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JAMAICA: NEPA Encourages Jamaicans to Protect the Crocodile

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#Kingston, December 18, 2018 – Jamaica – The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is urging the public to help in the conservation of the American Crocodile species in Jamaica.

The American Crocodile, the largest native reptile in the country, has come under increasing population threat from habitat loss and poaching.  To help stem the problem, NEPA has embarked on a ‘Croc-Wise’ educational outreach targeting communities and schools around crocodile habitats to develop an appreciation for the reptile in youth and community members.

The last stop of the ‘Croc-Wise’ outreach was in Black River, St. Elizabeth, on December 6.  The Black River lower morass is the largest wetland in the island and a well-known crocodile habitat that generates many reported cases of human-crocodile interactions.

“As our population is growing, more and more communities are encroaching into wetland habitats, which is causing a disturbance, and it is resulting in conflict. A lot of people have a view that ‘we need to kill it before it kills us’, so when people run into crocodiles they do not have the most suitable reactions.  Operators along the river and residents have expressed their concern about crocodile poaching in Black River and the surrounding areas,” said Fauna Environmental Officer in the Ecosystems Management Branch at NEPA, Treya Picking.

Ms. Picking told JIS News that the American Crocodile “is one of the shiest species of crocodiles”.

“They are more likely to flee at the sight of humans than attack, but like any wild animal, they will become defensive and aggressive when they feel threatened. The best approach you can take is to be extremely cautious in a crocodile habitat and just to respect their habitat or space,” she said.

When a crocodile is sighted, the public is being encouraged to contact NEPA at 876-754-7540 or the nearest police, instead of taking matters into their own hands.  Attracting a crowd, throwing rocks or trying to get the reptile to move will cause it to feel stressed and retaliate, which can be extremely dangerous.  Do not dump in wetlands, gullies or other waterways as food waste will attract crocodiles.  NEPA also advises the public not to feed crocodiles under any circumstance.

The crocodile, which is featured in multiple ways in Jamaican culture, also plays an important role in the environment.

“In terms of environmental importance, it’s our apex predator. They control the balance in the ecosystem, so if you remove the top predator it will have a very negative effect. It would affect the fish stock and the quality of the wetland habitat. People really do need to stop poaching, as it is having very negative effects on the population, and if trends continue it could lead to the extinction of the species in Jamaica, which we would not want at all,” Ms. Picking told JIS News.

NEPA’s educational outreach recently received a boost through the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) video, ‘Lord of the Wetlands, Changing Seas’, which featured the crocodile conservation efforts of NEPA and the Urban Development Corporation (UDC).

Crocodiles are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, which makes it an offence for anyone to kill or have in their possession the whole or any part of the crocodile.

 

Release: JIS

Contact: Charnele Henry

Photo Captions: 

Header: An American Crocodile basking in the sun in the Black River Lower Morass. Crocodiles are being threatened by acts of poaching and loss of habitat.

Insert: Fauna Environmental Officer in the Ecosystems Management Branch at NEPA, Treya Picking.

Photographer: Contributed, NEPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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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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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