said.

The Governor-General’s remarks came in a speech read by Custos of Westmoreland, Hon. Rev. Hartley Perrin, at the national Fire Safety Awareness Week church service held yesterday (October 23), at the Wesleyan Holiness Church in Savanna-la-Mar, under the theme ‘Don’t burn carelessly! Uncontrolled burning brings death and destruction’. “It is without question that fires can derail economic growth and development, as was evident in segments of the agricultural sector in 2015. However, if we renew our efforts to prevent them and lessen their tragic consequences, the gains will redound to the benefit of all,” the Governor-General pointed out. He commended the Jamaica Fire Brigade on its programmes to increase the awareness of citizens to fire hazards and how to reduce risks.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, in his message read by Caretaker for Eastern Westmoreland, Andrea Walters, said that fire prevention must be taken seriously. He noted that the theme highlights the importance of personal responsibility in preventing fires and related injuries or deaths.

Hailing the work of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, the Prime Minister noted that the entity has been instrumental in reducing risks in Mavis Bank in St. Andrew and Maine in St. Elizabeth, which were known to be fire-prone areas. He said there have been vast reductions in the number of fires in the areas this year. “During Fire Safety Awareness Week, we recognize and laud the invaluable contribution of our firefighters, who commit themselves selflessly to preventing loss of lives and property. These hard-working and brave Jamaicans carry out their duties extraordinarily, oftentimes in extremely life-threatening situations,” the Prime Minister pointed out. “I wish the Jamaica Fire Brigade a successful week of activities as it endeavors to arm the nation with important information about fire safety and prevention,” he added.

For her part, Leader of the Opposition, Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, in a message read by Public Relations Officer of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, Emilio Ebanks, applauded the Jamaica Fire Brigade for utilizing the annual Fire Safety Awareness Week observance to heighten public knowledge and awareness of the dangers of fires. She urged all Jamaicans to support the week and expressed the hope that the activities will mobilize all individuals, families, and communities towards prevention and safety measures. Fire Safety Awareness Week is being observed from October 23-29.

News

Register of Interests of the Members of the House of Assembly

Published

2 days ago

September 29, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – The Integrity Commission advises that the Register of Interests for Members of the Turks and Caicos Islands House of Assembly, as at 31st December 2022 has been completed.

Members of the House of Assembly are required by the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution, Section 103(2), and the Integrity Commission Ordinance (the Ordinance), as amended, Section 52(1), to file with the Commission, Statements of Registrable Interests. The Commission would, therefore, like to inform members of the public that, it has compiled the information contained in these Statements of Registrable Interests and has produced The Register of Interests 2022 for the Members of the House of Assembly, as at 31st December 2022.

The Register of Interests 2022 is now available for public inspection at the following locations:

House of Assembly in Grand Turk
Office of the Premier – Grand Turk and Providenciales
Office of the Integrity Commission – Grand Turk and Providenciales (during the hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm from Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 4:00pm on Fridays.)
Office of the District Commissioner – Middle Caicos, North Caicos, Salt Cay and South Caicos.

The Register can be viewed at these locations during normal working hours or at a time that is convenient for the respective offices.

For further information or any assistance please contact the Integrity Commission:

By telephone at: 946-1941(Grand Turk Office) or 941-7847 (Providenciales Office) By e-mail at: secretary@integritycommission.tc or info@integritycommission.tc

Bahamas News

Grand Bahama to be CARGO HUB, as Bahamas & Qatar ink MOU

Published

2 days ago

September 29, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, September 29, 2023 – With moves to deepen ties, governments of The Bahamas and Qatar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to solidify agreements in principle surrounding the development of aviation and other related services.

This is according to Chester Cooper, The Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investment and Aviation in a Facebook post.

This comes after The Bahamas Government in a press release on September 24th, revealed that Cooper, was set to meet with the head of Qatar Airways to have talks regarding “multiple mutually beneficial aviation opportunities for both countries.”

The release also said the deputy prime minister and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investment and Aviation are working on “forging strategic partnerships with several Middle Eastern countries to strengthen ties to The Bahamas and the Caribbean,” and this new signing is indicative of such efforts.

Following the September 25th signing, on September 27th, Kenneth Romer, Deputy Director General of Tourism for The Bahamas informed via Facebook some details of the agreement saying, “we have now established a framework for cooperation and formed strategic partnerships with Qatar Airways, Qatar’s Transport, Aviation and Investment Agencies and The Qatar Aeronautical Academy, that will benefit our country.”

Regarding further efforts for the improvement of The Bahamas, Cooper announced on Facebook again on Tuesday September 26th that both countries are working to make Nassau a passenger hub for Latin America and the Caribbean adding that talks are being held for Grand Bahama as a cargo hub.

Additionally, as the press release informed, Cooper is preparing for an on ground visit of Bahamasair domestic operations by Qatar Airways Technical team sometime in October.

Caribbean News

Guyana to build regional food hub

Published

2 days ago

September 29, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#Guyana, September 29, 2023 – Guyana is making moves to become the primary food production center for the Caribbean, going ahead with plans to develop a USD$14 million regional food hub.

In fact, as reported by the Observer, the facility has already been identified on the country’s Soesdyke /Linden Highway.

Guyana seems to really want this to become a reality and Zulfikar Mustapha, Agriculture Minister, expressed this, highlighting what Guyana has over its Caribbean sister Islands.

“We want Guyana to be the food hub, the primary production hub of the Caribbean so that we could supply the Caribbean. What we have, our colleagues in the Caribbean don’t have. We have arable flat land and abundant fresh water,” he said, adding that with the multi-million dollar US investment, the country can, “modernise the infrastructure, and start ramping up the productions.”

Also, the Agriculture Minister pointed out that the project is geared to make for a more competitive local Agriculture industry as well as developing high-yielding varieties, pest-resistant and climate-resilient varieties.

Additionally, in the facility’s development, Guyana, Mustapha said, will work with Belize.

In fact, with more on Belize’s involvement, Dr. Ashni Singh, Finance Minister, informed that the Government is in talks with the Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley about sourcing inputs from northern Brazil and transporting them through Guyana to Barbados and vice versa.

Singh also reportedly revealed that the project will help develop the growing logistics industry in Guyana.

Considering regional food import cost, with this development, Guyana is the leading Caribbean Community country pushing ahead with plans to reduce the multi-billion dollar regional food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025, the Observer says.