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JAMAICA: Minister Bartlett Welcomes Increasing Levels of Foreign Direct Investments in Tourism

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Jamaica, October 21, 2019 – Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says there is no cause for concern by Jamaicans over the increasing levels of foreign direct investments (FDI) in the country’s tourism industry.

“As a tourist resort [destination], we are fortunate to be appealing to the world’s top hotel brands wanting to [invest in and] be part of destination Jamaica,” he said, in a message delivered by Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) Executive Director, Dr. Carey Wallace, at the 5th Anniversary Awards Ceremony of Cornwall Funding Services Limited, at Sunscape Resort & Spa in Montego Bay, on Saturday (October 19)

Minister Bartlett noted that without FDIs, Jamaica would not have attained the level of development growth achieved to date.  He argued that previously, successive administrations would build hotels and lease them to foreign entities, an arrangement which, in a number of instances, did not redound to Jamaica’s benefit.

“With the restoration of confidence in government and stability in the country, foreign investors are now putting their money where their mouth is. Not only are they investing in concrete and steel, but they develop their own market to ensure their rooms are occupied. So they have a long term vested interest in sticking with it,” the Minister added.

Mr. Bartlett said this is evident in the number of new rooms being added to the country’s stock annually to accommodate increasing tourist arrivals.   Additionally, he said there is an uptick in visitor spending and retention of the tourism dollar in Jamaica, while assuring that “the welcome carpet is also rolled out for any Jamaican entrepreneur or investor wanting to also go big in tourism… and we do have some”.

“They along with our FDI partners are opening up greater opportunities for our small and medium-size business partners. They control the service side of tourism and are strategically placing themselves in a position to provide many inputs that are needed for the successful operation of the hotels,” he explained.

During the ceremony, several awards were presented to new and longstanding clients of Cornwall Funding Services Limited.

Mr. Bartlett, in lauding the entity’s management and staff, said they, like the TEF, “help to provide financing to allow Jamaicans to be able to capitalize, build their businesses and take advantage of the tourism dollar”.

Contact: Okoye Henry

Release: JIS

Header: Executive Director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), Dr. Carey Wallace (right), delivering a message from Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, during the 5th Anniversary Awards Ceremony of Cornwall Funding Services Limited, at Sunscape Resort & Spa in Montego Bay, St. James, on Saturday (October 19).

1st Insert: Co-Director of Cornwall Funding Services Limited, Junior Gordon (left), makes a presentation to the company’s first ever client, Ann McKenzie, during the entity’s 5th Anniversary Awards Ceremony at Sunscape Resort & Spa in Montego Bay, St. James, on Saturday (October 19).

2nd Insert: Co-Director of Cornwall Funding Services Limited, Junior Gordon (left), addresses guests during the entity’s 5th Anniversary Awards Ceremony at Sunscape Resort & Spa in Montego Bay, St. James, on Saturday (October 19). Listening is business partner, Joe Hylton.

Okoye Henry Photos

Caribbean News

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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Caribbean News

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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Caribbean News

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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