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To Dream is to Win: Sandals Resorts Sponsors the 2022 Jamaica Bobsleigh Team

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Sandals backs Team Jamaica, wishes ‘cool runnings’ as they inspire generations of athletes to come

 

#MontegoBay, Jamaica, February 2, 2022 – Sandals Resorts International is proud to announce its sponsorship of the 2022 Jamaica Bobsleigh Team, as six fierce competitors gear up to compete this month on the world’s most coveted stage for sports. Among the highlights is a four-man team comeback 24 years in the making, with Sandals, too, sponsoring 1998’s qualifying team.

“Sandals has always been a champion for our national athletes as we continue our legacy to support young competitors who aspire to represent our beloved home country locally and on the world stage,” said Sandals Resorts Executive Chairman Adam Stewart. “We beam with pride seeing our beautiful flag waving high, showing the world that Jamaica is not only a nation of dreamers, but doers – and that truly anything is possible when heart and hard work come together. The story of Jamaican bobsleighing is simply incredible and we are along for the long ride, cheering on this extraordinary team as they compete in this winter’s events and then pass down the torch for generations to come.”

Founded in Montego Bay, Sandals Resorts is a long supporter of athletes in training in Jamaica and across the Caribbean through the work of the Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts. Sandals’ support of the 2022 Jamaica Bobsleigh Team will cover the substantial logistics and travel costs required to send qualifying athletes to Beijing, as well as the additional bobsleigh events leading up to the 2023 world championship event. The team consists of pilot Shanwayne Stephens, push athletes Matthew Wepke and Rolando Reid, and brakemen Ashley Watson and Nimroy Turgott. Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian is also representing Team Jamaica this year in a new women’s monobob event.

The team is led by team manager Nelson Christian “Chris” Stokes, who has been an active member of the Jamaica Bobsleigh Team since its inception in 1988, and was part of the Olympic team who inspired the ever-popular 1993 film Cool Runnings. For Stokes, who also serves as President and Chairman of the Jamaica Bobsleigh Federation, Sandals’ sponsorship is a full-circle moment, having started out as a Sandals Resorts team member at Sandals Montego Bay in the mid 80s.

“Our return to the world stage is an incredible win in itself and now Sandals Resorts has carried us over the finish line, allowing our team to put their focus on what they do best: bringing the Caribbean heat,” said Stokes. “We are also laying the groundwork for the future, as opportunities such as this one come with the responsibility of helping to ‘pilot’ a new generation of bobsleighers, and Sandals is the perfect partner for this on and off the track.”

Upon their return to Jamaica, Stokes and the athletes will join forces with the Sandals Foundation to plan a number of long-term initiatives geared towards grooming the next generation of athletes. These will include visits to local schools to host motivational speaking engagements, organizing athletic training clinics, nutrition workshops with resort chefs, and more. Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts guests can also look forward to special meet and greets with Bobsleigh team members.

“There is a beautiful alignment between what Jamaican bobsledding has done and what Sandals has done in Jamaica for 40 years, and we will remain closely aligned as we work together towards a bright future for young athletes,” said Stokes.

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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