Connect with us

Caribbean News

JAMAICA: Special Reward For Information Relating To Crimes Against Children, Elderly

Published

on

#Kingston, November 1, 2018 – Jamaica – The Ministry of National Security has expanded its partnership with Crime Stop to include a special reward scheme to improve investigations of murders of the country’s most vulnerable, especially children and the elderly.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, said that this added incentive is intended to encourage more persons to come forward with useful information “to assist with the investigations, arrest and successful prosecutions of the guilty parties”.

Crime Stop is a partnership of the community, the police and the media that is designed to involve the public in the fight against crime.

The initiative encourages the public to give information by offering a cash reward and total anonymity for information that leads to an arrest, recovery of stolen property or the seizure of illegal drugs or guns.

Dr. Chang, who was making a statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 30), decried the recent spate of attacks on vulnerable persons, and assured that the Government is stepping up measures to nab perpetrators of such crimes.  He noted that while there is a 29 per cent decline in the overall number of children murdered when compared to last year, “the attacks on these vulnerable groups appear to be more heinous and barbaric and are cause for grave concern to the Government”.

A total of 38 children have been killed since the start of the year.

Dr. Chang said the National Security Ministry is on a drive to bolster police investigations in these matters.

“We know that while we would prefer preventative measures to deter perpetrators, there is also a need for measures to guarantee that a perpetrator will be caught if he commits a crime,” he said.

Dr. Chang noted that the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime (C-TOC) Branch and the Criminal Investigative Branch (CIB) with the support of the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), will bring increased focus to investigating these incidents to identify and apprehend individuals associated with these heinous acts.

“These branches will work with the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA), which will be strengthened to adequately investigate crimes against these vulnerable groups,” he said.

Dr. Chang said the Government is also strengthening the legal framework to provide greater protection to women, children and the elderly as well as to strengthen the legal authority to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“It must be that where offences are committed, we have severe penalties that act as deterrents to these crimes. Justice must be swift, sure and severe,” he asserted.

In this regard, Dr. Chang noted that a Joint Select Committee of Parliament has recently concluded deliberations on a suite of laws, namely the Sexual Offences Act, the Domestic Violence Act, the Child Care and Protection Act and the Offences Against the Person Act.

“At the heart of this review was the special emphasis placed on the protection of the vulnerable… . A number of submissions were made by members of the public and various government and non-governmental organisations to the joint select committee, which is now compiling a report to be submitted to Parliament,” he indicated.

In the meantime, Dr. Chang appealed for the assistance of well-thinking Jamaicans in bringing criminals to justice who carry out vicious attacks on the nation’s most vulnerable.

“We again encourage Jamaicans to come forward and stand up for what is right. No one with information that could lead to the arrest of any criminal should remain silent. The police are depending on the cooperation of all Jamaicans to come forward to assist us in this fight,” he said.

 

Release: JIS

Contact: Alecia Smith

Photo Caption: Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, highlights a point while making a statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 30).

 

Photographer: Adrian Walker

 

 

Continue Reading

Caribbean News

Widow’s Testimony Recounts Night Haiti President Was Killed

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Caribbean News

Jamaica Joins Afreximbank Agreement, Strengthening Africa–Caribbean Partnership

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Caribbean News

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

Published

on

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

Continue Reading

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

TRENDING