Caribbean News
JAMAICA: Emergency Communication System to be Operational by 2020
#Kingston, June 26, 2018 – Jamaica – Establishment of a national emergency communication system is on track, with the facility slated to be 
up and running within the next two years. Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Major Clive Davis, said the required equipment and other inputs are expected to start arriving in the island by the end of the year for installation to begin.
“The bid document should be in the country (in) June for us to go to market, and then we expect the equipment to start arriving late in 2018,” he told JIS News.
“By 2020, it should be fully up and running, but it is an extensive job. It includes putting infrastructure in some 35 communication spots or towers across Jamaica for us to make sure that the communication is secured,” he added.
The Governments of Jamaica and Japan, in April last year, signed a grant agreement for the provision of $1.6 billion (¥1.39 billion/US$12.58 million) to fund the implementation of the ‘Improvement of Emergency Communication System Project’. The funds are being disbursed in tranches for procurement of equipment.
The project aims to provide an effective emergency telecommunications infrastructure and platform to facilitate timely communication among government agencies and first responders during an emergency. It includes integration of the National Works Agency (NWA) microwave network for data communication; installation of communication systems that will serve an additional 24 repeater locations, up from the nine stations ODPEM currently operates; and early warning sirens at 15 locations in three communities.
It will also facilitate the acquisition of radio equipment, transmission and reception devices to critical response entities and for placement at key offshore locations – the Morant and Pedro Cays. The project will significantly strengthen ODPEM’s preparedness to respond in the event of natural disasters through mechanisms to improve the timeliness of response and recovery at the national, parish and community levels.
Major Davis said that the project is important in improving public safety and communication before, during and after natural disasters, as it will ensure connectivity when the standard commercial systems stop working.
“If you (saw) what happened recently in the Eastern Caribbean where Irma and Maria went through, you would have found that the normal communication systems failed.
“We could not reach some heads of Government… and those communication systems are provided by the same providers we have in Jamaica, so we have to take another step. We have to make sure that we have a backup to the backup, and it’s a part of that business continuity plan that we are talking about,” he added.
The project is critical for the improvement of public security and safety; fire rescue, search and rescue (marine and land) and medical emergencies; evacuation planning, communication and mobilisation; the Emergency Operations Centre; and for the upgrading of communities and areas prone to flooding, storm surges, landslides and other hazards.
Release: JIS
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 27, 2023 – Following the announcement that several women had been robbed and assaulted in Blue Hills in the past weeks, Magnetic Media queried why the Police would wait until they had a man in custody to release an alert.
TCI’s newest addition to the top brass Detective Superintendent Dean Holden, Head of Crime, Safeguarding and Public Protection, told us that it initially appeared to be an isolated offence and not part of a series of incidents.
“The full circumstances needed to be investigated to ascertain the facts before a public alert could be considered. 
Misinformation in such a case would only cause unnecessary public concern and confusion and could adversely impact the investigation and the safeguarding of persons involved—” he said. “Even now there is no definitive information that these offences are linked, and investigators remain open-minded.”
Holden claimed an early alert with limited information could have hindered the investigation and they were trying to protect the women who may not have wanted to be identified based on where they lived.
As it turns out, the public concern was very much warranted, because there have been more violent sexual attacks, and more victims got hurt, forcing their hands.
“When further similar offences were committed, the overriding principle of sustained public protection was considered, hence the alert/release issued,” he said.
That alert was coupled with the news that a man had been arrested. Whether those further similar incidents could have been prevented if the public was informed earlier and taken extra precautions, is the underlying question. To date, we don’t know how many victims there are.
Police have increased patrols in the Blue Hills area and condemned the crimes as unacceptable. They have not indicated if anyone was charged for the offences yet.
#TurksandCaicos, March 27, 2023 – After a festive three days of competition, the TCISS Inter-High Track & Field Championships 2023 have concluded with the A. Louise Garland Thomas High School reigning as Champions. Featuring a great turnout, eleven schools from across the Turks and Caicos Islands met to compete at the National Stadium March 9-11, 2023.
The competition was stiff among athletes, who were all competing for top spots and by extension a spot-on Team TCI’s CARIFTA 2023 team. From high-spirited invitationals to entertainment by DJ Shakes, spectators enjoyed the best Nationals competition yet.
Overall results:
- 1st Place: A. Louise Garland Thomas High School
- 2nd Place: Clement Howell High School
- 3rd Place: Marjorie Basden High School
Twenty athletes have been selected for Turks and Caicos Islands National CARIFTA Team, some who would have competed in the TCISS Inter-High Track & Field Championships 2023 and some living abroad.
Here are the athletes:
- Roniesha Johnson U-17 Girls CHHS
- Branary Delancy U-17 Girls LGTHS
- Krysann Williams U-20 Girls LGTHS
- Anesha Varus U-20 Girls CHHS
- Lynn Antoine U-20 Girls Unattached
- Chyna Simmons U-20 Girls BWIC
- Rayvon Black U-17 Boys Denbigh/Jam
- Renaldo Registre U-17 Boys RGHS
- Jarmal Missick U-17 Boys HJRHS
- Melique Evans U-17 Boys CHHS
- Love Joseph U-17 Boys LGTHS
- Kaeson Garland U-17 Boys MBHS
- Shamar Garland U-17 Boys HJRHS
- Alieandio Durham U-20 Boys CHHS
- Bernard Hyde U-20 Boys CHHS
- Markey Zepherin U-20 Boys CHHS
- Rayvon Walkin U-20 Boys KC/Jam
- Anthon Walkin U-20 Boys KC/Jam
- Alidavidson Higgs U-20 Boys JC/Jam
- Darvioun Rigby U-20 Boys Keiser/USA
By Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, March 27, 2023 – Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors dominated the Bahamas at home, at the Thomas Robinson Stadium in Nassau, for the 2022/2023 Concacaf Nations League on Friday, with a 3-0 victory.
The Soca Warriors struck their first blow within the first 5 minutes of the game, with Kareem Moses making the first shot in the top left corner of the net giving T&T one to the Bahamas’ zero (1-0).
Soon after, in about 26 minutes, they made another shot giving them 2-0 away from home; the scorer Joevin Jones. By the 34th minute mark, the winning goal was made by Ryan Telfer, T&T now at three.
Neither team scored any additional goals as the match progressed despite attempts made by various players.
Trinidad’s win gives them 12 points through five matches. Next match for the Soca Warriors is against Nicaragua; that clash is set for Monday March 27 (at home in Tobago at the Dwight Yorke Stadium), in a tussle of winner-take-all on the final match day. The victor takes home a promotion to League A and a spot in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Angus Eve, T&T’s head coach expressed that the job is only half done, keeping aware that more challenges are coming their way, one of which is the nearing match against Nicaragua who is one point ahead of the Warriors.
Meanwhile, The Bahamas will journey to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines with hopes of emerging victorious there.
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