Black Immigrant Daily News

This week’s featured development as Newsmaker of the Week just ended is the pending multi-billion dollar redevelopment of the Spanish Town Hospital in St Catherine, which is being hailed as one of the largest infrastructural developments in public health in the nation’s history.

The planned modernisation of the hospital into a comprehensive Type-A health facility is being hailed by several stakeholders and social media users.

Many of them are hoping that the development will signal a shift in urban renewal for the old capital of Spanish Town, putting its crime-plagued past behind for a new dawn of vibrancy.

Additionally, a call is being made for interests to also focus on developing other aspects of infrastructure in the wider town and parish, to boost the economic potential there.

The announced development plans for the hospital were highlighted by Health and Wellness Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, on Wednesday during his address at St Catherine’s Open House and Exhibition at the Church of the Open Bible in Twickenham Park, Spanish Town, St Catherine.

According to Tufton, the journey in overhauling the Spanish Town Hospital which was built 70 years ago, has been years in the making.

The minister said with the tender process now completed, construction works at the Spanish Town Hospital are expected to begin in the first quarter of next year, with completion projected for the 2026-2027 financial year.

The construction period is anticipated at 24 months, with an additional 12 months for “the defects liability period”, according to Tufton.

He said the hospital will receive the largest infrastructure works of the Health Systems Strengthening Programme being implemented with the support of the Inter-America Development Bank (IDB) and the European Union (EU).

“The work will see the construction of a six-storey modern facility with an estimated area of 17,633.68 square metres, including several points of access for staff and patients, and a skywalk to link existing wards,” Tufton outlined.

Additionally, upgrades will incorporate areas for accident and emergency, a radiology department, outpatient services, pharmacy, endoscopy unit, surgical suite, an intensive care unit, laboratory, medical records, staff lounge and underground staff parking, among other things.

From left – CEO, Spanish Town Hospital, Jacqueline Ellis; Country Representative, Inter-American Development Bank, Lorenzo Escondeur; EU Ambassador to Jamaica, Marianne Van Steen; Garfield Wood, Architect; and Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, at the launch of the pending multi-billion dollar redevelopment of the Spanish Town Hospital in St Catherine.(Photo: Marlon Reid)

“Not only is the investment in the redevelopment of the hospital the largest of the more than US$50 million-dollar Health Systems Strengthening Programme, it is also one of the largest investments that will be made in health facilities in Jamaica’s history,” said Tufton.

“… It is significant. It demonstrates just how serious we are about ensuring that our population receives the standard of care that they deserve,” Tufton indicated.

He noted, also, that the overhaul of the current building at Spanish Town Hospital is timely, as the demand on the medical facility is significant.

Figures cited by the minister suggested that more than 32,000 patients were seen at the hospital’s accident and emergency unit in 2021.

“Those seen in outpatient clinic numbered more than 40,000, even as 17,000 patients were admitted to the facility, and some 1,947 surgeries (were) performed.

“These numbers tell of the kind of demand currently faced by our facility, and which we are determined to continue to meet and to exceed,” Tufton stated.

In reacting to the news of the development plans for Spanish Town Hospital, President of the St Catherine Chamber of Commerce, Dennis Robotham, said it is likely to spur a shift in urban renewal for the town.

Police personnel at the scene of a murder in the Spanish Town market district recently. The old capital has, unfortunately, been experiencing far too many negatives, especially violent crimes and the consequences, over recent years dating back to well over a decade.

He told reporters following the function at which Tufton made the announcement, that St Catherine, specifically Spanish Town, has always been on the “backburner” in terms of infrastructural development, including roads and buildings.

According to Robotham, the project is indicative of the interest now being placed on St Catherine.

“It therefore means that not only the medical services have now got to be on their A-game, the infrastructure, roads and all the other amenities need to be in tandem with the development that is taking place here,” he argued.

He said the project will also create employment opportunities and could trigger a boost in the economy of Spanish Town.

The Government and other stakeholders, said Robotham, should now examine other aspects of the old capital and the wider St Catherine, for development.

“We have the heritage sites… It means the time has come and maybe this is a platform in which St Catherine and Spanish Town are about to take off.

“So we’re looking in that direction to see the productivity and moving to another level,” Robotham indicated.

Social media users have also been weighing into the redevelopment plans for Spanish Town Hospital, and what it will mean for the old capital going forward.

On Instagram, kuhrent1 wrote: “Well overdue. This surely will redeem you Tufton. Hope it don’t go like the one in MoBay though. We welcome this.”

Another social media user, nubian_queen.dixon, shared: “Also train the nurses, doctors and staff customer behaviours”.

On Facebook, Andyandrew Keize wrote: “Nice. Bring it. Well deserved”.

Jermaine Reid shared: “This is good news. This Government always looking out the box, and it is full time we have a modern hospital and Spanish Town can finally get some development.

“The crime is the only thing now that needs to be addressed there, but I’m confident in the police and the Government,” he further commented.

Kerry Ann Smith wrote: “More employment for young people, for this project means unemployment will go down and economic growth. I welcome this redevelopment of Spanish Town (Hospital) with open arms. Long overdue.”

Another social media user, Sean Hall, shared: “Fix up Spanish Town now and get it looking modern. Too rundown.”

Meanwhile, the redevelopment of the hospital will also involve improvements to the information communication and technology (ICT) infrastructure, for enhanced access to medical services, providing, among other things, electronic access to patients’ medical records.

“Recently, the Spanish Town Hospital was provided with secured WiFi access, which is available to staff and visitors to the hospital, as well as with the necessary equipment to breathe life into the electronic health records,” said Tufton on Wednesday.

He explained that those specific initiatives form part of a larger ICT infrastructure buildout to the tune of US$8.4 million, at the Spanish Town facility and 104 others.

“The work has included the installation of workstations and the training of clinical and medical records staff in the use and security of the computers. So far, 13 of the 105 facilities have benefitted,” Tufton shared.

The minister also disclosed that several health centres are to benefit from physical upgrades, the purchasing of new equipment to support the delivery of care, and the design and implementation of an information systems for health (IS4H) under the Health Systems Strengthening Programme.

The health centres to be impacted are: Greater Portmore, Old Harbour and St Jago Park, all in St Catherine; St Ann’s Bay, Brown’s Town and Ocho Rios in St Ann; and May Pen East, May Pen West, Mocho and Chapelton, all in Clarendon.

The St Ann’s Bay and May Pen Hospitals are also to benefit from significant physical upgrades under the Health Systems Strengthening Programme, Tufton stated.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

PARAMARIBO — Luitenant-kolonel Franklin Blokland, die vooruitlopend op zijn pensionering met pensioen gaat, heeft de leiding van de Marine op

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Readers are asked to note that Op-eds do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of Loop Cayman.

by ‘Freelancer’

I think Minister Sabrina Turner is on the right track with her ministry’s business case to separate Public Health from the Health Services Authority (HSA). In my opinion, other government agencies (and boards) should follow suit and, perhaps, go a step further and completely detach themselves from government. Doing so could lead to better governance and efficiency for these agencies.

How it would work

As a first step, government agencies must have full control over the appointment and removal of their boards of directors (including chairpersons).

Having the government in control of board appointments for agencies, for example, may lead to political appointees on boards carrying out the wishes of politicians rather than the clients of the agencies i.e., “we, the people”. Without this change, the likely outcome is that some of the policies executed by agencies may support the re-election of a politician more than they further the interests of the people.

Second, the boards of directors of government agencies should have the authority to hire and fire employees.

Currently, it is not possible for a board of directors to make suggestions about the hiring and firing of non-performing employees because a board’s powers are limited to the appointment and removal of the chief executive officer.

This restrictive power becomes complicated when chief executive officers know that there are non-performing employees but, for undisclosed reasons, the chief executive officers continue to keep the non-performing employees employed. As a consequence, poor-or-low quality customer service or other services may be delivered to the public, opening the relevant government agency to criticism about efficiency and poor delivery of services.

Third, to achieve real independence, government agencies must have full autonomy in respect of their finances.

Such self-determination will allow the relevant government agency to manage its own revenues and expenses, ensuring that it has sufficient funds available at all times for its operations without being compromised by political threats that less funding will be given if the agency does not comply with politically influenced processes.

To illustrate how politically influenced processes work, when government budgets get approved, some politicians engage in what can be best described as a “card game” where they determine how much each government agency will receive. Politicians with stronger poker faces get more money allocated to agencies falling under their portfolio, while those who may not be liked or who are not in the ruling government get less than what they may have expected to cover the relevant agency’s operations.

Rather than having to depend on allocations from a government budget, therefore, agencies should control their own revenues, including the setting of budgets to meet their operational needs. In other words, customers (i.e., the “people”) will become the priority rather than re-election or politics.

Reaction from public interest groups

The importance of the above has also been highlighted by public interest groups, including Sustainable Cayman.

Commenting on the need for independence, representatives from Sustainable Cayman said:

All to often, the need for all members of boards of government agencies to be seen as truly independent of political influences is subject to regular public scrutiny.

We urge for more transparency on our boards so that the decisions taken are in the public interest and truly reflective of all relevant laws and applying discretion as allowed only in exceptional circumstances, with appropriate checks and balances.

Decisions should not be the result of pressure from any politician or business, but must be fair honest and justly administered to all.

Some authorities follow good governance with televised meetings and documented meetings highlighting how decisions were taken. There is much improvement still that could be achieved together with strides to collaborate and standardise procedures and governance across the bodies.

To make any headway on Sustainable Cayman’s concerns, however, agencies must be willing to make adjustments to existing governance cultures.

Further, this must be supported by legislative changes, which, of course, require “political will” to initiate the process.

Legislative changes

Regarding legislative changes, the following would have to be done:

Amend Public Authorities Act to remove the power of the Cabinet to appoint or remove board members of agencies. Instead, job descriptions for board positions (including the chairperson) should be published and applicants should be interviewed by an independent governance committee for relevant postsRemove the power of the Cabinet to set terms for board member appointments, including remunerationDisallow the power of the Cabinet to allow a minister to directly issue strategic policy directions to government agency boards (this takes politics out of the equation and makes public interest paramount)Give boards full power over all aspects of the administration of agencies (including hiring and firing of employees at all levels and control over their own revenues and budgets)

Conclusion

In my opinion, a complete (or near full) detachment of government agencies from government would reflect true independence and would allow government agencies to act in the best interests of the public.

With this in place, board members of government agencies could act and decide on matters without fear of political repercussions for not carrying out the wishes of a particular politician or the Cabinet. Whether or not the government will actually consider such a theory, however, will be the most telling about the true position on the current mantra of independence and transparency.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Chairman of the Jamaica Police Federation, Corporal Rohan James, is taking both the present and past governments to task over their failure to rectify the inefficiencies and lack of resources that have long been plaguing the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

James also slammed the electorate for not holding both the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP) administrations accountable for the perceived failures to provide rank-and-file members the JCF with adequate resources to effectively protect the citizenry.

He also argued that it is time to end what he said is the practice of making crime, criminality and corruption the norm in the society.

“It is time we stop treating crime, criminality and corruption as if is the norm in our society. That is not our forefathers’ vision,” James said to loud applauses from those who were gathered at the funeral service of slain cop Jermaine Brown.

“It is time we start to say to those who we elect to protect us, ‘Stir response to duties call. Do what is required of you by the citizenry of this country so that Jamaica can advance in beauty, fellowship and prosperity’,” he added.

James was speaking at Waterford Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Portmore, St Catherine at the funeral service.

Brown, who was assigned to the Spanish Town Police Station, was shot and killed by gunmen while he was in his private motorcar along St John’s Road in the St Catherine capital on July 19 this year. Two men have since been arrested and charged with the murder.

While expressing condolences to the family of the slain police officer, James said it is also important for him to address “a few things that are in the public domain, where people believe they can ascribe failure to the Jamaica Constabulary Force Force (JCF).”

According to the police federation chairman, it is the failure of those who have been elected to properly position the JCF to administer the sort of services that are desired by the citizens.

“For the very first time I’m going to be frank with the country, because the truth must come to light, and the lies come to die. For years, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, in its existence, has been grappling with inefficiencies, lack of resources to police the citizens of this country,” James declared.

“… And those who the electorate – you the citizens of this country – elect, have failed to hold those incompetence accountable.

“I state without any fear of contradiction – enough is enough!” thundered James.

He said with the number of murders that are being committed, rank-and-file JCF members are “crying out for the resources to protect the citizenry”.

However, James claimed that “our so-called employers and representatives” are not leading the charge in that regard to provide the desired resources….

Added the police federation head on that point: “You cannot blame a pandemic for providing the force (JCF) of resources.

“It is happening long before pandemic, and it is clear that we need to tell the truth. Where the lies are, we need to dismantle it!”

To the credit of the Government, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has insisted that his Administration has done more than previous governments to significantly improve the resources and infrastructure of the police force.

Over the stint of the current Administration – essentially since 2016 – there has been a significant thrust to build and refurbish police stations, purchase new vehicles, and recruit more personnel to increase the force’s overall complement.

In returning to the crime situation, James told those at the funeral service that the country should not be experiencing a significant spike in murders.

Up to August 29, an estimated 1,003 persons were killed since the start of the year.

“We are a small country, a small nation. We should not be losing so many of our citizenry and servicemen to crime, criminality and corruption. Enough is enough!” James asserted.

For the police federation chairman, Brown did not deserve his untimely death.

To that end, he called on citizens and other stakeholders who have not partnered with the police, to “recommit, refocus and commit to starting that partnership” that law enforcers are desirous of.

“My charge to you the citizens is for you to partner with us… Those who seek to commit crime must understand that apprehension is the first deterrence. When you commit a crime, you must be prepared to pay the time,” said James.

“Resource us so that we can go full-fledged in support of the citizenry of this country. The citizens cannot call Guardsman or any other security company.

“For those of you who believe that you can stay in the naysayer corner and say, ‘Police cannot be trusted’, go trust criminals! Go trust them!” he stated in a resolute manner.

Meanwhile, the police federation chairman lauded Brown for his stint in the JCF.

“Jermaine has touched lives in his short sojourn in the Jamaica Constabulary Force, and you must be proud of him,” James told his family members.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Spencer Elden, el hombre que apareció en la portada del álbum ‘Nevermind’ de Nirvana cuando era un bebé, ha perdido el litigio que inició en agosto de 2021 con la demanda contra el grupo por el uso de su imagen desnuda.

El juez de Los Ángeles Fernando Olguin desestimó las acusaciones del hombre, argumentando que esperó demasiado para denunciar que la banda de grunge lo había explotado sexualmente. Presentó su demanda más de 10 años después de percatarse de que protagonizaba aquella portada.

“En resumen, el demandante no aduce que haya tenido conocimiento de una violación ocurrida mientras era menor de edad o de una lesión que constituya la base de la demanda dentro de los 10 años siguientes a la presentación de esta acción”, escribió el juez, cuyas declaraciones recoge Reuters.

“Pérdida del goce de la vida”

Elden insistía en que sus lesiones, que incluyeron sufrimiento emocional, pérdida de la capacidad para obtener ingresos y “pérdida del goce de la vida”, continuaron cuando ya llegó a ser adulto, y por lo tanto cumplía con el estatuto de limitaciones, que establece el plazo máximo a partir de la fecha del presunto delito en el que se permite iniciar procedimientos legales.

Sin embargo, Olguin rechazó su argumento, concluyendo que de ser así, esto le permitiría a Elden demandar a Nirvana indefinidamente. Ahora el hombre, que hasta el momento presentó tres versiones de su demanda, no podrá proseguir con sus iniciativas legales contra el grupo musical, ya que el fallo judicial le impide presentar una nueva, que sería la cuarta.

La parte demandada del litigio incluyó a los miembros de Nirvana Dave Grohl y Krist Novoselic, el fotógrafo Kirk Weddle, quien tomó la foto de la portada, la viuda de Kurt Cobain Courtney Love y varios sellos discográficos.

En 2016, Elden recreó la imagen de la icónica portada de ‘Nevermind’ ya como adulto. En una entrevista con Rolling Stone en 2003, cuando tenía 12 años, dijo que “probablemente iba a sacar dinero de ello”, refiriéndose a su foto de bebé utilizada por la agrupación.

Noticia original de RT en Español

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