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Jamaica records 12.9 per cent growth in Economy for April to June Quarter

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#Jamaica, August 27, 2021 – The Hotels and Restaurants Sector is estimated to have grown by a huge 330.7 per cent during the April to June 2021 quarter, to lead all Goods Producing and Services industries recording growth during the period.

The out-turn for that subsector, which falls under the Services Industry, helped to spur a significant turnaround in the performance of the economy, which grew by an estimated 12.9 per cent over the quarter, according to the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ).

Director-General, Dr. Wayne Henry, noted that the Goods Producing Industry grew by an estimated 7.8 per cent, while the Services Industry expanded by approximately 14 per cent.

“The out-turn for the period largely reflected the impact of the relaxation of measures implemented to manage the (coronavirus) COVID-19 pandemic, relative to the corresponding quarter of 2020 when the country was partially locked down for the majority of the period,” he pointed out.

Speaking during the PIOJ’s digital quarterly briefing on Thursday (August 26), Dr. Henry said the out-turn for Hotels and Restaurants reflected a sharp increase in visitor arrivals, following the closure of Jamaica’s borders to passenger movement for most of the corresponding quarter of 2020, due to COVID-19.

“Stopover arrivals for April-May 2021 increased to 205,244 visitors compared with none during the corresponding period of 2020,” he further informed.

Other Services Industry subsectors recording growth were Transport, Storage and Communication, up 16.5 per cent; Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair and Installation of Machinery (WRTRIM), up 13.2 per cent; Electricity and Water Supply, up four per cent; and Finance and Insurance Services, up 2.5 per cent. However, the Government Services subsector remained flat.

Dr. Henry said all Goods Producing Industry subsectors grew, except mining and quarrying, which contracted by approximately 12.3 per cent, due to lower alumina and crude bauxite production.

Construction recorded the largest out-turn, 18.3 per cent, reflecting higher levels of activities in the building and other (civil) construction components.  The second largest out-turn, Dr. Henry said, was recorded by Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, which grew by an estimated 10 per cent.   The Director-General also informed that the Manufacturing subsector grew by approximately 3.1 per cent.

Meanwhile, the economy grew by an estimated 2.3 per cent for the first six months of the 2021 calendar year, from January to June.  Dr. Henry said the Goods Producing Industry grew by an estimated five per cent and the Services Industry by 1.4 per cent.  The industries recording the largest increases were Construction, up 13.8 per cent; Agriculture, up 3.9 per cent, Other Services, up 3.6 per cent; and Transport, Storage and Communication, up 3.4 per cent.

Dr. Henry said that the prospects for the July-September 2021 quarter and 2021/22 fiscal year are “positive”.  He indicated that growth is anticipated to be within the range of four to six per cent for the September 2021 quarter, and six to 10 per cent for the full fiscal year.

The Director-General said it is anticipated that Jamaica will record higher levels of output for all quarters of 2021/22, relative to the subdued performance in 2020/21, due to the restrictions caused by COVID-19.

“It should be noted, however, that the economy is not expected to attain pre-COVID GDP levels until fiscal year 2023/24,” Dr. Henry stated.

 

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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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