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Big Drug Seizures During 2021

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#Jamaica, June 17, 2022 – During 2021, a total of 34,832kgs of marijuana and 1,226kgs of cocaine were seized by the police, according to data from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).  These seizures occurred inland, at the airports, and at controlled and uncontrolled seaports.

The disclosure was made by National Security Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, at the opening of the Organization of American States (OAS): Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) training workshop on monitoring, and evaluation of national drug policies, strategies and plans, on June 15, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston.

Dr. Chang said implementation of several key mechanisms and the collaborative efforts of stakeholders resulted in the seizures.

These include the establishment of Special Investigative Units by the Narcotics Division, aimed at disrupting and dismantling narcotics organizations related to the drugs flow between Jamaica and the drug consumer countries.

Also, the review and amendment of legislation critical to anti-drug efforts has had a significant impact on the influx of illicit drugs into the country, including the enhancement and strengthening of Jamaica’s Anti-Money Laundering/Counter Financing of Terrorism legal framework and information/data sharing mechanisms available to law-enforcement operatives.

In addition, there is an inter-agency collaboration for the collection of data used to analyse trends and intelligence for the identification and short-listing of suspects (anti-narcotics interdictions), which are done at sea. These are collaborative efforts between the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the Marine Police of the JCF.

Another deterrent is the establishing and strengthening of measures for international and regional cooperation through the signing of international agreements and the enactment of legislation to provide an effective framework to facilitate the signing and implementation of these agreements.

“Reference is made to the steps being taken by Jamaica to amend its Maritime Drug Trafficking (Suppression) Act, 1998 (MDTSA) to facilitate the ratification of the Treaty of San José. The Treaty of San José represents a regional effort to tackle the issue of drug trafficking by air and sea through proactive law-enforcement cooperation,” the Minister said, emphasising that it is through the implementation of these mechanisms that Jamaica has been able to decrease the illicit supply of drugs that enter the country.

The responsibility to manage and implement supply reduction measures are tackled collaboratively through the JCF, the JDF, the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA), and the Port Security Corps, among others.

Over the years, Dr. Chang said efforts have centred around stakeholder coordination and international cooperation; investment in developing data-driven policies and practices; legislative reform; capacity building; acquisition of required equipment, tools and software; and implementation of alternative programmes have been prioritised.

The two-day training workshop (June 15 and 16) is being hosted by the Government of Jamaica, in collaboration with OAS/CICAD, with funding support from the Government of Canada.

It aims to support OAS member states in preparing a monitoring and evaluation framework for the national drug policy strategy or plan.

 

Release: JIS

Contact: Rochelle Williams

 

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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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