KINGSTON, May 1 (JIS): 

Jamaica’s visitor arrivals have not been negatively affected by travel advisories, says Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett.

Addressing Wednesday’s (May 1) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, he said travel advisories are the “purview” of Jamaica’s international partners.

“In evaluating what they regard as the state of our three Ss – safety, security and seamlessness – they do gradings. It is our job to ensure that at all times when the grades are done, that we are at the highest level of their evaluation,” Mr. Bartlett said.

He further shared that Jamaica is working feverishly at removing those elements that are considered to foster a negative evaluation.

“We are working also with our diplomatic partners to enable a better understanding of the Jamaican situation, and also we are relying heavily now on Jamaica’s history of strong, safe and secure experiences,” Mr. Bartlett said.

He pointed out that Jamaica has a 42 per cent repeat business, which is the highest in the region and the incidents that occur are limited in relation to the visitor population.

Stopover arrivals for the 2023/24 fiscal year are estimated at 2.96 million, reflecting a 9.4 per cent increase, while cruise arrivals are estimated at 1.34 million, up by nine per cent from the previous period in 2022/23.

“I’m happy that the market does not share the views of much of the advisories that come to us; that’s why we’re able to give you the numbers that we gave,” the Minister said.

CONTACT: JUDANA MURPHY

MONTEGO BAY, April 22 (JIS):

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, on Friday (April 19), commissioned into service a new 5,000-gallon water truck to benefit farmers in St. Ann.

The $15-million unit was procured by the Jamaica Bauxite Mining (JBM) Limited and will be managed by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).

Minister Green, in his remarks at the commissioning held at the Lydford Industrial Park, said that the truck will provide much-needed relief to farmers amidst the ongoing drought conditions.

He noted that the unit will serve areas such as St. Ann’s Bay, Claremont, Moneague, Irons Mountain, Beecher Town, Orange Park, Hinds Town, Epworth, Golden Grove, Clapham, and other farming communities in the parish.

With their own dedicated water supply, farmers can be assured of consistent access to water for agricultural purposes, he noted.

“Our farmers are facing drier conditions. The reality is that we have already gone into drought and we are still just in the month of April. We have not gotten into the most difficult months of June, July, and August,” the Minister pointed out.

“As such, the reality is that we need to be able to help our farmers navigate these times. We have to get more assets that we can provide to support the people we serve,” he added.

In addition to water trucks, these assets include tractors and drones to boost agricultural productivity in St. Ann.

The Minister noted that efforts are under way to explore the utilisation of old bauxite wells for irrigation, further enhancing water access for farmers.

“Again, while the trucks are immediate responses, what we’re looking for is a long-term solution to ensure that each year, as the drought gets worse, we’re better able to maneuvre and navigate the drought,” the Minister said.

For his part, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Franklin Witter implored the farmers to take care of the unit, “so that it will continue to give you the service that it was intended for”.

Farmer Megan White from Alderton, who plants hot pepper and other crops, expressed gratitude for the water truck.

“Now that there is a truck, I could set up one of those black water tanks and use the water from there for the time being. So, it is indeed a very good initiative,” she said.

JBM Managing Director, Donna Marie Howe, in her remarks, noted that the provision of the water truck is in keeping with the entity’s long-standing support for farmers.

She commended the farmers for their resilience and expressed the hope that “the water that is in that truck helps to flourish, cultivate, harvest, and let your businesses and crops have prosperity”.

JBM is a Government-owned company (a Public Body) with a business enterprise mandate. The entity is custodian of more than 4,000 acres of government properties in St. Ann and monitors the operations of Discovery Bauxite Partners, a bauxite mining operation based in Discovery Bay.

CONTACT: OKOYE HENRY

JIS REGIONAL OFFICE

MONTEGO BAY

Deandrea Hamilton and Rashaed Esson

Editorial Staff

The efforts to restore Haiti have birthed concerns as corrupt actions within the Presidential Council have been unveiled in shocking revelations surrounding the appointment of the nation’s new Prime Minister and the council’s president, voted in on Tuesday April 30, 2024, against the stipulations within the political accord. This has caused tensions among the members of the Council which could lead to disintegration.

The week of April 29, 2024 started with anticipation for the naming of the Prime Minister on April 30, and by the end of the day, the region and world was given great news that Haiti now has a new Prime Minister, Fritz Bélizaire. Also, the Council’s president was named Edgard LeBlanc Fils.

But, on May 1st, news of conflict within the council made headlines and it turns out Bélizaire and LeBlanc Fils were voted in on the decision of only four of seven council members with voting rights.

The remaining members who were supposed to be a part of the decision making by law, under the accords, were left out of the loop. In fact, the quartet has taken on an identity, reportedly calling itself “The Indissoluble Majority” and the Miami Herald informs that a document was released, leaked, which contains the names of the four council members who are Smith Augustin, Louis Gérald Gilles, Emmanuel Vertilaire and LeBlanc.

The vote was taken overnight. Not all of the Council members were present. How their election came to be accepted and then broadcast to the world is worthy of investigation and given the investment of so many countries, to right Haiti’s rickety ship, demands a decent investigation.

Haiti’s political process is fraught with corruption. The development is embarrassing, a significant setback but no surprise.

Regarding the unlawful voting process, an unidentified individual with direct intel, told media that the Council’s political agreement was violated due to how the voting was carried out. It was expected to be a collective decision, as the Accords negotiated and ratified unequivocally stipulate; the design is and has always been to come to a middle ground. No time in recent history have the stakes for Haiti been so high and the need for transparency and honest integrity to be unflinching. Yet, at least four of these members have reportedly disgraced the process and will likely be replaced as the vote is re-executed.

A Wednesday statement to the media has confirmed as much.

It is expected that now, the positions for Prime Minister and the President (of the Council) will be reopened and new members appointed to the council.