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JAMAICA: Community access points being retrofitted with solar panels

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#Jamaica, November 8, 2017 – Montego Bay – Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, says Community Access Points (CAP) across the island are being retrofitted with solar panels in order to make them more energy-efficient.  He said the objective is to ensure that the overall operation of these sites “is as cost-effective as possible”.

Dr. Wheatley informed that he had commissioned an audit of all the CAP sites, and “one of the things we immediately found out was that the electricity costs to maintain these centres were alarmingly high”.

“That’s when I realised we had to find a cheaper way to bring those (expenses) down,” he said, noting that cost is one of the greatest obstacles to Internet access in most countries.

Dr. Wheatley was addressing teachers and students at the opening of the Mayfield All-Age School Community Resource Centre in St. Elizabeth on November 1.   The project, which was undertaken by the Universal Access Fund (UAF) at a cost of $4,617,310, will serve as a CAP site. A $3,261,210 centre was also opened at the neighbouring Top Hill Primary on the day.   A total of 257 CAP sites have been established across the island by the UAF.

The Minister said through the CAP project, communities no longer have to worry about information and communications technology (ICT) access and affordability.

“We are breaking down the barriers. Many people in these communities cannot afford computers, and, as a result, may be digitally illiterate. With the establishment of these CAP sites, we are seeking to change that situation,” he noted.

Dr. Wheatley said the Government believes that every single Jamaican is entitled to access the benefits of the Internet.   “That, essentially, is why we are here today.   We see universal access as one of the paths to growth, and it is for this Government a national priority,” he pointed out.

“We want all Jamaicans – young, old and in-between – to be able to access the Internet, to use ICT to learn more, find easier ways to do things, and, most of all, to better their lives,” he added.

Dr. Wheatley noted, further, that “when we establish a Community Access Point, it is not just about facilitating your ability to read your e-mail.   It is not just about being able to do research for your homework, check your Facebook page, or simply to browse the Internet.   When we establish a CAP site, it is also about using ICT to find a path to prosperity.   As Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook (pointed out) during a speech at the United Nations (UN) in 2015, Internet access is the key to ending extreme poverty”.

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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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