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Jamaican Gov’t deliberate in implementing eco-friendly projects

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#KINGSTON, February 4, 2020 — Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Senator Robert Morgan, says the Government is being strategic and deliberate in the design and implementation of eco-friendly and sustainable projects that will benefit all Jamaicans.

 “We were the ones who said no port at Goat Island; we were the ones who said we are going to ban single-use plastics and styrofoam, and announced the proposed Cockpit Country Protected area,” he said.

Speaking at the Houses of Parliament update meeting and tree-planting exercise at the National Heroes Park in Kingston on January 30, Senator Morgan added that the National Tree Planting Programme also forms part of environmentally sustainable projects and aims to rebuild Jamaica’s contiguous forest, while building climate resilience islandwide.

“It’s not just because we are environmentalists at heart why we have made these decisions, why the Prime Minister has led these decisions, it is because if we do not make these decisions, then Jamaica as it exists now, the beauty of it, the sustainability of it, will not exist for a future generation,” he said.

Senator Morgan argued that the greatest threat to human existence is climate change, adding that small island developing states, such as Jamaica, are even more vulnerable than other countries to challenges ranging from the impacts of climate change to rising sea levels.

            “So planting mangroves helps to protect the coast, it also helps to build more land to create a kind of buffer between population centres and people, but it also creates habitats for fish,” he noted.

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            Meanwhile, Senator Morgan said construction of the new Parliament is necessary to improve the governance of the country, while ensuring that it is accessible to all.

“I think twinning the tree-planting exercise with the Parliament are two symbols of our development as a mature country recognising the importance of doing the things that may not necessarily, on the face of it, seem to be important… but recognising that creating symbols of your maturity, symbols of your evolving nature as a country are very important to young people and to old people, so that they can have confidence in your society – that it is moving in the right direction,” he said.

More than 1,000 trees are expected to be planted as part of the National Heroes Park Redevelopment and Government Campus Project.

            For his part, Senior Project Manager, Urban Development Corporation, Leighton White, told JIS News that construction drawings for the new Parliament building should be completed by June of this year.

            “We will take that to tender and once we get a contractor that is prepared to undertake the project, then we will have that person, that team start in January of next year,” he said.

            The construction is slated to last for 24 months.

During the meeting, winner of the Government’s Houses of Parliament Design competition, Evan Williams and his team, Design Collaborative, outlined the concept for the structure,

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Construction of a new Parliament building forms part of the National Heroes Park Redevelopment and Government Campus Project, which is a component of a master plan to redevelop downtown Kingston.

            It features an interconnected building with space to accommodate a football field and an area for outdoor movie watching.

PRESS RELEASE by Chris Patterson, JIS – Jan 30, 2020

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Caribbean News

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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