Caribbean News
NJS Francis Building Reopens as House of Assembly Returns to Grand Turk Islands Capital After Hurricane Damage
Garfield Ekon
Staff Writer
The NJS Francis Building which houses members of the House of Assembly in the nation’s capital of Grand Turk Islands (TCI), is once again a shining beacon to Islanders and visitors, made possible after significant renovations.
After the new TCI Constitution came into effect, the name of the House of Representatives was changed from Legislative Council to House of Assembly, and the institution named in honour of the late for Chief Minister, NJS Francis, in 2005. 
After five years of closure due to dame done during Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, members returned to island’s centre of law-making, and Acting Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams, while delivering the proclamation at the ceremonial event, said that on “this auspicious occasion I am filled with a sense of pride, duty, hope and determination,” she said.
When members had to vacate the Assembly, meetings were held at the Helena Jones Robinson High School’s auditorium. The Acting Governor said persons from all over the island were “proud of our resilience and our ability to navigate various challenges through our history, including natural disasters, economic shocks, and the recent global pandemic,” she stated.
Premier, the Honourable Charles Washington Misick moved the motion for the resumption of meetings at the NJS Francis Building, while acknowledging the Acting Governor, for her attendance, and the Speaker, Honourable Gordon Burton for presiding over the sitting. The motion was seconded by Leader of the Opposition, Honourable Edwin Astwood.
Nathaniel Joseph Selver Francis, served as the Fourth Chief Minister of the TCI, from March 28, 1985, until July 25, 1986. He died in 2004.
The House of Assembly consists of 19 members, of which 15 are voted democratically. Ten of these are voted in a traditional constituency, and five are ‘all-island’ candidates, of which every voter has the option to elect. Of the remaining four members who are not elected, the Governor appoints two, and the Premier and Leader of the Opposition each appoint one.
Historically, this will change in time for the next general election, due to bi-partisan constitutional amendment, all Members of the House of Assembly in the Turks and Caicos will be elected to serve.
KINGSTON, April 29 (JIS):
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says the outcome of discussions arising from the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) will assist in guiding the Government’s planning for climate change.
This, he points out, is important for climate mitigation as well as building Jamaica’s resilience.
“We look forward to the discussions that will, no doubt, take place. We look forward to the basis of planning for the Government to streamline its investments to ensure you have the tools that you need to better advise us, that the WRA (Water Resources Authority) has the tools to digitise its monitoring network, and that all of the agencies that touch our planning mechanisms have the tools. But we need to know what we are facing, and we’re guided by your expertise,” Minister Samuda said.
He was addressing the opening ceremony for the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in New Kingston on Monday (April 29).
Senator Samuda said given the fact that the climate has changed and continues to do so, investments in and collaborations on building Jamaica’s predictive and scientific capacity must be prioritised.
“Ultimately, we need to be able to assess our current climatic realities if we are to better plan, if we’re to insist and ensure that our infrastructure meets the needs that we need it to. I’m very happy that this event is happening… because this is a critical issue.
“Jamaica, last year, faced its worst and most severe drought… and this year, we’re already seeing the impacts of not quite as severe a drought but, certainly, a drought with severe impacts, especially in the western part of the country,” he said.
Principal Director, Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Evan Thompson, explained that the forum aims to, among other things, establish a collaboration platform for climate services providers and users to understand risks and opportunities of past, present and future climate developments, as well as improve inter-agency coordination of policies, plans and programmes.
Among the other presenters were Ambassador, European Union to Jamaica, Her Excellency Marianne Van Steen; Chief Scientist/Climatologist, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, Adrian Trotman; and Head, Regional Climate Prediction Services, World Meteorological Organization, Wilfran Moufouma-Okia.
The Meteorological Service of Jamaica hosted the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) in partnership with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology and the World Meteorological Organization.
The National Stakeholder Consultation is a governance mechanism that guides how different sectors or actors work together to create products that contribute to adaptation and resilience-building. It seeks to create a road map for the development and implementation of climate services to inform decision-making.
NCF-1 aims to bridge the gap between climate providers and users. It increases the use of science-based information in decision-making and operations with the aim of generating and delivering co-produced and co-designed products and services.
CONTACT: CHRIS PATTERSON
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