Home Blog Page 79

Any Form of Violence against our Adolescents and Children Must Stop!

NCFC

The National Committee for Families and Children, mandated to advocate for the protection of all children, is troubled by the disturbing report of a pair of police constables accused of humiliating youth cadets. According to the news dated Thursday, November 16th, 2017, the unnamed officers were accused of taking nude pictures of male cadets attached to the Placencia Branch Youth Cadet Corp. This is disheartening, especially since the public seeks the police department to ensure the safety and protection of all citizens, especially children.  When this confidence is breached, the result is the questioning of the integrity and erosion of trust of the Department to serve as the first and most fundamental line of protection.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child provides an umbrella for children to live with protection from harm while securing the rights of children.  Allegations that violate the rights of any child and disregards the fundamental principles of human dignity undermines the very work that NCFC and its partners continuously champion and advocate. The alleged acts against children cannot be tolerated and left unpunished.

 The allegations violate Article 16 and 36 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, specifically the child’s right to privacy and the right to protection from any kind of exploitation. It further violates Article 3 of the UNCRC which states that adults should do what is in the best interest of the child. When adults make decisions, they should consider how those decisions affect children.

As an advocate for policies, programmes and an environment safe for all children, the NCFC urges the public to remain vigilant and to report cases of violations against the rights of children.  It is imperative that great care be exercised when selecting persons to work with children and in so doing, ensure that  their rights and dignity is of paramount importance and duly respected.

As a society, we must accept that children’s rights are human rights.  Upholding these rights require a complete cultural change in behavior and social norms.  Persons must also be fully aware that violations of children’s rights have repercussions often punishable under the law.

Craft and Souvenir Exhibition

Craft And Souvenir Exhibition
Photo Credit: https://news784.com

Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture Staged Craft and Souvenir Exhibition.

As part of activities to celebrate Tourism Awareness Month 2017, the Ministry of Tourism staged a Craft and Souvenir Exhibition on Thursday, 16th and Friday 17th November, at the Cruise Ship Terminal in Kingstown.
This was held as Cruise Lines Azura and Britannia were anchored in Port Kingstown on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
Tourism Education Officer, Ms. Jewelene Charles-Scott said the exhibition, which targeted the tourist, was held to give the Artisans an opportunity to sell and showcase the products and services that are offered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Tourism Education Officer noted that the artisans received training prior to the exhibition to empower them with the knowledge necessary to not only sell their products but to sell destination Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. “This is our destination, all of us are tourism ambassadors, (and) we must do our part in selling our destination,” she said.
According to Charles-Scott, some 17 exhibitors showcased their products over the two days. Among them were Alpha’s designs, with its jewelry collection; Immense Bags; Barrouallie Craft Center, with its craft collection; Sissi’s, with plantain chips and delicacies; Nature’s Path Healing Health, offering body massages; Veronica’s creation, with its various bags; Jazzy All Natural, with its soaps, repellants and beauty products; SVG Craft; and the Kalinago Tribe, with bow and arrow, repellants and essential oils.
The Annual Tourism Month is being celebrated from 1st to 31st November, to encourage Vincentians to appreciate the importance of the industry to the sustainable development of the country and to familiarise themselves with the local tourism product and the diversity of the 32 islands.
Tourism Month is being observed under the slogan “Tourism is everyone’s business, live it, love it, embrace it”.

Strengthening the Horse Racing Industry

Horse Racing

Trade Ministry continues collaboration to strengthen the horse racing industry.

Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry engaged relevant stakeholders to revive the local horse racing industry. Minister Gopee-Scoon and Senior Officials of the Ministry met with representatives of various interest groups in local horse racing including the Betting Levy Board, Trinidad and Tobago Racing Authority, Arima Race Club, Racehorse Owners, Trainers and Stud Farm Associations on Friday 17th November, 2017 to discuss the current state of the industry.
The Trade and Industry Minister emphasised the value of the sport which has immense potential for meaningful economic impact given the cost structure, employment levels and the economic activities it generates. Stakeholders agreed to formulate a strategic plan for the development of the local horse racing industry by December 2017. “This plan and collaborative input, she said, would inform industry wide transformational change and facilitate the self-sustainability of sport of horse racing”.
Current challenges affecting the industry including the legislative and regulatory framework, management of the sport, incentives for industry participants and the efficiency of the collection of betting taxes were expressed by stakeholders and potential solutions identified.

Barbados Water Authority Acquires US$3.5 Million in Funding

Barbados Water Authority - BWA
The headquarters of the Barbados Water Authority. (FP)

The Barbados Water Authority (BWA) has successfully acquired US$3.5 million in grant funding from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
It was sourced from that nation’s US$50 million Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund, which was launched at the International Renewable Energy Agency conference in January this year.
The UAE established the fund for Caribbean small island developing states to promote the increased use of renewable energy in their countries.
The funds allotted to the BWA are for a Renewable Energy Project, and is part of the Authority’s medium to long-term plans to reduce its energy bill and increase the efficiency of its operations.
Representatives from the UAE will be visiting the BWA on Friday, November 17 and will tour proposed locations for the installation project.  The tour leaves the BWA at 10:00 a.m.
The UAE team will be accompanied by Minister of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management, Dr. David Estwick, senior ministry officials, members of the BWA board and senior members of BWA management.

Certificate Programme to boost fashion industry

Ultra Bespoke Tailoring Programme

Certificate Programme in Ultra Bespoke Tailoring to boost local fashion industry.

Ultra Bespoke Tailoring ProgrammeSpeaking at the launch of the Ultra Bespoke Tailoring Programme hosted by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in collaboration with FashionTT, and MIC Institute  of Technology on Wednesday 15 November, 2017, Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry expressed her appreciation for the collaborative initiative which “brings to fruition the Certificate Programme in Ultra Bespoke Tailoring under the guidance of renowned Professor Andrew Ramroop of the famed Savile Row Academy”.
Minister Gopee-Scoon affirmed that, “this project takes us one step further from our reliance on oil and gas and one step closer to harnessing the talents of our creative sector, specifically those within the Fashion Industry. We are today creating opportunities for our existing and potential designers, dress makers, tailors and many others in the fashion value chain.”
Vision 2030 mandates the Government to improve skills upgrade, training and development of up-to-date teaching methods, particularly those that support innovation and entrepreneurship. Minister Gopee-Scoon emphasized that the Government recognizes the potential of the Creative Industries to contribute to income generation, job creation and also, as foreign exchange earners. She said “The local Fashion Industry is a priority and Government remains fully committed to the development and commercialization of this subsector.” Minister Gopee- Scoon encouraged persons to make use of the state’s investment designed to create far reaching opportunities in the fashion industry.
Professor Andrew Ramroop, Founder of the Savile Row Academy, indicated that the Savile Row Academy is a tailoring school which provides a unique opportunity for persons wanting to acquire high-level knowledge skills and experiences needed for employment in established tailoring houses around the world or to establish their own businesses. He underscored that, “This programme is an investment in the people of Trinidad and Tobago in an effort to create meaningful and sustainable career opportunities.” Professor Ramproop has over 40 years’ experience in the Fashion Industry with 12 years teaching design, pattern cutting, fitting and tailoring at the London College of Fashion.
Professor Clement Imbert, Chairman MIC Institute of Technology in his remarks stated that, “this is very opportune time for the specialist programme to be introduced to Trinidad and Tobago and we at MIC are pleased to be associated with this initiative and welcome the opportunity for partnership.” Ms. Dionne Mc Nicol Stephenson, Director, CreativeTT emphasized CreativeTT’s commitment to the strategic business development and export capabilities of the Creative Industries toward the generation of national wealth. She said, “We are passionate about making strategic connections, maximizing impact and transparency and excellence in execution.”
The main objective of this programme is to provide specialist skills through an intensive training programme. These skills will enable designers to progress into employment on the highest levels of tailoring and within the fashion related industries on an individual level. This programme is geared towards enabling the tailoring sector in Trinidad and Tobago to flourish through its association with such a well-respected brand as Saville Row Academy, thereby encouraging acceptance into global markets.

Hundreds to benefit from ongoing ACT initiative

ACT

An ongoing initiative of the Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations to help create and promote lifelong learning opportunities for higher education for local school leavers has been deemed a huge success, with hundreds set to benefit as a result.
The #EducateSaintLucia initiative started off with a College and Career Readiness Symposium aimed at the youth, with the goal of preparing them for higher education, career development and advancement. To this end, the Government of Saint Lucia partnered with American College Testing Inc. (ACT) for a three to five-year framework that will offer over 1000 students the opportunity to sit the ACT examination, with the objective of acquiring satisfactory scores that could gain them admittance into various colleges in the USA.
The key objective of this program is to extend scholarship opportunities to students, particularly those leaving secondary and tertiary institutions on the island. Several institutions in the USA have already been engaged, seeking their commitment to grant scholarships or partial scholarships to citizens of Saint Lucia, scoring high in the ACT examinations.
The Ministry has also planned a National Application Day for all students registered for the ACT exams in December, which will allow students to apply to universities and Colleges in the US.  In addition, a #FirstGeneration initiative offers first generation university students of financially challenged families, a chance to gain full scholarships to pursue higher education abroad.
During the week of Oct. 9 to 14, there were several activities held with Erica Hepburn of the ACT, which included training of staff of the Division of Education who are involved in the various aspects of ACT. School principals, guidance counselors and prospective candidates were also briefed, on the proper implementation of the initiative. In addition, an intensive training session was held in the north and south of the island for prospective candidates and young persons who are out of school but interested in pursuing further education.
From Oct. 20 to 24, 2017, 450 students from various secondary schools around the island sat the Pre-ACT exam. To date, three hundred and nine (309) students have registered for the ACT exams to be held on Dec. 9 and 10 in Saint Lucia.

CDB joins global partnership to combat climate change

President Smith (right) discusses CDB’s decision to join the NDC Partnership with moderator, Jennifer Morgan (left) at the Champions for Climate Action event on November 14, 2017 in Bonn, Germany.

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has joined a coalition of developing and developed countries and international institutions, which have committed to combatting climate change and adapting to its effects. On November 14, on the margins of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP23), the Bank was announced as one of the newest members of the NDC Partnership.
Admission to the Partnership comes as CDB intensifies its effort to scale up climate action in its Borrowing Member Countries. Speaking at the event, “Champions for Climate Action: The NDC Partnership”, President of the Bank, Dr. Wm. Warren Smith, said that CDB’s decision to join was a “no-brainer”.
“The principles that underpin this Partnership coincide very nicely with the approach of the Caribbean Development Bank. We, as a small institution, have learnt over the years that there is very little that we can do on our own. We have to work with several different countries and institutions in order for us to mobilise the resources that we need for our borrowing member countries. And we also need to gather the information and the experiences of our larger partners, in particular, for us to be able to get it right,” said Smith.
The NDC Partnership is a platform for the implementation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) – the targets countries around the world are working to achieve, to stop global temperatures from rising 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
The Partnership promotes long-term climate action; advancing adaptation and mitigation; and aligning development and climate change. Partners work together to identify the capacity needs of developing countries and determine the appropriate means to address those needs.
The NDC Partnership was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Marrakesh, Morocco last year. Since then, it has grown to almost 80 members that are engaging jointly to help 15 developing countries and emerging economies reach their NDC targets under the Paris Agreement and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Brazil; Canada; Colombia; Germany; Haiti; Italy; Mexico; Saint Lucia; and the United Kingdom are CDB member countries that have joined the NDC Partnership.

Passage of CBI escrow accounts bill

CBI

Passage of CBI escrow accounts bill to further safeguard the federation’s citizenship programme.

The St. Kitts and Nevis Government took another step towards the further strengthening of the country’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme on Tuesday, 14th November 2017, through the passage of the Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship (CBI Escrow Accounts) Bill, 2017 in the National Assembly.
This piece of legislation, which was moved through the National Assembly by the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, will provide guidelines relating to escrow accounts and agreements under the Federation’s citizenship programme.
An escrow, under the CBI Programme is a short-lived trust arrangement which is the main mechanism for the consummation of real property sales. An escrow agent is a third party responsible for oversight of the monies, whilst the buying and selling process is being undertaken.
In addition to strengthening the CBI programme, Prime Minister Harris noted that the Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship (CBI Escrow Accounts) Bill would also raise the levels of protection for applicants to the programme, adding, “This added protection should further enhance the confidence in the programme and make it even more attractive to potential applicants.”
The Bill contains a clause that identifies who would be allowed to be CBI escrow agents in St Kitts and Nevis. These include a bank or any other entity whose business includes the provision of trust or custodial services; a registered trust company or any other entity whose business is the provision of trust or custodial services; an attorney-at-law; or a chartered accountant – all under certain conditions.
It also requires all CBI escrow agents to be licensed, and to conduct their escrow business in accordance with a number of guidelines.
In outlining some of the guidelines, Prime Minister Harris stated, “The CBI escrow agent must ensure that an escrow agreement is prepared. Hopefully the agreement would bring clarity to the roles, rules, expectations of both parties – the buyers and sellers. The escrow agreement must be in writing and it must contain the name and other particulars of the parties. The agreement must be submitted to the Citizenship by Investment Unit together with the application for citizenship, and the agent has a duty to keep the parties informed of all transactions and the balance held on the escrow account. The agent must keep proper records for at least seven years after the account is closed, and the escrow agent must submit monthly and annual reports to the Financial Services Regulatory Commission.”
Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris further stated that the Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship (CBI Escrow Accounts) Bill, 2017 would empower the Financial Services Regulatory Commission to supervise all escrow agents and escrow accounts under the CBI Programme. The Commission would also be responsible for licensing escrow agents and has the power to freeze certain accounts, pursuant to a Court Order.

Praedial Larceny Essay and Poster Competitions

Praedial Larceny

Praedial Larceny Unit Invites Entries for Essay and Poster Competitions.

The Praedial Larceny Prevention Unit (PLPU) in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries is now accepting entries for its National Poster and Essay Competitions.
Praedial Larceny Prevention Coordinator, Trudy-Ann Edwards, said that the competitions “form part of the Ministry’s public education campaign aimed at sensitising Jamaicans about the negative extent, nature and magnitude of praedial larceny”.
The competitions, which are targeted at students, will provide the opportunity for them to become more aware of the impact of praedial larceny and to propose solutions to combat the theft of agricultural produce in their respective parishes.
Primary-school students aged 9 to 12 are invited to submit entries for the poster competition while the essay component is open to 13- to 18-year-old students who are attending secondary school or are members of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs.
For the poster competition, students are required to create pictures depicting ways in which farmers can prevent the theft of their agricultural produce. For the essay competition, participating students are required to write an essay on the topic Praedial Larceny is Everybody’s Business.
What measures should be taken to combat the theft of agricultural produce in Jamaica? Miss Edwards said the essay must be an original work written in Standard English, and applicants are asked to submit the essay along with a completed application form and passport-size photograph.
Essays and posters must be submitted via email to plpu@micaf.gov.jm or mailed to Trudy-Ann Edwards, Praedial Larceny Prevention Coordinator, Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hope Gardens, Kingston 6.
Deadline for submission is Friday, December 15, and winners will be announced in January 2018.
For further information persons may visit the Ministry’s website at www.micaf.gov.jm or call 927-1731, extension 2228.

Services resume at Soufriere Hospital

Soufriere Hospital

A meeting with the Soufriere police on yielded positive news that the Soufriere hospital can be re-occupied. All medical services at the Soufriere hospital were previously cancelled and relocated to the Etangs Wellness Centre due to a fire contained in the records room of the hospital on Nov. 9.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Merlene Fredericks said services at the hospital will resume on Nov. 15.
“The Ministry of Health has a positive update after ur visit and discussions with the relevant stakeholders. We have been granted access to the Soufriere Hospital so we are anticipating that by 7 a.m. tomorrow [Nov. 15] we will be resuming service at the Soufriere Hospital. But, in the interim we would like to remind patients and patrons that from tonight, the 24hr service is still available at the Etangs Wellness Centre. We’re certainly hoping that by tomorrow at 7 a.m. persons from Soufriere will again be able to access services at the Soufriere hospital.”
Earlier, Dr. Fredericks and senior nursing officers assessed the temporary arrangement put in place at the Etangs Wellness Center to ascertain whether clients were effectively accessing care at the facility.
Officer in Charge of the Soufriere hospital, Nurse Candilia Wilson-Altenor, said the move to Etangs has been challenging, but the staff have been cooperative.
“Persons from the community have been complaining that it is difficult to get to the Etangs Wellness Centre because of transportation issues,” she said. “However, they are coming in Soufriere hospital and are utilizing the center. We have not received the regular influx of clients that we normally get at the Soufriere hospital. We’re seeing smaller numbers, so we are a bit concerned especially with our COPD clients, our maternity cases, our mentally ill clients, our diabetics, and our hypertensive clients that we see regularly. However, we are doing the best that we can under the circumstances.”
The Chief Medical Officer expressed her gratitude to the hard working medical, nursing and ancillary staff of the Soufriere Hospital for going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that medical services continued for clients of the Soufriere hospital, and also to the residents of Soufriere and environs for their patience and understanding.

1...787980...269Page 79 of 269
Audio Theme