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JAMAICA: CCTV Surveillance Programme Gets Private Sector Support

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#Jamaica, April 17, 2018 – Kingston – The national closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance programme, geared at improving public safety and security, is receiving strong support from members of the private sector, who believe that the initiative will make an impact on crime in the country.

Dubbed ‘Jamaica Eye’, the public-private partnership, launched in March, is designed to network CCTV cameras owned by the Ministry of National Security as well as accommodate feed from privately-owned cameras.  The feeds will provide useful footage in relation to criminal activity and other emergencies and will be monitored by a team of security professionals.

President, Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), Howard Mitchell, says the programme is valuable, not only because of the impact it will have on crime, but because it serves as a template to show the importance of participatory democracy.   He is commending the Government for undertaking the programme.

“It is important that when we see a strategy or an action that is comprehensively effective and will make an impact that we endorse it and give full praise to its originators and its implementers,” he says.

Mr. Mitchell is encouraging Jamaicans to support the initiative and join the fight against crime. “We will be endorsing it to our members individually and we will be supporting (the Ministry) and all involved in their promotion attempts,” he pledges.

General Manager, Digicel Business, Brian Bennett Easy, says the initiative will assist with crime reduction and the restoration of public order.

“Technology is an enabler to propel proper governance and we believe that the JamaicaEye initiative is the appropriate action at the right time,” he says.

He notes that perpetrators of crime have become more sophisticated in their operations therefore, advanced technology, with the latest detection tools, will give the security apparatus a significant advantage.

“The team at Digicel Jamaica… intends to collaborate with the Government of Jamaica on this and even more diverse technologies that will help to protect Jamaican citizens, detect and respond to crime and to create a safer Jamaica,” he says.

Group Director, Communication and Quality Control, Guardsman Group, Lieutenant Commander, George Overton, points out that in addition to helping to detect and deter crime, the cameras will be effective in investigating accidents and other incidents.  He calls for all Jamaicans to buy into the programme. “I call on every citizen association, every industrial park and industrial complex, every commercial activity and almost every neighbourhood watch to commit at least two cameras to this programme across the island,” he says.  He further implores stakeholders in the hospitality sector to commit at least four or five cameras to buildout the public space surrounding their properties, so that the law-enforcement agencies and others can do their jobs effectively.

Lt. Commander Overton, who is also President of the Jamaica Society for Industrial Security, is calling on members of the umbrella group of security companies who are involved in the sale, installation and operation of camera equipment to promote the initiative.

“I fully endorse and give my personal as well as organisational support… in the buildout and development of this programme,” he adds.  “This programme is a no-brainer,” he says, noting that he has every confidence in the integrity of the system, “because I know that it is a committed staff that has worked to set it up”.

Project Manager, JamaicaEye, Major Sheldon Bryan, informs that approximately 180 cameras have already been deployed across several parishes islandwide.

“When we realised the space that we need to manage where crime is active, we realised that as a Government, we can’t do it alone.  We need a lot more cameras to be a part of the system to increase our situational awareness as to what is happening across the space.  So, we are inviting, now, persons who have digital camera systems (to partner with us).  Once it is connected to the internet, we are able to take that feed right into the environment into the command centre,” he explains.

Major Bryan says that since the launch of the initiative, persons have been signing up for the programme. “The uptake is positive,” he notes.   He informs that a technical team will readily assist persons who may need additional information on the initiative.

Citizens and businesses with CCTV systems may register their camera feeds with JamaicaEye via the website, jamaicaeye.gov.jm.

During the registration process, the Ministry of National Security will capture the relevant details to facilitate connection to the participants’ surveillance cameras.  Participants will be required to accept an indemnity clause and have their information vetted by the technical team, which will then establish connectivity.  An email will be sent to the participant with a screenshot of the established feed to inform them that the feed is being monitored.

Integrated private and public video feeds channelled into JamaicaEye will pass through a video analytic suite and be filtered through software that will allow for facial recognition, licence plate readings, geofencing and crowd counting, among other features.  Government-owned CCTV systems have already been installed in several major towns across the island – Kingston, Montego Bay, Mandeville, Ocho Rios, May Pen and Negril.

The JamaicaEye initiative supports the Ministry’s Situational Prevention component of its five-pillar crime-prevention and reduction strategy, which focuses on forward planning and the use of technology to reduce incidents of crime and their likely occurrence.

For further information about the new national CCTV system visit www.jamaicaeye.gov.jm

                                                           

By: Chris Patterson (JIS)

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Mottley Sworn in After Historic Clean Sweep in Barbados Election

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Barbados, February 12, 2026 – Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley was this afternoon officially sworn in for a third consecutive term, hours after delivering one of the most emphatic election victories in Caribbean political history — another complete capture of all 30 seats in Barbados’ House of Assembly.

The ceremony, conducted by President His Excellency Lt. Col. The Most Honourable Jeffrey Bostic, marked the formal start of a new administration following the February 11, 2026 general election, which returned the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to power with a renewed and overwhelming mandate.

In a statement after taking the oath, Mottley said she accepted the responsibility “with humility and resolve,” thanking the people of Barbados for placing their trust in her leadership once again and urging national unity as her government begins its new term. Attorney Wilfred Abrahams was also sworn in as Attorney General.

The result is historic not only for its scale but for its consistency. This is the third straight general election in which the BLP has won every constituency, reinforcing Mottley’s dominance in national politics and extending an unmatched era of one-party control in the modern democratic period.

Voting day unfolded under the watch of a CARICOM Election Observation Mission, led by Antigua and Barbuda’s Supervisor of Elections Ian Hughes and supported by senior electoral officials from Belize and Jamaica. The team engaged key institutions ahead of the poll and monitored the process across the island.

Regional leaders were swift in their congratulations.

Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali described the outcome as “emphatic and historic,” saying the clean sweep reflected how deeply Mottley’s leadership has connected with Barbadians and expressing optimism about strengthening ties between the two countries.

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness also hailed the victory, noting that her re-election provides an opportunity to deepen cooperation within CARICOM and advance shared regional priorities.

The scale of the win again leaves Barbados without a parliamentary opposition, a reality that has become a defining feature of the political landscape since 2018. Supporters argue the repeated mandate reflects public confidence in Mottley’s stewardship of economic reform, climate diplomacy, the transition to a republic, and Barbados’ expanding global influence.

Now, newly sworn in and backed by another unanimous parliamentary majority, Mottley begins a third term with both extraordinary political capital and equally high expectations at home and across the region.

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Liberty Caribbean Committed to ‘Elevating Region’ at CANTO  

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Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad & Tobago

Liberty Caribbean is Diamond Sponsor of CANTO Connect 2026 and 42nd AGM

 

Port of Spain, TRININDAD & TOBAGO (February 1, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow. Liberty Business and BTC, has reaffirmed its commitment to turning regional connectivity into measurable economic and social outcomes as Diamond Sponsor of CANTO Connect 2026 and its 42nd Annual General Meeting.

CANTO is the leading regional body that brings together telecommunications operators, ICT providers, regulators, governments, and industry partners to support the development of the Caribbean’s digital and communications landscape.

Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad & Tobago delivered the sponsor’s address on behalf of Liberty Caribbean.

“The work of laying fibre and lighting towers is done; connectivity is now our foundation,” she said.

“The real task before us is to translate that foundation into innovation, productivity and prosperity for our people. Intelligent connectivity, such as networks designed for 5G, AI and IoT, will be the platform for smarter public services, more resilient systems and scaled opportunities for Caribbean entrepreneurs.”

Martin-Sulgan emphasised that infrastructure alone will not deliver sustainable progress.

“Digital progress must become digital prosperity. That means creating career pathways for young people, helping local businesses scale and ensuring citizens across our communities can fully participate in the digital economy. A connected Caribbean should also be a confident, creative and globally competitive Caribbean,” she said.

Liberty Caribbean is represented by a senior delegation at CANTO Connect to support the conference objectives of aligning policy, investment and execution across the region under this year’s theme ‘Elevate the Caribbean – From Connectivity to Global Competitiveness’.

Liberty Caribbean’s delegation includes Inge Smidts, Chief Executive Officer; Desron Bynoe, VP and General Manager, Flow Barbados; Susanna O’Sullivan, VP and General Manager, North Caribbean; Marilyn Sealy, Senior Director, Head of Communications; Dominic Boon, VP, People; Daniel Neiva, Chief Commercial Officer, B2B; Bradley Ramcharan, Director, B2B, Trinidad & Tobago; Yolande Headley, Country Manager, Dutch East Caribbean; and Jade Reymond, Country Manager, Flow Anguilla.

Martin-Sulgan thanked CANTO’s local secretariat for convening the forum and urged delegates to convert conversation into action.

“If we align policy, capital and capability, the Caribbean can move from connectivity to competitiveness. Liberty Caribbean will continue to invest in resilient networks, nurture homegrown talent and partner to deliver measurable social and economic value across our markets,” she said.

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Adam Stewart named CNW’s Businessman/Philanthropist of the Year for 2025

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Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts, Adam Stewart, has been named Businessman/Philanthropist of the Year for 2025 by the regional news publication, Caribbean National Weekly (CNW).

The publication recognised Stewart for his leadership in hospitality, his ongoing investments in regional tourism, his steady crisis response and his philanthropic work throughout what it described as a year filled with both remarkable achievements and significant challenges.

CNW highlighted how 2025 saw industry recognition for Stewart, major announcements of multimillion‑dollar developments across his all‑inclusive luxury resort brands and an invitation to join the prestigious Wall Street Journal CEO Council.

But the publication said his impact extended well beyond business milestones.

“In 2025, the Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts didn’t just guide his iconic hospitality empire through crisis – he used its scale and influence to help shape Jamaica’s rebound and lay groundwork for future regional growth,” CNW wrote.

The defining moment, it said, came in late October when Hurricane Melissa caused severe damage to parts of Jamaica’s tourism infrastructure. Stewart responded by leading transparent communication with global travel advisors, partners and team members, and made a landmark pledge, that 100 per cent of Sandals and Beaches employees would remain on payroll and receive Christmas bonuses, even at resorts temporarily closed for extensive restoration and upgrades. The company also committed more than US$3 million in staff recovery aid, providing direct support to families affected by the storm.

CNW further highlighted the work of the Sandals Foundation under Stewart’s guidance, noting record levels of community engagement and targeted disaster‑recovery support in healthcare, livelihoods and the environment.

In response to the honour, Stewart said he was “deeply humbled” to receive the Businessman/Philanthropist of the Year recognition and expressed his gratitude to his teams and partners for their dedication during an extraordinary year.

“This award reflects far more than any one individual. It is a direct result of people showing up every day for their communities and believing business is a force for good. It belongs to the extraordinary teams who carry our shared vision forward – especially the Sandals Foundation, whose work continues to create lasting change across education, health care, disaster relief and environmental stewardship,” Stewart stated.

“To every colleague and partner who helps bring this mission to life – thank you for your commitment, heart and belief.”

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