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JAMAICA: SDC helping to change the lives of disabled persons

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#Kingston, January 16, 2019 – Jamaica – Persons with disabilities (PwDs) often have difficulty integrating into society to contribute to the economy, while providing for themselves.  The Social Development Commission (SDC), through its Local Economic Development Support Programme, is helping to change that reality for PwDs in Linstead and surrounding communities in St. Catherine, through the Linstead Disabled Group Ltd.

Rehabilitation Officer with Community-Based Rehabilitation Jamaica (CBRJ) and Supervisor of the Linstead Area, Mary Cobourne, tells JIS News that persons with disabilities are excited.

“They just want to come out, and they are going around and telling persons about what they do and they are bringing in orders. They have something to do and they feel like [they have] a purpose,” she says.

Ms. Cobourne, who is the parent of a PwD, is also Treasurer of the Linstead Disabled Group Ltd., which makes pillows.

The Linstead Disabled Group Ltd. is a branch of the CBRJ and was formed in 2014 out of the Enos Barrett Disabled Group Centre. The group was created for adults and adolescents with a range of disabilities, to socialise outside of their homes, while being productive, motivated and reassured.

“We thought one day, instead of us coming and just talking, we could do something, and we named a couple things we could do. Then they said, let us make some pillows… and we decided to do the pillows,” Ms. Cobourne adds.

The group needed assistance to get the initiative off the ground and reached out to the SDC through their Local Community Development Officer.

“I contacted Food For the Poor and got a sewing machine, and then we asked for assistance from different persons and churches to teach them (PwDs) how to do the soft furnishings and to do the pillows,” says Community Development Officer with the SDC, Minnett Anderson-Myers.

Through the SDC’s Local Economic Development Support Programme, Mrs. Anderson-Myers was able to secure funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the group to further their economic initiative.

“We got funding of over $1 million, and we stocked up on materials and sponge, and we got new equipment – an industrial machine and a new serger. We are refurbishing a space now to operate from. Now that we have expanded the business, they started to get an income in December 2018,” Mrs. Anderson-Myers says.

The Linstead Disabled Group Ltd. creates and sells pillows and cushions ranging from $600 to $1,500 to customers who come from communities, churches, and nursing homes in and round Linstead.

“Being a part of the group over the years has been a wonderful thing. It is a dream that has come true for us, because we have waited so long, and now that it has come to fruition, I am really elated,” shares Clovis Reid, a PwD who makes and sells pillows and cushions with the group.

Although the present focus is on pillows and cushions, there are discussions about expanding the product line to include pillow cases, cushion cases, sheets and pot holders.

As it relates to the SDC’s involvement, which not only includes creating project proposals for funding but also facilitating capacity building, networking and direct support, Mr. Reid says “it is a good idea that they have come on board to help us”.

“We appreciate it. They must continue to keep up the good work because they have been doing a lot for persons.  They have been a tower of strength,” he tells JIS News.

 

By: Charnele Henry (JIS)

Release: JIS

Photo Captions: 

Header: Member of the Linstead Disabled Group Ltd., Efredo Sinclair (right),  displays the Group’s pillows and cushions to customers from the St. Catherine business community, at the Linstead ‘Business In Di Streets’ Economic Fair recently.

Insert: Pillows and cushions made by persons with disabilities from the Linstead Disabled Group Ltd.

 

Photographer: Contributed, SDC

 

 

 

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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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