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JAMAICA: Consultant highlights need for more resources to treat Cardiovascular Complications

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#Kingston, January 25, 2019 – Jamaica – Consultant Cardiologist at the Heart Foundation of Jamaica, Dr. Handel Emery, has highlighted the need for more resources to address cardiovascular complications, which account for the majority of diabetes-related deaths.

Dr. Emery was speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’, on January 23, against the background of the observation of Heart Month, under the theme ‘The Diabetic Heart: Are you at Risk?’.

“I think it is of paramount importance that we recognise this connection, and direct a lot of our attention to identifying, preventing and treating the cardiovascular complications associated with diabetes,” he emphasised.

Dr. Emery said it is important to note that diabetes is extremely common, pointing out that the current data suggest that about 12 per cent of the population over the age of 15 in Jamaica is diabetic.

“When you look at the international data, it’s even more alarming,” he noted.  The Consultant said that about 400 million persons worldwide are diabetic at present, and the number is expected to grow to about half a billion by 2030.

“It is a significant global problem, and whilst there has been a lot of focus given to some of the other complications of diabetes, we tend not to really focus a great deal of effort, energy and resources on the cardiovascular complications associated with it,” Dr. Emery said.  He noted that the relationship between diabetes and hypertension is not new, and although the initial accounts were largely anecdotal, “we began to have epidemiologic data which support this association in the form of a very large and important trial called the Framingham Heart Study, which began in 1948”.

The Consultant explained that subjects were assessed over a 30-year period, which led to the establishment of associations between particular disease entities.

“One of the associations made from the study was that persons who were diabetic were about 200-500 per cent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than persons who were not diabetic,” he informed.

Dr. Emery noted that diabetic persons have a more rapid rate at which fat and cholesterol are deposited in the arterial system, leading to a narrowing of the blood vessels, which limits the flow of blood. This results in the heart muscle being starved of blood, which can lead to angina.  He also explained that one may have complete blockage of the vessel, which is a heart attack.

“Another way in which diabetes leads to heart failure is that the elevated blood sugars which we see in diabetes can also be directly toxic to heart cells. The heart tissue is not meant to function in an environment where blood sugars are elevated, so if they are chronically exposed to those levels of blood sugar, then there are biochemical consequences such as weakness of the heart muscle, and many patients go on to develop heart failure,” he said.

 

Release: JIS

Contact: Peta-Gay Hodges

Photo Caption: Consultant Cardiologist at the Heart Foundation of Jamaica, Dr. Handel Emery, addresses JIS ‘Think Tank’, on January 23. 

 

Photo by Adrian Walker 

 

 

 

 

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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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TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS DELEGATION ATTENDANCE AT THE NORTH CARIBBEAN SECURITY SUMMIT 21-22 MARCH 2024

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Her Excellency the Governor, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, is in Nassau this week, leading a delegation from the Turks and Caicos Islands to the Third Annual Northern Caribbean Security Summit. The forum brings together security leads from the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, the US and the UK to focus collective critical efforts against shared threats in the region.

The delegation from the Turks and Caicos Islands includes the Hon. Minister of Immigration Arlington Musgrove, the Hon. Attorney General, Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles OBE KC and senior leaders from Border Force, the Department of Rehabilitation and Community Supervision, the Financial Intelligence Agency, the National Security Secretariat, the Regiment and the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. Additionally, the UK delegation includes the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Deputy Director, the Head of the UK Joint Maritime Security Centre and regional leads from the Ministry of Defence and the National Crime Agency.

Her Excellency the Governor opened the Turks and Caicos Islands’ contribution with a strategic overview of the security situation and growing capabilities. Presentations were given by members of the delegation on the Turks and Caicos Islands’ security posture to tackle transnational organised crime, coordinated efforts in developing the intelligence picture, cyber security, border security, financial crimes and wider impacts from the deterioration of Haiti.

Her Excellency the Governor held meetings with partners to discuss and prioritise areas of tactical focus and joint operations around irregular migration and securing maritime borders, including with the Commissioner of the Royal Bahamian Police Force (with his senior leadership team), the Commodore of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, senior leaders of the US Coast Guard and the US Customs and Border Protection. Outcomes of which, underpin increased operational coordination and information sharing. 

While in Nassau, Her Excellency also made courtesy visits to Her Excellency the Governor-General Cynthia A Pratt, Hon. Speaker of the House of Assembly Patrcia Deveaux, the Rt Rev Bishop Laish Boyd, the British High Commissioner to the Bahamas Tom Hartley, and the Turks and Caicos Islands Diaspora Office.

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