Caribbean News

JAMAICA: CSJP partners with NCDA to improve drug treatment access

Published

9 years ago

November 14, 2017

#Jamaica, November 14, 2017 – Kingston – The partnership between the Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) III and the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), through the Specialised Substance Misuse Treatment Programme, has served to improve drug treatment access for vulnerable youth. Through the collaboration, youngsters in communities targeted by the CSJP III are recommended to the NCDA for treatment if they have been flagged for substance misuse during assessment.

Substance Abuse Officer, NCDA, Kingston, Denise Chin, says a key strength of the programme is its ability to reach persons who would not otherwise access treatment.

“It offers a very structured way for participants to receive help and access to treatment facilities and options that they wouldn’t otherwise reach out for… so this is a good access to primary care,” she notes.

Ms. Chin, who was addressing a recent JIS ‘Think Tank’, said the benefits of the programme extend even to family members, contributing to family and community cohesiveness and leading to others following the example of the participants in seeking treatment.

“Most times in assessment when asked why they use drugs, such as marijuana, youngsters would say it feels good. So there is a trend of a lack of coping skills. In the programme, there are clear skills that you have to be taught to cope with stress and to be considered functional,” she explained.

These include anger management, conflict resolution, stress management and refusal skills, which contribute to better stress management to effectively handle the workplace and make good life choices.

“The process of reintegrating and re-socialising them into society is a stepping stone for them, as they are motivated by the possibility of getting a negative drug test,” Ms. Chin said.

Substance Abuse Officer at the NCDA, Suzanne Brown, said clients are put through a screening and assessment process upon entering the programme, adding that most clients are usually at a pre-contemplation stage, where they see nothing wrong with their drug misuse behaviour.

“That would mean that to pull them from that stage to now starting to contemplate change, we would now go into more drug education sessions, doing functional analysis, the internal and external triggers, understanding the behaviour itself – when it is done, how and with whom – and look at the short-term personal benefits versus the long-term consequences of continued drug use for them,” she added.

“We look at their happiness scale in terms of the different aspects of their lives – their home and school – and how they are functioning overall,” Ms. Brown said.

She said that in treatment planning, the programme examines the client’s support system, such as their family, followed by exploring strategies with the client to manage environmental, social and emotional triggers. Group sessions would also include life-skill-building presentations and workshops. More than 150 individuals were referred to the NCDA for treatment following risk assessments.

The NCDA conducted 541 individual sessions and 80 group sessions over a 12-month period starting July 2016. Additional workshops were done in communities and schools to sensitise children and students about marijuana use and to train community volunteers to identify persons in need of treatment. Sixty-one per cent of the participants were compliant with the sessions and 10.1 per cent tested negative after completion of the treatment programme.

Ms. Brown explained that even though some of the clients may not be negative at the end of the programme, they would have made significant progress.

“What you will find is that a lot of the times, some are chain-smokers, and throughout the programme, you will notice significant reduction in usage,” she said.

“Persons probably started with back-to-back smoking, and as the session progressed… you will notice that while they have not totally stopped using, they have been able to reduce the number of (marijuana cigarettes) per day,” she added.

Ms. Chin, meanwhile, is hopeful that the collaboration with the CSJP III will continue, as it has been effective in impacting the lives of youth.

“It’s an ongoing partnership and another way for persons in the community to access our services, so we see that as a benefit. Some persons might not have seen that they have a problem or would be too timid or afraid to get help. So, it is good that the CSJP streamlines these persons who really need it,” she said.

The Specialised Substance Misuse Treatment Programme was formed out of a realisation that drug use, particularly abuse of marijuana, has prevented a number of CSJP recipients from accessing vocational skills training and employment offerings.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding with the NCDA, signed in 2016, persons flagged for drug use through the CSJP’s Community Case Management programme are referred to the NCDA for the treatment course before they transition into the vocational, job-training or job-placement features of the CSJP.

By: Denise Dennis (JIS)

Caribbean News

The $3 Billion Handshake

Published

3 weeks ago

September 28, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

By Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

September 28, 2026 – Wall Street initially flinched at the $3-billion handshake. But in a matter of days, it was smoother sailing.

Perhaps the bigger Caribbean business story is not what Sandals Resorts International is getting from the deal. It is who is writing the cheque — and what that says about what Gordon “Butch” Stewart built.

As reports of Royal Caribbean Group’s Sandals deal circulated Tuesday, RCL shares plunged 6.14 percent from Monday’s $250.25 close to $234.89, on sharply elevated trading.

When the agreement became official Wednesday — approximately $3 billion for a 50 percent equity interest in Sandals and Beaches Resorts — shares slipped another 1.95 percent to $230.30 and touched $222.22 intraday. Investors were digesting both the size of the investment and committed debt financing secured through Morgan Stanley.

But by Thursday, RCL rebounded 3.77 percent, with shares continuing their recovery Friday to finish the week around $243. Analysts were also looking ahead: JPMorgan reportedly raised its RCL price target from $345 to $394, while Citi placed the company on a 90-day positive catalyst watch.

And just who is RCL?

Royal Caribbean Group is a global vacation giant, publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange with a market value of roughly $65 billion. Its portfolio includes Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea, alongside private destinations and an expanding vacation platform.

So when a company of that scale commits $3 billion for only half of Sandals and Beaches Resorts, the transaction puts a striking financial marker on one of the Caribbean’s greatest home-grown hospitality success stories.

The deal, expected to close in early 2027, creates a 50-50 partnership with the Stewart family and takes Royal Caribbean deeper into the all-inclusive resort business.

Butch Stewart started Sandals in Jamaica in 1981 believing a Caribbean company could compete with the world’s best.

Forty-five years later, one of the world’s biggest vacation companies is prepared to pay $3 billion just to own half of what he built.

Now that’s the handshake that does more than seal a deal — it cements a legacy.

Caribbean News

Royal Caribbean Group and Sandals Resorts Announce Landmark Partnership to Accelerate Their Leading Vacation Experiences

Published

4 weeks ago

September 24, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Royal Caribbean Group Investment to Advance Sandals and Beaches’ Growth and Broaden the Group’s Vacation Portfolio

Montego Bay, Jamaica and Miami, September 24, 2026 – Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) and Sandals Resorts today announced the signing of an agreement to form a partnership in the all-inclusive resort space with a 50% investment from Royal Caribbean Group. Building on Sandals and Beaches Resorts’ more than four decades of leadership in Caribbean hospitality, the joint venture will create new opportunities for continued resort growth while broadening the experiences across Royal Caribbean Group’s vacation platform.

The partnership brings together two of the travel industry’s most celebrated vacation companies, pairing Sandals and Beaches’ all-inclusive resort expertise with Royal Caribbean Group’s vacation platform, including industry-leading brands – Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea – a portfolio of private destinations, new river cruising offering, and an industry-first loyalty program. United in a shared history in the Caribbean and connected by a love for their communities, the companies will offer travelers an unparalleled collection of cruise, private destination and resort experiences, serving guests across more vacation occasions and establishing their undisputed leadership in Caribbean vacations.

The joint venture expands Royal Caribbean Group into an adjacent vacation category, growing its participation in the approximately $2 trillion global vacation market, and meets the growing global demand for Sandals and Beaches Resorts by accelerating their expansion. The partnership will include Sandals and Beaches’ collection of premier all-inclusive properties across the Caribbean, and the companies will explore opportunities to broaden distribution, deepen guest engagement, and make it easier for travelers to discover vacation experiences offered across both portfolios.

“For nearly 60 years, we’ve reimagined what a vacation can be, constantly expanding the ways we inspire our guests to explore, connect and create lifelong memories,” said Jason Liberty, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “We have been building a vacation platform that brings joy to millions of people around the world and creates meaningful relationships that last with our guests. Our partnership with Sandals and Beaches Resorts is an important next step on that journey – bringing together two iconic leading vacation companies to further strengthen and grow one of the most admired resort portfolios in the world. The Stewart family has created powerful and beloved brands, and we are honored to build on that legacy. Together, we see tremendous opportunity to expand the reach of Sandals and Beaches Resorts and continue turning the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations.”

“My father, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, founded Sandals Resorts with the belief that a company built in the Caribbean could stand on the world stage alongside the most respected names in hospitality. Today is proof of how far that vision can go,” said Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts. “This partnership is the natural next step in building on that conviction. It gives us the ability to grow faster with a partner that shares our values of exceptional hospitality, long-term investment, and the power of enduring brands. Together, we will introduce more guests to Sandals and Beaches Resorts while creating even more extraordinary experiences for those who have made our resorts part of their lives for decades.” Stewart added, “As we continue to grow, we will remain true to what has always defined us: delivering authentic vacations that exceed expectations while creating opportunities for our team members, travel advisor partners and the communities we call home. The future has never been brighter, and I know this moment would make my father incredibly proud.”

The joint venture will be governed by a board under the shared leadership of Stewart and Liberty. Stewart will maintain a leadership role in guiding the company’s long-term strategic growth as Executive Chairman of Sandals and Beaches Resorts. Existing reservations, loyalty programs, resort operations and cruise operations will continue as usual, with the partnership bringing additional resources to support future opportunities.

Under the terms of the agreement, Royal Caribbean Group will acquire a 50% equity interest in Sandals and Beaches Resorts for approximately $3 billion, representing a forward EBITDA multiple of approximately 10x. Royal Caribbean Group has secured committed debt financing from Morgan Stanley to fund the investment. The transaction is expected to close in early 2027, subject to customary approvals and closing conditions, and is expected to be accretive to earnings next year.

BofA Securities and PJT Partners acted as financial advisors, and Latham & Watkins and Jones Day acted as legal advisors to the Sandals Group. Perella Weinberg Partners and Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisors and Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal advisor to Royal Caribbean Group.

PHOTO CAPTION: Jason Liberty, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, and Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts, mark the signing of an agreement to form a landmark partnership that expands Royal Caribbean Group into the all-inclusive resort space and supports the future growth of Sandals and Beaches Resorts. The signing took place at Royal Caribbean Group’s new headquarters in Miami, with the city’s skyline in the background.

Caribbean News

Royal Caribbean Signs US$3-Billion Deal for Half of Sandals and Beaches

Published

4 weeks ago

September 23, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

The Caribbean tourism deal first reported as a possibility on Tuesday is now a signed agreement. Royal Caribbean Group plans to pay approximately US$3 billion for a 50% stake in Sandals and Beaches Resorts, putting the value of the business at about US$6 billion. The purchase is expected to close in early 2027, subject to approvals.

Founded in Jamaica by the late Gordon “Butch” Stewart in 1981, the resort business has a presence across nine Caribbean destinations, including Jamaica, The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos. Sandals has described its workforce as nearly 20,000 people, most of them Caribbean nationals.

“My father, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, founded Sandals Resorts with the belief that a company built in the Caribbean could stand on the world stage alongside the most respected names in hospitality,” said Adam Stewart in the announcement carried by PR Newswire. He will remain executive chairman, while the Stewart family retains a stake. The companies say existing reservations and resort operations will continue as usual.