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JAMAICA: More you to be trained under National Service Corps

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#Montego Bay, October 23, 2018 – Jamaica – The Government is increasing the number of young people to benefit under the Jamaica National Service Corps (JNSC) programme.  Finance and the Public Service Minister, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, says that 1,500 more persons will be trained in three batches by October 2019.

“We have 500 to come on October 28 and 1,500 to come over the next year, and who knows, maybe more into the future,” he said.

“We are indeed pleased with the progress that has been made in this programme, and it has been so successful. We are clearly moving in the right direction,” he added.

Dr. Clarke was speaking at the passing out ceremony for 220 recruits held on Saturday (October 20) at the JDF’s Moneague training camp in St. Ann.  With scores of family members, friends and loved ones in attendance, the graduates, which include six potential officers, dazzled the large audience with an array of precision military drills.

Dr. Clarke commended the graduates and encouraged them to adhere to the values instilled during training.

“The programme that you are engaged in… is a programme that instills in you the principle of honour, which is a code that binds you as an individual to the society in which you live; a code that has elements of courage and valour, elements of bravery and compassion,” he said.

He further told the graduates to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the JNSC programme, noting that the avenues now open to them are “multifaceted”.

The 220 graduates, representing the fourth intake under the JNSC, underwent 16 weeks of rigorous training focused on military service knowledge, basic first aid, and weapons handling, among other areas.  They will continue to be engaged in military, vocational and broader life skills training for another eight months, which will equip them for either an extended career in the JDF or engagement in other professional areas of interest.

The JNSC was established in 2007 as part of Government’s Housing, Opportunity, Production and Employment Programme (HOPE), which aims to provide educational and job opportunities for young people.

 

Release: JIS

Contact: Nickieta Sterling

 

Photos by Nickieta Sterling.

 

0941: Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, inspecting recruits trained under the Jamaica National Service Corps (JNSC), at the passing out parade held on October 20 at the Jamaica Defence Force’s (JDF) Moneague training camp in St. Ann.

 

0963:  Jamaica National Service Corps (JNSC) recruits perform precision drills at the passing out-parade held at the Jamaica Defence Force’s (JDF) Moneague training camp in on Saturday October 20.

 

1004: Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke (seated centre) with graduates of the Jamaica National Service Corps (JNSC) and senior officers of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), at the passing out-parade  held at the JDF’s Moneague training camp in St. Ann on Saturday (October 20).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Caribbean News

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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