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JAMAICA: PM says Municipalities Must Enforce Town and Country Regulations for Planned Housing

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#Montego Bay, October 19, 2018 – Jamaica – Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the local municipalities have a vital role to play in ensuring that the various Town and Country regulations relating to planned housing and development are enforced.

Speaking at the handover of 58 detached two-bedroom units at Castlewood in Granville, Trelawny, on October 17, the Prime Minister emphasised that this kind of oversight is necessary to prevent communities from degenerating into lawlessness and where the space is created for the emergence of “dons”.

Mr. Holness said that he has seen communities that started out with wonderful intentions being dragged down the road to nowhere by unsavoury elements.

“Local Government is so important to community development.  The parish council is the local government and has to play a critical role in ensuring that communities are developed in such a way so as to maintain the value that was invested,” he explained.

“Too often I have seen communities with lovely homes and everything… take a turn for the worst.  Before you know it, there is a bar, a garage, a beauty salon, a supermarket… and I have seen cases where people even come and set up funeral parlours.  I have also seen persons parking big tractors in front of homes and where community residents are too afraid to say anything about it,” the Prime Minister said.

Mr. Holness said the notion that “man have to live” cannot be used as a justification to promote lawlessness, adding that the good of the community must always take precedence over selfish and self-serving behaviour.  He added that once the floodgates are allowed to open, it becomes a case where everything starts falling apart, to the point where lawlessness, chaos and mayhem become the new way of life.

“Before you know it, there is also now a gambling house where criminals are allowed the space to take over the community.  Before you know it, the community you have invested in is no longer the community in which you want to live,” the Prime Minister added.

Mr. Holness  said that it is against this background that the municipalities will have to step up to the plate to ensure that laws are enforced and that law-abiding citizens are protected from the whims and fancies of those who have dedicated their lives to doing wrong.

The Prime Minister also issued a word of caution to informal settlers, saying that gone are the days when the practice of simply going on someone else’s property to “squat” will be tolerated or even entertained.

“I think all Jamaicans must now come to the recognition that you can’t just settle anywhere you choose anymore… .  You can’t just stick up two piece of zinc,” the Prime Minister warned.

“We understand the need for housing. We understand the historical challenges.  However, we cannot allow that kind of unplanned development to continue,” he said.

Mr. Holness said it is against this backdrop that the National Housing Trust (NHT) has been tasked to build more affordable housing solutions to bring persons in the mainstream, where they can also get “their piece of the rock”.

“It must also be noted that the NHT is not just about building more houses.  The NHT is also here to lead the development of planned housing solutions, so everyone can have a fair chance at not just owning their own homes, but where they can live in a decent community and have access to potable water, electricity, reliable garbage collection and roads,”  he  said.

The NHT carried out the Castlewood project at a cost of $190.9 million, with the cost per unit ranging from $11.5 million to $12.08 million.

 

Release: JIS

Contact: Garwin Davis

Photo Caption: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (left), shares a moment  with a happy Stacy-Ann Miller (second left) and husband Richard Miller,  after presenting them with the keys to their new home in Castlewood, Granville, Trelawny, on October 17.  The ceremony was held to hand over 58 detached two-bedroom units. Also enjoying the moment is the Millers’ daughter, Antonia.

 

Garwin Davis photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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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