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JAMAICA: Nurses to be trained in Critical Care under programme with the UK

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#Kingston, October 31, Jamaica – For registered nurse (RN) Tasheika Hewitt, participation in the Jamaica/United Kingdom (UK) Critical Care Nursing Programme is an opportunity of a lifetime to develop indispensable skills to care for patients with high-dependency and life-threatening conditions.

“From this training programme, I know I will (learn to) be able to care for my patients more competently and effectively,” Ms. Hewitt told JIS News at the opening ceremony of the programme at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) on October 29.

Ms. Hewitt, who is assigned to the National Chest Hospital (NCH) in St. Andrew, is among 12 nurses specially selected from across the island for the one-year programme, designed to adequately train and certify nurses in the much-needed specialisation of critical care.

Under the programme, the nurses will spend the first seven months in Jamaica training in the specialisation, before leaving to spend the remaining five months in the UK, where they will prepare to sit clinical examinations. They will also be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in the UK.

While overseas, training will be done at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, one of the largest teaching institutions in Europe.

A regional and national centre for specialist treatment, the hospital has a world-renowned biomedical research facility and a leading clinical research unit.

The hospital also provides access to some of the UK’s leading clinical expertise and the most advanced technology in the world.

Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, said the programme is a response to the shortage of nurses in key areas of Jamaica’s public health system.

They include critical care, nephrology, accident and emergency, paediatric, neonatology, operating theatre, psychiatry and midwifery.

It is also similar to the bilateral programme between Jamaica and China to train critical care nurses.

Dr. Tufton explained that both the Jamaica/China and Jamaica/UK bilateral programmes have “more than doubled the capacity of critical care training for nurses”  He said the programme demonstrates that the Government is approaching public health “infrastructure and capacity building in a manner that sees partnership as the way of the future”.

“A nurse that goes through this programme will be as qualified and as competent, as they will get full exposure to a Jamaican environment and another environment, which will make you a better person and nurse,” the Minister said.

For RN Monique Patrick, attached to the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon, the training programme will expand her knowledge and understanding, enabling her to work in the specialised care units and recovery rooms of any hospital, and to look after “vast numbers of patients”.

Ms. Patrick said she chose to focus on critical care because of the compassion that is associated with the job as well as the fact that it keeps her “on the ball”.

Safrania Hart-Turner, who is an RN attached to the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St. James, told JIS News that she is grateful for the opportunity.

She also echoed the sentiments of Ms. Patrick, noting that the training will enable her to work locally as well as overseas.

“Critical care has always been a passion of mine, especially as a nursing student. It is exciting working with different equipment. The knowledge you gain from it and just being able to help persons in such great need is a passion of mine,” she pointed out.

The programme was endorsed by President of the Nurses Association of Jamaica, Carmen Johnson, who wished the nurses well on their important journey.

 

Release: JIS

By: Chad Bryan

 

 

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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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