Caribbean News
JAMAICA: Government Adding Cleaner Buses to JUTC Fleet
#Kingston, February 2, 2023 – Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government is moving quickly to incorporate new, cleaner technologies into the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) fleet, eventually replacing the existing combustion engine units.
He said that the objective is to reduce the company’s carbon footprint as well as improve its bottom line.
“The Government is very serious about its environmental commitments, its climate change commitment, but even more so… the fiscal commitments, to ensure that an entity like the JUTC does not become a fiscal risk or threat to the Government,” Mr. Holness said.
He was speaking at the unveiling of the JUTC’s first electric-powered unit at the Office of the Prime Minister in St. Andrew on Monday (January 30).
The bus, which will be tested under a six-month pilot programme, can accommodate members of the disabled community as well as parents travelling with a stroller.
Prime Minister Holness said the six-month testing period will allow the JUTC to gather empirical data, which will determine the way forward, as it relates to introducing other vehicles.
“We will get a better understanding of the changes that will have to be made to the design and specifications. So, all in all, I am very happy we have reached this point. The Government has made allocation, we have five more buses coming in and those, of course, will go through the rigorous testing process,” he said.
The Prime Minister noted that the JUTC’s fleet of vehicles is already being diversified with the introduction of buses that use liquefied natural gas (LNG).
“We started that a few years ago… and that testing is ongoing and I believe we are acquiring some more of those buses,” he pointed out.
“Now we are moving to electric buses, which offer a great deal in terms of advantages, clearly the environmental advantage; no emissions whatsoever,” he added.
Mr. Holness said that the electric buses also provide greater fuel management. “So, issues to do with the theft of fuel
and non-productive use of engine time, meaning engines are on idling in traffic, burning fuel, which are not moving passengers… adds to the cost. The maintenance on these would be much lower,” he pointed out.
Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Audley Shaw, in his remarks, informed that in addition to the five electric buses, 45 diesel units will be arriving next month to boost the diversification programme.
Managing Director, JUTC, Paul Abrahams, indicated that the electric bus being piloted by the JUTC is equipped with tracking features such as real time data collection.
“We have dash cams on board that look on the drivers to see what they are doing. The bus can tilt,” he said, adding that it is fully computerised and has 10 batteries.
An electric bus is one where the internal combustion engine and fuel tank have been replaced with an electric motor and battery that are powered by electricity, thereby reducing noise and pollution.
Contact: Chris Patterson
Release: JIS
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Revenue from the Turks and Caicos’ Financial Services Sector will more than double in the next few years, if E Jay Saunders, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister gets his way. It ‘s one of the reasons the country is investing so much capital into getting off of the EU blacklist and becoming a secure trustworthy financial destination.
“The FSC’s revenues for 2020/21 was $10.5M— the figures for 2021/22, would be about similar,” he said. He further explained that $10.5 million from the FSC represented about 2.6 percent of the country’s 408.5-million-dollar
revenue. Though it increased to $14 million in the 2021/22 financial year, finance is still a small fry compared to tourism or even stamp duties but that will change, says Saunders.
“My revenue goal for the Government by the year 2029 [or] the election after the next election – is $500M. By that time, I want the financial sector (FSC) revenues to represent at least 5% ($25M). So that’s my goal for the financial sector by 2029.”
This goal, should it be met, would increase the Government’s revenue by 100 million dollars, a significant increase in spending power for local upgrades and improvements for Turks and Caicos residents and visitors.
Saunders says it’s time for the TCI to diversify its sources of revenue to make sure that what happened in the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw residents out of a job for months, will not happen again. Tourism now makes up around 80 percent of the country’s GDP. The Minister of Finance wants to push that down to 60 or even 50 percent.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#Haiti, March 17, 2023 – When a CARICOM delegation visited Haiti earlier this month, conspicuously absent was the Turks and Caicos Islands despite being one of the nations most directly affected by the multi-dimensional crisis there. There is no comment, as yet from the Premier, to say why this was the case.
Still, from the expedition, CARICOM heads of Government have informed that there will be lobbying in Africa for assistance in Haiti. They say they have decided that the best course of action for the Caribbean country is to bolster the Haitian National Police and act as intermediaries with Africa and the world. The decision follows a one day visit on February 27th, and a March 5th meeting chaired by the Bahamas.
CARICOM says during the trip delegates ‘met with a broad range of Haitian stakeholders to hear their views on the
way forward to a Haitian-led solution’. With that in mind it has made a decision on how to proceed.
“The Heads of Government agreed to support the Haitian National Police in their efforts to address the security situation. The focus of the Community will be the provision of training for the HNP and the provision of humanitarian assistance to HNP and the wider Haitian society, taking into account the challenging humanitarian and security situation”
It’s not clear yet where and how this training will take place. Also distinctly absent from the report, no more mention of boots on the ground from other countries despite CARICOM Member States indicating they were ready and willing should it come to that.
In addition, recognizing ‘the common historical experiences and the strong African-Caribbean relationship’ CARICOM says,
“Heads of Government also agreed to seek support from African countries for Haiti. They also agreed to work with the Governments of Canada and the United States as well as the UNDP”
Magnetic Media has reached out to the Premier’s Office to get a full debrief of the February 27th visit (led by Jamaica; including The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago) to learn of Turks and Caicos’ posture following the critical sessions.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Musicians from the New World Symphony will be in the Turks and Caicos in concert next month and residents are invited to attend in support of the future of Ashley’s Learning Center. 
A fairly young orchestral academy based in Miami, the New World Symphony was launched in the 1980s by 1987, Michael Tilson Thomas and Ted Arison,Carnival Cruises founder. From the 1500 applicants who vie for a spot each year, the symphony accepts around 35 music graduates annually for training fellowships.
A select few of those graduates will be in country on April 8th headlining at the Ashley’s Learning Center concert ‘We’re all in this together’. The concert which also feature local artistes will be held at Brayton Hall on Venetian Road from 6 pm to 8:30 pm
Tickets are available ON ISLEHELP $75 PER GENERAL SEAT $125 PER PREMIUM SEAT $195 PER GALLERY SEAT – with /FREFRESHMENTS.
For TICKET RESERVATIONs you can call: 649-341-2304 or email EVENTS@ASHLEYSLEARNINGCENTER.ORG
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