Black Immigrant Daily News

Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts captured the gold medal in the women’s triple jump at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England on Friday.

Ricketts put down a big marker in the first round. The two-time world silver medallist bounded out to a Games record of 14.94m with her opening jump of the competition.

In fact, the medal positions were decided in the first round as Thea LaFond opened with 14.39m, ultimately enough for silver, and England’s Naomi Metzger started her series with 14.32m and improved to 14.37m to secure bronze.

Ricketts’ teammates Kimberly Williams finished fourth with an effort of 14.25m and Ackelia Smith, sixth with 13.83m.

The victory came 19 days after Ricketts won silver at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

It was the third gold medal for Jamaica in Birmingham. Elaine Thompson-Herah and Rasheed Broadbell won the other two gold medals.

Thompson held off Julien Alfred of St Lucia and Daryll Neita of England, to claim the 100-metre gold in 10.95 seconds on Wednesday and Broadbell produced a personal best effort of 13.08 seconds to equal Colin Jackson’s 32-year-old Commonwealth Games record to win the men’s 110m hurdles gold on Thursday night.

In addition to the two gold medals, Jamaica also won two silver and a bronze.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

News

Jwala Rambarran –

AN OBJECTION has been made to “private” correspondence by attorneys for the Central Bank to the judge who ruled on the claim by the bank’s former governor, Jwala Rambarran, that his 2015 dismissal was illegal.

On Thursday, Rambarran’s attorneys objected to an e-mail sent to Justice Devindra Rampersad on July 5, on his order for the bank to calculate what was owed to Rambarran for his unlawful termination as governor.

On June 22, the judge ruled that Rambarran’s termination was in breach of the Constitution and ordered that he should be paid his salary from the date of his dismissal on December 23, 2015, to July 16, 2017, when his tenure would have come to an end if he had not been fired.

Rampersad had also ordered vindicatory damages in the sum of $175,000 and gave the bank until July 6 to calculate what is owed to Rambarran, less deductions, including income tax.

On Wednesday, the State filed a notice of appeal challenging Rampersad’s decision.

At a hearing on Thursday, Rambarran’s lead counsel, Anand Ramlogan, SC, objected to the e-mail sent by the bank’s attorneys to the court without his team or the Attorney General’s legal team being copied.

That e-mail asked the court to have the attorneys for the former governor and the State give an undertaking that the information the bank had to provide on Rambarran’s salary should not be made public or disseminated and be used for the purposes of the claim.

The bank’s attorneys said the request was being made in light of the Central Bank’s duty to preserve and aid in preserving secrecy with regard to affairs of the bank.

The information it was ordered to provide was copied to the judge.

Attorney: No sacred cows

However, Ramlogan said it was “wrong and improper” for the bank to e-mail the court without copying the parties, saying what it asked for was for the judge to vary his order without providing authorities to support its position.

“We are a constitutional democracy based on rule of law. The principles of transparency are at the core of constitutional democracy. The structure of governance is that every public authority must have a line minister accountable to the people through the Parliament.”

Ramlogan said the Central Bank was not exempt when it came to matters that could have an impact on the bank’s operations.

He said it was never contemplated that the salary of the governor of the Central Bank, paid by taxpayers, was to be kept secret.

“We know the salary of the President, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, you as a judge of the Supreme Court. There are no sacred cows.”

Ramlogan also took issue with the absence of the Central Bank from Thursday’s proceedings, urging the court to refuse the bank’s request for the undertaking. He also said the bank had made no formal application for the court to vary its June order.

In giving his ruling, Rampersad apologised for the way the matter unfolded, saying he only became aware of the situation when he saw Ramlogan’s e-mail outlining his objection to what the Central Bank was asking.

Rampersad was critical of the bank’s absence from Thursday’s hearing, even if it was not a party to the action filed by the former governor. The bank’s attorneys had indicated, also by e-mail, that since they had no instructions to appear at any hearing of the claim, as it was not a party to it, the hearing could go on in its absence.

“…I am concerned that the Central Bank has, and not meaning to say much as well in terms of their motives, I am surprised they are not here, even out of courtesy, having regard to… They have asked the court to do something and have not shown up to justify their reason for doing so.

“One would have suspected if you’re asking the court to do something…but they have chosen, for whatever reason, to not come.”

He acknowledged that the bank would not have been a party to Rambarran’s claim as it was a constitutional motion but said the Attorney General would have represented the interest of the State and the bank.

“But that being said, I am of the respectful view, having considered submissions and e-mails, that there is no reason for me to vary the order.

“There is no proper application before me and no reason for me to do so.”

Final judgment on September 19

He said the information the bank provided to the court will be sent to both sides by 4 pm on Thursday. Each side was given until September 16 to file submissions or observations on any issue relating to the payment of compensatory damages to Rambarran or the bank’s calculations, if they had any. Rampersad said he will then perfect his order on the payment of compensatory damages and costs and will notify the attorneys of this by September 19.

Before the judge’s order and directions, Russell Martineau, SC, who represents the Attorney General, said since he was not representing the bank, he was leaving it up to the judge to do “what he thinks is right and proper.”

He did take objection to Ramlogan’s describing the State’s appeal of the judge’s ruling as “being cleverly filed,” saying they could not have waited until the final ruling on compensatory damages, since its appeal might have been deemed to be out of time.

About the case

In his lawsuit, Rambarran claimed the Government unlawfully revoked his appointment in breach of his constitutional right to due process and fairness.

These claims were upheld by Rampersad in June.

Rambarran was fired as Central Bank governor on December 23, 2015, after acting president Christine Kangaloo revoked his appointment on the advice of the Cabinet. He had been appointed on July 17, 2012.

At the time, it was said he was removed for being “discourteous” to the Government by making public details of foreign exchange, announcing on December 4, that year, that TT was officially in a recession, and disclosing the names of companies that were the biggest foreign-exchange buyers.

Two weeks before his firing, the Prime Minister said Rambarran had created problems for himself by his actions, labeling them “reckless and illegal.”

On December 22, 2015, Rambarran was summoned to a meeting with Finance Minister Colm Imbert at which the permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Maurice Suite, was present. Rambarran was presented with a press release from the bank, dated December 8, 2015, which noted the sentiments expressed by the private and financial sectors after Rambarran’s statements.

Two days after that meeting, Rambarran was served with the instrument of revocation of his appointment, which gave no reasons or grounds for his dismissal.

Also appearing for Rambarran were attorneys Renuka Rambhajan, Jayanti Lutchmedial, Kent Samlal, Natasha Bisram and Vishaal Siewsaran.

Also appearing for the AG were Jason Mootoo and Romney Thomas.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.  3 August 2022 (CARPHA) — Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months benefits the infant, mother, family, community, country and environment,” states Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).  “Therefore, breastfeeding is recognised as an effective strategy in achieving regional and global goals on health, nutrition, food security, economic growth and environmental sustainability.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recommend that breastfeeding be initiated within 1 hour of birth, continued exclusively for the first 6 months of life, and that nutritionally-adequate and safe complementary (solid) foods be introduced at 6 months together with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond.

Early initiation of breastfeeding is critical to newborn survival, reducing their risk of morbidity and mortality. Breastmilk provides optimal nutrition for infants for their physical and mental growth and development, along with antibodies to prevent and mitigate childhood illnesses.

Breastfeeding reduces the risk of over-nutrition (overweight and obesity) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) for both mother and child. Infants that are breastfed longer, have 13% lower risk of overweight and obesity and 35% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Women who breastfeed have reduced risks of postpartum overweight and obesity, 32% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, 37% lower risk of ovarian cancer and 26% lower risk of breast cancer4.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, many infants and young children do not meet the WHO and UNICEF recommendations for breastfeeding and ultimately lose out on its many benefits. Only 54% of infants initiate breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth; 37% breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 months of life which is below the global rate (44%); and between 31%-55% of children continue to receive breastmilk up to 2 years of age.

Breastfeeding, more so when occurring exclusively, allows for healthier mothers and children who can in turn contribute meaningfully to the community and society at large. There is a reduced tax burden on communities and governments to ensure children are properly fed. Additionally, more funding is made available for community and national development. Reports indicate that the total global economic losses of not breastfeeding are estimated to be US$341.3 billion.

Breastfeeding is a naturally renewable resource that is environmentally sustainable as it does not require the use of natural resources (not even water!), provides no waste for accumulation in landfills (no packaging or disposal), and it does not pollute the environment.

Breastfeeding also contributes to infant and household food security. Infants who are breastfed exclusively, require no other source of nutrition and are less likely to get sick thereby lessening the financial burden on the family. This allows for nutritious foods to be bought for other members of the family. This is especially important during times of economic crises, such as those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, where many households face unemployment and loss of income. The pandemic has proven to be a global threat to breastfeeding. Two recent studies in Western countries reported a decline in early initiation, exclusive and continued breastfeeding rates due to the pandemic, with one major contributing factor being a loss in support for mothers.

Breastfeeding is particularly effective against infectious diseases because it strengthens the immune system by transferring antibodies from the mother to the child.   Mother to child transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through breastmilk has not been found to occur. The WHO and UNICEF recommendations on initiation and continuation of breastfeeding infants and young children also apply to mothers with suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease as the benefits far outweigh any potential risks. Mothers with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are encouraged to practice respiratory hygiene (wearing a mask when breastfeeding), hand hygiene (frequent hand washing, including before and after touching the baby), and routinely clean and disinfect surfaces. If the mother is too unwell to breastfeed, she can be supported to feed expressed breastmilk or to relactate (re-introduce breastfeeding after a period of cessation).

This year’s theme for World Breastfeeding Week “Step up for Breastfeeding – Educate and Support” is aligned with thematic area 1 of the WBW-Sustainable Development Goals 2030 campaign which highlights the links between breastfeeding and good nutrition, food security and reduction of inequalities. It will focus on strengthening the capacity of actors that have to protect, promote and support breastfeeding across different levels of society.

We all form part of the warm chain of support of breastfeeding – whether we are from or represent governments, health systems, workplaces or communities – and have a shared responsibility to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. Let us all inform, anchor, engage and galvanise action to protect and support breastfeeding. A whole-of-society approach is needed to facilitate the development and implementation of regional breastfeeding policies and creating a breastfeeding-friendly environment.

This is in keeping with the Caribbean Public Health Agency’s (CARPHA) life course approach for the prevention of NCDs of which breastfeeding is a key factor.  CARPHA supports breastfeeding as a long-term strategy for a more productive and healthier Region and encourages mothers and families to see breastfeeding as the optimal feeding method for infants.

CARPHA has led training in the WHO/UNICEF 40 Hour Breastfeeding Counselling Course; and training of Health Professionals in the 20-Hour Course for Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative as well as implementation and certification.  The Agency has also supported Member States with the development of National Infant and Young Child Feeding Policies, Hospital Breastfeeding Policies and developed guidelines for anyone involved in the care and management of newborns, and pregnant or lactating women suspected of or confirmed to be infected with the COVID-19 virus.

CARPHA calls upon its member states to take a whole of society approach and implement and reinforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. By protecting and supporting breastfeeding, we are also protecting human rights and taking important steps towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, leaving no one behind in the post-pandemic world.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) says UC Rusal/West Indies Alumina Company (Windalco) will be served with a notice of intention to suspend its environmental permits and licences due to the recent Rio Cobre pollution that resulted in last Monday’s fish kill.

The company will also be subjected to prosecution for the latest spill of caustic effluent, which was found to have resulted in the fish kill, impacting several species and other aquatic organisms and residents of Kent Village in St Catherine.

The announcement was made by NEPA’s CEO Peter Knight at a press conference on Friday.

The pollution of the Rio Cobre, which occurred last weekend, has angered residents in the area who depend on the river for water and fishing.

Several communities in St Catherine have also experienced disruptions in their water supply as the state-owned National Water Commission (NWC) shut down its Spanish Town treatment plant to prevent contaminated water from reaching customers.

According to Knight, UC Rusal/Windalco has been given enough time to “comply with the terms and conditions of its operating environmental permits and environmental licences”.

He said the the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NCRA) and NEPA is “resolute” and “unwavering” in its requirement for the company to be in full compliance with the necessary permits and licences, or face legal consequences.

In furtherance of such actions, Knight has indicated that NEPA will move to implement “all enforcement and legal actions at its disposal under the legislative framework against UC Rusal/Windalco”.

Those actions include:

1. Serving the company with a notice of intention to suspend the environmental permit and environmental licence as provided for under Section 11 of the National Resources Conservation Authority Act.

2. The notice of intention will be predicated on:

Immediate reducation of the volume of trade effluent being held in the effluent holding pond.Fast-tracking the completion of the effluent holding pond. Replenishment of the environmental perfomance bond to the previous amount. Restriction of the operalisation of existing environmental permits for mining operations… until the effluent holding pond is completed and commissioned.

Knight also indicated that NEPA intends to draw down on the full amount of the environmental performance bond valued at US$771,558.69.

“We have already written to the commercial bank holding the environmental performance bond posted by UC Rusal/Windalco as a condition of the operation of the refinery and the effluent holding pond, to recover the full amount of the NRCA,” he said.

“The company must also concurrently replenish the environment performance bond as soon as the draw down is completed to maintain an active environment performance bond, and to be in compliance of the environment permit and the environmental licences,” he added.

NEPA is also assessing whether there needs to be a re-evaluation of the bond and the terms associated with its operation.

“As previously stated, prosecution will be pursued against the company for the pollution incident and its breach of the Wildlife Protection Act and the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act,” Knight reiterated.

Further, he said UC Rusal/Windalco has been called to a meeting on Monday to discuss the enforcement actions he presented on at the press conference.

Meanwhile, Knight is stressing that NEPA and other agencies “reaffirm” their commitments to act decisively in enforcing the laws against companies found to have committed environmental breaches.

“Effective today (Friday) and going forward, the agency will adopt an even more aggressive posture against companies, businesses, and individuals found in breach of permits and licences, or those taking actions deleterious to the environment,” he stated.

“Let me repeat, what took place over the past eight days is totally unacceptable, and the offending party, UC Rusal/Windalco, will be made to answer for the breaches of the laws, and stridently regulated until it fully complies with the environmental permits and licences,” declared Knight.

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