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MORE EMPHASIS BEING PLACED ON CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

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MONTEGO BAY, September 11 (JIS):  Jamaica’s capacity to identify and support children with autism has been bolstered by a groundbreaking three-year training initiative that continued into its second phase at the St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital in St. Ann, on Wednesday, September 10.

Dubbed the Autism and Developmental Needs Skills Training for Caregivers and Families, the programme will create a core of 10 master trainers who will in turn train others across the island to build a sustainable network of experts.

The programme is being carried out under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Caregiver Skills Training (CST) framework.

It is being made possible through a partnership among the Sandals Foundation, Autism Speaks, The Bob and Rita Marley Foundation, and The Colour of Autism Foundation.

Speaking to journalists, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, Heidi Clarke, said the training is designed to make autism support more accessible across Jamaica by equipping those already working with children and families to provide practical tools and strategies.

“These 10 master trainers are going to be able to go back out into the communities and train other people to kind of spread the effect, getting it into every corner in Jamaica, so that we’re able to help identify [autistic] children and help their parents, teachers and caregivers to be able to understand how to deal with them,” she explained.

The Sandals Foundation and Sandals Resorts International have committed a total of US$162,000 in cash and kind support towards the entire three-year endeavour.

This investment covers online training, technical support, stipends for trainees, printed materials, transportation, and accommodation for the capacity-building sessions.

“Mico University College is directly in contact with all of the various [master trainers] in the respective organisations. They’re the ones who identified the people who are going to be trained,” Mrs. Clarke noted.

“So, it’s everybody from Early Stimulation to the Montego Bay Autism Centre, among other institutions, that are spreading autism awareness and support across the country,” she added.

One of the trainees, Sandrea Long-White, Project Manager at Community Based Rehabilitation Jamaica, noted that the training is particularly valuable for rural communities where her organisation works directly with families in their homes.

In fact, it is important to equip parents living in rural Jamaica with the skills to manage the daily challenges of raising a child with autism, to ease the overwhelming and uncertain pressures, she noted.

“So, one of the key takeaways from the training, thus far, is that whatever the child can do, we focus on that and build on that strength that the child has. That’s something that we need to teach our parents to recognise, the little achievements that our disabled children can do to build their skill to help them in their development,” Mrs. Long-White underscored.

In the meantime, Head of Special Education at The Mico University College, Michele Meredith, pointed out that the three-year programme will be certified.

Ms. Meredith said it will combine the WHO’s packaged content with components from The Mico’s own special education courses to give graduates a recognisable certification in the field.

Moreover, after the initial three-year cycle, funded by the Sandals Foundation, The Mico University College will take over the programme as a formal extramural offering, she noted.

The second phase of the programme will run from September 8 to 12. In addition to the trainers, six families will also participate in the sessions.

Since 2016, some 35 Caregiver Skills Training (CST) sites have been implemented worldwide, certifying more than 250 master trainers, with language translations under way to include 10 additional languages.

Contact: Okoye Henry

Release: JIS

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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