Connect with us

Caribbean News

Jamaica Ripe for Investment in Sports Infrastructure

Published

on

Kingston, October 6, 2018 – Jamaica – Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says Jamaica is ready for investment in the development of sports infrastructure.  Such investment, he said, will enable the country to attract mega sports events and capitalise on that lucrative segment of the global tourism market.

Minister Bartlett was speaking at the media launch of the second staging of the Jersey Mike’s Jamaica Classic National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball tournament held earlier this week at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.  He noted that while the island has hosted several major sporting events “it is the building of infrastructure that will enable mega events to come to us. It is not going to take off until we have the infrastructure in place to facilitate these events”.

“In making that investment possible, it will enable us to market better and to be more precise in our marketing and never second-guess the integrity of the experience that we sell.  These mega sporting events help to highlight the importance of our destination and to cause more people to want to experience that which we provide,” the Minister noted further.

He argued that with big-league sporting activities dominating the cultural experience worldwide, there is much to be gained from tapping into this market.  He said that the country’s reputation for outstanding sporting performance should be capitalised on as it is a significant attraction.

“Most of the people who come to Jamaica today recognise the sporting prowess of Jamaica, whether it is through Usain Bolt or the Reggae Boyz’s achievements,” he pointed out.

The Minister welcomed the Jersey Mike’s Jamaica Classic, which will be held from November 16 to 18 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James.  The basketball tournament will feature eight colleges from the United States of America (USA). All games will be televised across the USA during prime time on CBS Sports as well as streamed on the Internet.

Participating institutions are Georgetown University, University of South Florida, Loyola Marymount University, Ohio University, Central Connecticut State University, Austin Peay State University, Campbell University and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) University.

Minister Bartlett said that such events will help to attract more visitors to the island.

“People travel to fulfil their passions, and sport is a powerful passion.  It is the second largest driver of tourism traffic in the western world.  Sport, next to food, is the biggest driving factor in tourism.  The economic value of sports is equally strong, and Jamaica can grow with it. We can enhance our product quality by it, but more importantly, we can build the character of our people through it,” he said.

The event is sponsored by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB); the Ministry of Culture, Gender Entertainment and Sport; and the Montego Bay Convention Centre, among others.

 

Release: JIS

Contact: Rochelle Williams

 

 

 

 

Continue Reading

Caribbean News

CARPHA Progresses to Eligibility for the First Disbursement of Pandemic Funding

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Caribbean News

Men who had Murdered Man, Marley Higgs’ cell phone face Court

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Caribbean News

Supreme Court Closed for Easter

Published

on

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

Continue Reading

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

TRENDING