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Ministry of Health appears at Appropriations Committee 

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Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer 

With an allocation of $93.1 million in the draft budget tabled by Washington Misick, TCI Premier, the Ministry of Health and Human Services recently sat before the Appropriations Committee to explain why they needed the money and if they were getting enough.

Representatives included Renessa Williams and Temorah Howell Robinson, Deputy Permanent Secretaries; Nadia Astwood, Chief Medical Officer; Lyndon Brooks Head of Policy and Planning and Milo Forbes, CFO.

According to the budget the money was divvied up as follows:

Policy Planning and Administrative Support – $465.476,327
Dental Department – $1,493,204
Primary Health Care Unit – $3,959,254
Health Promotion and Advocacy – $946,218
Public and Environmental Health – $10,816,190
Mental Health and Substance Abuse – $2,717,185
Special Needs Unit – $2,397,497
National Public Health Laboratory – $938,878
Emergency Medical Service (Ambulance) – $2,491,784
Contract Management Unit – $1,005,185
National Epidemiology and Research Unit – $552,388
Health Emergency Management Unit – $362,538

Executives and heads of department explained to the public the reasoning behind several of the allocations

The Environmental Health Department was a particular focus that money has been allotted to, especially with the prevalence of Dengue in the region. Entomologists are being brought in to research what kind of mosquitoes are in the country and how that could affect residents.

As for the hospitals, a management company has been onboarded to help oversee the contract for the TCI hospitals. Astwood maintained that the government is aggressively recruiting, and the new pay scales that were recently announced should give them some leverage and create interest in the positions.

Increases were recorded in areas like long-term care and HIV treatment and care. HIV allocations increased this budget cycle, from $108,000 to $150,000. Representatives of the Ministry of Health and Human Services speaking with the Committee said the increase was due to an expansion of the programs being undertaken. Representatives indicated 550 individuals are enrolled in the National AIDS Programme which covers both HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.

Adolescent health policies are also being developed to make sure that even without the presence of their parents, young people can get care, CMO Astwood maintained that this was a delicate process though, and would need time for theme policy to be created with care.

Some other items budgeted for this year includes:

  • The National Health Insurance Program
  • Cemetery assistants for each island
  • Continuation of work at the Providenciales Landfill
  • Training of street cleaners
  • Mobile Clinic for Blue Hills to serve the Community even as their clinic is upgraded
    Over $600,000 for ambulances as the Ministry is attempting to replace the entire fleet across the country with that allocation, a necessary expenditure, the Ministry says, as the fleet is to be rotated every five years.
  • Software solutions to digitize departments
  • Consultancies including a nutrition coordination consultant and aged care consultant
  • Development of a training program for nurses dealing with the elderly
  • Another incinerator for Providenciales due to heavy demand.
  • Long term care
  • Ante-natal care
  • Waste disposal

Unfortunately, one area that is still struggling is dental clinics, Dr. Janice Barron, chief dental surgeon, explained to the committee that while there was increased staff, there were some programs that had been held back by the cabinet.

A new Strategic Plan created with the help of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), incorporating all departments is what the Ministry of Health is focusing on. It is to be launched in the month of May.

Caribbean News

Widow’s Testimony Recounts Night Haiti President Was Killed

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MIAMI, Florida — Emotional testimony from Martine Moïse, the widow of assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, has given jurors in a U.S. federal courtroom a chilling account of the night gunmen stormed the presidential residence and killed the country’s leader.

Martine Moïse took the stand this week in Miami as part of the ongoing trial of several men accused of helping plan and finance the July 7, 2021 assassination, a crime that plunged Haiti into political crisis and remains only partially solved.

She told the court that armed men forced their way into the president’s private home in the hills above Port-au-Prince during the early morning hours, firing multiple shots at her husband while she lay beside him. She testified that she was also wounded in the attack and survived by pretending to be dead until the gunmen left the room.

According to prosecutors, the plot involved a group of foreign mercenaries, including former Colombian soldiers, along with Haitian and Haitian-American suspects. Investigators say some of the men believed the mission was to detain the president, but the operation turned into an assassination.

The Miami trial is focusing on the alleged role of South Florida businessmen and others accused of organizing or financing the plan, part of a wider international investigation that has stretched across several countries.

More than four years after the killing, the question of who ultimately ordered the assassination remains unanswered, with suspects still in custody in both Haiti and the United States as the case continues to unfold.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Jamaica Joins Afreximbank Agreement, Strengthening Africa–Caribbean Partnership

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CARIBBEAN — Jamaica has become the 13th CARICOM member state to accede to the African Export-Import Bank Establishment Agreement, further strengthening economic ties between Africa and the Caribbean.

The development was confirmed during the 50th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, where an Afreximbank delegation led by George Elombi and Kanayo Awani met with Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness to advance cooperation.

Prime Minister Holness thanked the bank for its support following Jamaica’s recent hurricane, noting that Afreximbank financing helped restore critical infrastructure including water, electricity, sewage systems and roads, while also assisting reconstruction efforts aimed at building stronger resilience to future disasters.

The meeting also focused on broader development opportunities tied to Jamaica’s membership in the agreement. Discussions included rebuilding and modernising infrastructure such as railways, hospitals and other public facilities, while strengthening regional transportation and trade networks to improve the movement of people and goods across the Caribbean.

Afreximbank has been expanding its presence in the Caribbean as part of its strategy to connect Africa with the region often referred to as “Global Africa.” The bank has already committed billions of dollars in financing and trade support to Caribbean economies in recent years, including funding for infrastructure, trade facilitation and private sector investment.

By joining the agreement, Jamaica gains expanded access to Afreximbank’s financial instruments, technical support and trade networks designed to promote commerce between Africa and CARICOM states.

Regional leaders say the growing partnership could unlock new opportunities in areas such as trade, logistics, tourism, manufacturing and cultural exchange, strengthening economic cooperation between the two regions with deep historical and diaspora ties.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Liberty Caribbean Supports Regional Forum on AI, Cyber Resilience and Digital Inclusion  

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Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (February 24, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow, Liberty Business and BTC, recently served as Gold-Level Partner of the two-day Trinidad and Tobago Internet Governance Forum (TTIGF), themed “The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience”.

The Digital Divide is of particular interest to Liberty Caribbean and is being addressed through its Charitable Foundation across the region. Low broadband penetration in the Caribbean contributes to diminished opportunities for individuals, communities, and local economies, but with the support of funding partners, this gap can be addressed through a comprehensive programme – JUMP – that focuses on providing access, devices, and digital skills.

“Liberty Caribbean was proud to serve as Gold-Level Partner of the TTIGF because the conversations taking place here shape key digital policies for multiple stakeholders,” said Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad.

“As technology accelerates at an unprecedented pace, we must ensure that innovation strengthens our societies rather than fragments them. The theme, ‘The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience,’ speaks directly to the work we do every day: building networks that are not only fast and reliable, but secure, inclusive and future-ready.”

Across the Caribbean, the digital divide remains one of the most pressing barriers to equitable growth. Low broadband penetration limits access to education, entrepreneurship and essential services, and that is why we are deeply committed to closing this gap.

Through the Liberty Caribbean Charitable Foundation and initiatives like the JUMP Programme, the company is expanding access to technology, affordable connectivity and digital skills training so that individuals and communities are empowered to participate fully in the digital economy.

Martin-Sulgan further stated “at Liberty Caribbean, we believe progress and responsibility must move in lock step. By investing in resilient networks, inclusive programmes and trusted partnerships, we are helping to build a Caribbean that is innovative, secure and prepared for the opportunities ahead.”

Topics covered during the Forum, with over 140 participants, included “Securing Critical Infrastructure”, Integrating AI into Digital Transformation”, “The Digital Divide”, The Human Cost of Innovation – Mental Health and Well-being in the Digital Age’, and AI, Cyber Resilience and Regional Innovation”.

Focused on the underlying mandate of the Conference theme thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, technologists, researchers, and community stakeholders were invited to explore how countries can evolve boldly without compromising values or long-term stability.

Photo Caption: 

TTIGF – l-r Darren Campo, Regulatory & Compliance Officer; Yolande Agard-Simmons, Senior Manager Communications; and Kevon Swift, Senior Manager Government and Regulatory Affairs of Flow Trinidad in attendance at the Post Event Mixer at Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Head Office in St Clair, Port of Spain

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