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JAMAICA: Minister Shaw Calls for Increased Investment in Agriculture

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#Kingston, October 17, 2018 – Jamaica – Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, is calling for a ramping up of private-sector investment in agriculture in order to ensure the nation’s food security and to meet global demand.  This comes against the background of projections that world food needs will increase significantly over the next 32 years.

“It is projected that by 2050 the world will need to produce 60 per cent more food than it currently does in order to feed the global population. For young people looking for business opportunities, I say that in every crisis there is a seed of greater benefit, in every crisis, there’s an opportunity. This is an opportunity for Jamaica, not just to feed ourselves (but the world),” Minister Shaw said.

He noted that hunger kills more people every year than Malaria, Tuberculosis and AIDS combined, and about 45 per cent of infant deaths are related to malnutrition.  Minister Shaw was speaking at the opening of a World Food Day conference and exhibition on Tuesday (October 16) at the University of Technology (UTech) Papine campus in St. Andrew.

UTech President, Professor Stephen Vasciannie, in supporting the Minister’s call, said that one of the ways in which Jamaicans can invest in food security, is through rural development and fostering capacity for entrepreneurship among young people in rural communities.

“Minister Shaw, we note your recent calls for increased agricultural production and land management rationalisation in rural communities. UTech Jamaica shares unequivocally in this thrust,” he said.

Professor Vasciannie pointed out that United Nations (UN) Secretary General, António Guterres, in his 2017 message to the Committee on World Food Security, noted that despite progress in recent years, hunger is on the rise again.  He added that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 2018 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report estimated that there are some 820 million chronically undernourished people in the world.

The two-day World Food Day conference and exhibition seeks to  promote awareness of the link between food security, nutrition and poverty eradication; discuss the challenges and opportunities in addressing food security and poverty alleviation in Jamaica; advocate food security and poverty eradication through education; and highlight initiatives that contribute to food security and poverty reduction in Jamaica.

Exhibitors include the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries; Ministry of Health; UTech’s Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies; UTech’s College of Health Sciences; The Food Basket; FAO; Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI); Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS); National Irrigation Commission (NIC); Jamaica Dairy Development Board; Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA); Jamaica 4-H Clubs; Ebony Park HEART Academy; College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE); Heart Foundation of Jamaica; Scientific Research Council (SRC); Natural History Museum of Jamaica; Institute of Jamaica (IOJ); and the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST).

It is being staged by the UTECH/UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre for Research and Sustainable Development under the theme ‘Advocating Food Security, Good Nutrition and Poverty Eradication though Education”.

 

Release: JIS

Contact: Ainsworth Morris

Photo Captions:

Header: Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, addresses the opening of a two-day World Food Day conference and exhibition, on Tuesday (October 16) at the University of Technology (UTech) campus in St. Andrew.

First insert: Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw (right), speaking to President, University of Technology (UTech), Professor Stephen Vasciannie, at the opening ceremony of a two-day World Food Day conference and exhibition on Tuesday (October 16), at the UTech campus in St. Andrew.

Second insert: Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw (left), handing over a fruit seedling to President, University of Technology (UTech), Professor Stephen Vasciannie, at the opening ceremony of a two-day World Food Day conference and exhibition, on Tuesday (October 16) at the University of Technology (UTech) campus in St. Andrew.

 

Photos: Adrian Walker

 

 

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Widow’s Testimony Recounts Night Haiti President Was Killed

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MIAMI, Florida — Emotional testimony from Martine Moïse, the widow of assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, has given jurors in a U.S. federal courtroom a chilling account of the night gunmen stormed the presidential residence and killed the country’s leader.

Martine Moïse took the stand this week in Miami as part of the ongoing trial of several men accused of helping plan and finance the July 7, 2021 assassination, a crime that plunged Haiti into political crisis and remains only partially solved.

She told the court that armed men forced their way into the president’s private home in the hills above Port-au-Prince during the early morning hours, firing multiple shots at her husband while she lay beside him. She testified that she was also wounded in the attack and survived by pretending to be dead until the gunmen left the room.

According to prosecutors, the plot involved a group of foreign mercenaries, including former Colombian soldiers, along with Haitian and Haitian-American suspects. Investigators say some of the men believed the mission was to detain the president, but the operation turned into an assassination.

The Miami trial is focusing on the alleged role of South Florida businessmen and others accused of organizing or financing the plan, part of a wider international investigation that has stretched across several countries.

More than four years after the killing, the question of who ultimately ordered the assassination remains unanswered, with suspects still in custody in both Haiti and the United States as the case continues to unfold.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Jamaica Joins Afreximbank Agreement, Strengthening Africa–Caribbean Partnership

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CARIBBEAN — Jamaica has become the 13th CARICOM member state to accede to the African Export-Import Bank Establishment Agreement, further strengthening economic ties between Africa and the Caribbean.

The development was confirmed during the 50th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, where an Afreximbank delegation led by George Elombi and Kanayo Awani met with Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness to advance cooperation.

Prime Minister Holness thanked the bank for its support following Jamaica’s recent hurricane, noting that Afreximbank financing helped restore critical infrastructure including water, electricity, sewage systems and roads, while also assisting reconstruction efforts aimed at building stronger resilience to future disasters.

The meeting also focused on broader development opportunities tied to Jamaica’s membership in the agreement. Discussions included rebuilding and modernising infrastructure such as railways, hospitals and other public facilities, while strengthening regional transportation and trade networks to improve the movement of people and goods across the Caribbean.

Afreximbank has been expanding its presence in the Caribbean as part of its strategy to connect Africa with the region often referred to as “Global Africa.” The bank has already committed billions of dollars in financing and trade support to Caribbean economies in recent years, including funding for infrastructure, trade facilitation and private sector investment.

By joining the agreement, Jamaica gains expanded access to Afreximbank’s financial instruments, technical support and trade networks designed to promote commerce between Africa and CARICOM states.

Regional leaders say the growing partnership could unlock new opportunities in areas such as trade, logistics, tourism, manufacturing and cultural exchange, strengthening economic cooperation between the two regions with deep historical and diaspora ties.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Liberty Caribbean Supports Regional Forum on AI, Cyber Resilience and Digital Inclusion  

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Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (February 24, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow, Liberty Business and BTC, recently served as Gold-Level Partner of the two-day Trinidad and Tobago Internet Governance Forum (TTIGF), themed “The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience”.

The Digital Divide is of particular interest to Liberty Caribbean and is being addressed through its Charitable Foundation across the region. Low broadband penetration in the Caribbean contributes to diminished opportunities for individuals, communities, and local economies, but with the support of funding partners, this gap can be addressed through a comprehensive programme – JUMP – that focuses on providing access, devices, and digital skills.

“Liberty Caribbean was proud to serve as Gold-Level Partner of the TTIGF because the conversations taking place here shape key digital policies for multiple stakeholders,” said Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad.

“As technology accelerates at an unprecedented pace, we must ensure that innovation strengthens our societies rather than fragments them. The theme, ‘The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience,’ speaks directly to the work we do every day: building networks that are not only fast and reliable, but secure, inclusive and future-ready.”

Across the Caribbean, the digital divide remains one of the most pressing barriers to equitable growth. Low broadband penetration limits access to education, entrepreneurship and essential services, and that is why we are deeply committed to closing this gap.

Through the Liberty Caribbean Charitable Foundation and initiatives like the JUMP Programme, the company is expanding access to technology, affordable connectivity and digital skills training so that individuals and communities are empowered to participate fully in the digital economy.

Martin-Sulgan further stated “at Liberty Caribbean, we believe progress and responsibility must move in lock step. By investing in resilient networks, inclusive programmes and trusted partnerships, we are helping to build a Caribbean that is innovative, secure and prepared for the opportunities ahead.”

Topics covered during the Forum, with over 140 participants, included “Securing Critical Infrastructure”, Integrating AI into Digital Transformation”, “The Digital Divide”, The Human Cost of Innovation – Mental Health and Well-being in the Digital Age’, and AI, Cyber Resilience and Regional Innovation”.

Focused on the underlying mandate of the Conference theme thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, technologists, researchers, and community stakeholders were invited to explore how countries can evolve boldly without compromising values or long-term stability.

Photo Caption: 

TTIGF – l-r Darren Campo, Regulatory & Compliance Officer; Yolande Agard-Simmons, Senior Manager Communications; and Kevon Swift, Senior Manager Government and Regulatory Affairs of Flow Trinidad in attendance at the Post Event Mixer at Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Head Office in St Clair, Port of Spain

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