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JAMAICA: JDF Ready and Equipped to Deploy Assets in Response to Major Earthquake

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#Kingston, April 26, 2023 – The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has advised that its Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) is among key assets to be deployed should the country experience a major disaster, such as an earthquake.

The DART is comprised of doctors, nurses, infanteers, drivers, combat engineers, logisticians, military police, divers and other military personnel.

Speaking at a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ at the agency’s head office in Kingston, Operations Staff Officer at JDF headquarters, Major Rodane Leung, said the DART has three priority areas.

He noted that Priority One involves being 100 per cent ready for immediate notice to move to assist in any disaster situation.

“Our Priority Two is not immediate notice to move, but after the initial priority becomes mobilised, Priority Two is now on immediate notice to move and there is Priority Three if it is required,” said Major Leung.

Priority Three is triggered based on the needs of the assessment the JDF would have received from the relevant State agencies.

The Operations Staff Officer indicated that members of the DART are equipped to move to anywhere in the island and be self-sufficient for a period, adding that the JDF has many capabilities.

“Our engineers have the ability to assist with heavy equipment. Like the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), we also have canine elements that we use for search and rescue. We also have medical personnel that can assist the Ministry of Health and Wellness in providing medical care to persons that are injured,” said Major Leung.

He pointed out that another key element of the JDF response procedure is the use of its air wing and strategic aircraft to hoist goods and equipment, as required, from one place to another, especially in situations where the roadways are blocked or congested, preventing the movement of cargo.

“Our aircraft are also equipped to move personnel as well as to assist the Jamaica Fire Brigade, particularly in areas where we might have fires. We are  equipped to use what we call a Bambi Bucket System to douse such fires,” he added.

Another role of the JDF is to assist the JCF with policing.

“There might be need for key point protection – protecting of key installations to prevent theft, among other things. We are ready and able to deploy to assist the JCF to ensure that these things do not happen,” said Major Leung.

It is also important to note that the JDF will appoint a Liaison Officer to the National Emergency Operations Centre at ODPEM. The Liaison Officer would be the bridge between ODPEM and the JDF joint Information Operation Centre.

 

Contact: Shanna K. Salmon

Release: JIS

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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