Caribbean News

JIS STAFF WELCOMES SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING

Published

2 years ago

March 4, 2024

KINGSTON, February 29 (JIS): Jamaica Information Service (JIS) employees, who benefited from a recent sexual harassment sensitisation session, say they are now more aware about what constitutes harassment, how it can manifest in the workplace, and what to do if they experience or witness harassment.

The session was conducted by the Sexual Harassment Investigation Unit in the Bureau of Gender Affairs (BGA), a division of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, to raise awareness and educate workers about their rights and responsibilities as well as to highlight key areas of the Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Act, 2021.

The legislation addresses concerns about sexual harassment that are employment-related, occurring in institutions, or arising in the landlord and tenant relationship.

It contains provisions for dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace, schools, correctional institutions, places of safety, nursing homes, medical and psychiatric facilities, among other places.

Under the Act, which came into effect on July 3, 2023, Government bodies and private-sector organisations are required to establish sexual harassment policies and bring these to the attention of workers.

Paul Johnson from the Research and Publications Department says he learned a lot from the one-day hybrid session and has a better understanding of the types of behaviours that may be unacceptable in the workplace.

He says he is now more careful when engaging with others.

“I am a jovial person, but I know who to pull my jokes with and I will try to be careful… a small matter can be big for some people,” he points out.

Another employee, Navario Barrett, who works in the Digitisation Department, says he also “benefited tremendously” from the training.

Mr. Barrett says he is more aware of how certain habits, such as touching friends when talking with them, could make them uncomfortable.

“I understand that these movements can be seen as sexual harassment, even though you don’t really mean it like that, but I know that for some persons it might feel uncomfortable. So, this [seminar] really is an eye-opener to really know how to approach persons,” he says.

Mr. Barrett notes that the presenter pointed out that both females and males experience sexual harassment.

“It entails males because they, too, go through these experiences in the workplace. The seminar is a good one, especially at this time. I am very happy and grateful that I was there,” he adds.

Director of Electronic Production, Andrine Davidson, in highlighting the importance of the training, says it is critical to ensure that team members are aware of the legislation, which was implemented to ensure a healthy work environment that is free from harassment and coercion.

“It is important that everyone feels safe and respected and is able to contribute to the productivity of the agency.

“Our commitment to maintaining a workplace that is free from harassment is not just a legal obligation. It is not just because the Government says we should, but it is a moral one, and we value each member of the team and we want to ensure that everyone feels secure,” she says.

Director of Human Resources, David Knight, for his part, indicates that the training will be ongoing, noting that a previous session was held with the management team.

“We will continue since not all our team members are available today. Some are at various assignments and on vacation leave. So, we intend to have other sessions so that we can have a coverage of all our team members,” he points out.

Stating that sexual harassment is a serious workplace issue, Mr. Knight notes that it is not just carried out by men against women, and also occurs between employees of similar rank and status.

As such, he says, it is important that persons are trained to recognise behaviours that are unacceptable in the workplace so that they can take an active role in creating a safe and respectful workplace culture.

“The training, the sensitisation, the empowerment is very useful,” Mr. Knight adds.

Sexual Investigative Officer, BGA, Resheda Campbell, who was the main presenter, says the discussion session with the JIS team was valuable, noting that the participants “were engaged and interested in the topic”.

“I have no doubt that the JIS staff will be the game changer. They will participate in this cultural shift that we want to establish in Jamaica. The Sexual Harassment Policy is the start of something great and for it to work it takes the involvement of everybody,” she notes.

She said that the BGA will be happy to continue the partnership with the JIS by having other seminars, especially for new employees.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, in a statement in the House of Representatives on February 6, urged employers and heads of institutions to have a Sexual Harassment Policy in their workplaces by the end of June to avoid penalties.

“It is vital that every workplace and institution put in place a policy statement within 12 months of the commencement date of the Act. The effect of this is that no workplace or institution has the luxury of choosing when to effect compliance with this part of the legislation,” Minister Grange noted.

She said that the policy should outline the internal mechanisms and procedures that are available to a worker, client, student, resident, ward, inmate, patient or member, as the case may be, for the making of any complaint relating to sexual harassment and the resolution and settlement of the complaints.

It should explain the disciplinary measures that may be taken in respect of sexual harassment.

It should also include a statement to the effect that the employer, or person in charge of the institution, shall not disclose any information relating to a complainant or circumstances of a complaint to any person, except where the disclosure is necessary for the purposes of investigating the complaint or taking disciplinary action in relation to the complaint.

Caribbean News

Guyanese Scholar and Olympian Arrested in Iowa ICE Crackdown

Published

1 week ago

September 27, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

September 27, 2025 – In a shocking breach of public trust and institutional oversight, Ian Andre Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, who is a citizen of Guyana, was arrested on September 26 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under a string of serious offenses that raise troubling questions about hiring practices, accountability, and public safety.

Roberts, born in Georgetown, Guyana, is a former Olympian and accomplished scholar. According to online reports, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Coppin State University after transferring from St. Francis College in Brooklyn, where he played soccer. He holds two master’s degrees—from St. John’s University and Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business—attended an Executive MBA program at MIT Sloan School of Management and earned a doctorate in education with a focus on urban educational leadership from Trident University.

Despite these accomplishments, Roberts was living and working without legal authorization. ICE reported that he fled a traffic stop and abandoned his school-issued vehicle. At the time of his arrest, he was reportedly in possession of a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and $3,000 in cash. He also has a prior weapons-related charge.

ICE officials questioned how Roberts could hold such a prominent role while subject to a final deportation order issued in May 2024. The school district said they were unaware of his immigration status, noting that he had undergone background checks and completed an I-9 form confirming work authorization. Roberts was placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.

This case highlights vulnerabilities in systems meant to safeguard public institutions and underscores the challenges ICE faces in identifying individuals operating outside U.S. immigration laws while in positions of authority.

For many, Roberts has become a near-literal poster child for these enforcement gaps.

Caribbean News

Bermuda Shaken by Targeted Murder as Crime Returns After a Decade of Calm

Published

2 weeks ago

September 21, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Bermuda is reeling after the brazen murder of 37-year-old Janae Minors, a mother of two, who was gunned down in her own beauty supply store on Court Street, Pembroke. The attack, which police describe as “targeted,” has rattled the island, not only for its brutality but for what it says about the state of law and order in a country that less than a decade ago was celebrating a dramatic fall in violent crime.

The Attack on Court Street

According to police, at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, a lone gunman pulled up on a stolen black motorcycle, walked into the Beauty Monster shop Minors owned, and shot her multiple times. Despite the rapid response of emergency services, she succumbed to her injuries shortly after being transported to hospital.

Detectives say the killer was thin, tall, dressed in dark clothing with a full-face helmet, and wearing bright gloves. CCTV shows him fleeing north on Court Street, down Tills Hill toward TCD, before turning onto Marsh Folly Road. Investigators are pursuing all leads, with a focus on recovering evidence from nearby cameras and eyewitness accounts.

Police Commissioner Darrin Simons confirmed the attack bore the hallmarks of gang-related violence, a chilling indicator that Bermuda’s gang rivalries — long simmering beneath the surface — may once again be spilling into broad daylight.

A Vibrant Life Cut Short

Minors, remembered as a hardworking entrepreneur with “a vibrant, beautiful personality,” leaves behind two children, ages 16 and 18. Her murder has ignited outrage across Bermuda, not just for its senselessness but for its timing: the island had once prided itself on virtually stamping out gun violence.

Then: Near-Zero Murders

Back in 2014, Bermuda made international headlines for reporting zero firearm murders — a remarkable achievement given the small island had endured a spate of gang-related shootings in the early 2010s. Police credited intelligence-led operations, tighter firearms interdictions, and aggressive prosecutions of gang leaders. Community programs and mentoring initiatives also played a role, giving at-risk youth alternatives to gang life.

By 2015 and 2016, gun crime was at historic lows. That period was hailed as proof Bermuda could beat back the tide of violence with coordinated policing, social investment, and political will.

Now: Alarming Resurgence

Fast forward nine years, and the picture looks starkly different. In 2024 and 2025, Bermuda has recorded a rise in gun-related deaths. Rival gangs such as Parkside and 42 have resurged, fueled by a new generation of recruits. Economic pressures, high youth unemployment, and the easy flow of smuggled firearms through maritime routes have undermined earlier gains.

Community trust in the police has also eroded, making investigations harder and retaliations more likely. Opposition MPs and neighborhood leaders warn that without sustained focus, Bermuda risks sliding back into the violent cycles of the early 2010s.

Public Alarm and Political Pressure

Premier David Burt condemned Minors’ killing as “an escalation of community violence that cannot be tolerated,” promising stronger enforcement and deeper engagement with residents. The Bermuda Police Service has appealed for CCTV, dashcam, and doorbell footage from the area, urging residents that even the smallest detail could break the case.

Yet among the public, frustration is growing. People remember the calm of 2014 — when zero murders were recorded — and cannot understand how the island has returned to headlines dominated by gun violence. The contrast is stark: from celebrating the elimination of gun murders to confronting the targeted execution of a businesswoman in broad daylight.

A Test for Bermuda’s Future

The murder of Janae Minors has become more than a single case; it is now a symbol of Bermuda’s struggle to hold on to the progress it once made. The question facing the island is whether the successes of a decade ago can be replicated and sustained in today’s harsher climate of economic pressure and gang rivalries.

For Minors’ family, nothing can erase the tragedy of losing a mother and daughter so violently. But for Bermuda at large, her death is a wake-up call — that the island cannot afford complacency when it comes to crime.

As one community leader put it: “Nine years ago, we had beaten this. Now, we’re back to fearing what happens when the sun goes down. That is not the Bermuda we want to live in.”

Caribbean News

CARICOM-Africa Summit Yields Draft Pact on Trade, Travel and Reparations

Published

2 weeks ago

September 19, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Imagine an Atlantic Bridge connecting the Caribbean Region to the African Continent

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — When CARICOM leaders convened with African counterparts and Afreximbank officials in Ethiopia, the outcomes were savory and exactly what many Caribbean people want to see materialise as the islands become uniquely reconnected to the African continent.

At the Second CARICOM-Africa Summit, held at the African Union headquarters, leaders moved beyond symbolic language to agree on a draft communiqué that, if finalized, would anchor this partnership in practical action. While not yet officially published by the AU or CARICOM, the document points to an agenda that blends history with urgent twenty-first century priorities.

The draft outlines commitments to improve air and sea transport links, including the pursuit of a multilateral air services agreement to break down the barriers that still keep the Caribbean and Africa physically apart. It also calls for visa facilitation and simplified entry regimes, making it easier for citizens of both regions to travel, study, and work across the Atlantic.

Equally significant are pledges to advance double taxation treaties that could remove one of the most stubborn obstacles to investment. With Afreximbank’s Caribbean headquarters already established in Barbados and the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) gaining momentum, leaders now want to lock in the financial and legal frameworks that will drive new business.

Reparatory justice also featured prominently, with the draft communiqué sharpening a joint call for coordinated advocacy. CARICOM’s long-standing Reparations Commission is expected to work more closely with African institutions to demand global recognition and redress for the shared traumas of slavery and colonial exploitation.

CARICOM’s incoming chair, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis, captured the spirit of the gathering when he urged that the Atlantic Slave Trade be reimagined as an “Atlantic Bridge — a bridge of hope, a bridge of advancement, a bridge that will ensure our people take their rightful place in this world.”

For Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett, the meeting was a “homecoming,” but also a reminder that concrete steps like the Health Development Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean (HeDPAC) and improved transportation links are needed to transform rhetoric into results.

For citizens back home, wrestling with inflation and economic uncertainty, the Addis outcomes — transport, visas, investment, health, and reparations — are precisely the kinds of measures that can validate leaders’ journeys and rekindle faith in South-South cooperation. What was once only rhetoric now hints at the beams of an Atlantic Bridge, connecting the Caribbean and Africa in ways that could finally turn history’s tragedy into tomorrow’s advantage.