Black Immigrant Daily News

Using almost 4,000 tablets to capture census data across Jamaica, the 2022 National Population and Housing Census will consume a staggering 200 terabytes (TB) of data over the next five months.

The figure sets a new record for total mobile data consumption for a single public or private sector project. To put the figure into perspective, 200TB of data is the equivalent of 60,000 hours of music streaming or sending 2.5 million emails.

To make it happen, Digicel, the official telecommunication partner to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica, (STATIN), is throwing the everyday power of its award-winning LTE network to support the data collection drive now underway in several parts of the country.

“With all our major investments in delivering the best LTE network experience, our Digicel Business team continues to work around-the-clock to support our customers and partners’ needs, including STATIN, whose census enumerators are out there in the field, able to upload and download files at the fastest speeds,” commented Head of Public Relations for Digicel, Elon Parkinson.

For the first time, population data is being collected using tablets, securely connected to the Digicel network. With 99 per cent LTE data coverage, Census-takers are able to conduct surveys in real-time and instantly update the population database, making the process more efficient and inclusive.

Digicel sees the digitalising of the process as a major step towards creating a digitally connected society. With this in mind, Parkinson underscored the importance of the exercise that will help public and private stakeholders to understand and cater to the changing needs of Jamaica’s population.

He added, “All Jamaicans deserve to feel included, this is why we encourage participate because, yuh count, me count, all a wi count!”

To further support the national effort, Digicel is also providing text-messaging support to let everyone know about Census 2022, including links to additional information.

Director General of STATIN, Carol Coy, shared, “We welcome partnership with private sector entities, including Digicel, in the execution of the 2022 Population and Housing Census. This partnership with Digicel aids in effective communication in the promotion and administration of this national exercise. I look forward to Digicel’s steady and valuable support as we seek to reach and engage persons in every nook and cranny of Jamaica.”

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The JMMB Group has announced the roll-out of new payment solutions, including a remittance prepaid card for individuals, and point-of-sale and scan-to-pay payment options for SMEs.

The new products are in keeping with JMMB’s digitization thrust to enhance the client experience by providing an omnichannel experience and improving operational efficiency.

According to the general manager of digital services at JMMB Group, Gifford Rankine, the pandemic has accelerated the acceptance of digital channels. As such, JMMB Group is seeking to better serve its clients by responding to their changing needs, preferences, and the changes across the industry.

“Will that mean that we will be closing all our branches? Most certainly not. Instead, we are looking to serve our clients where they are with our digital offerings,” he told the company’s annual general meeting last Thursday.

In the meantime, a select group of SME clients are piloting the new point-of-sale terminals and its scan-to-pay payment solution. JMMB said it would fully roll out the product soon.

“These payment solutions will allow especially smaller businesses to enable merchants to accept credit/debit card payments using various methods and provide their clients with easier and more convenient ways of making payments in the market,” Rankine said.

JMMB Group CEO Keith Duncan outlined that the payment systems (point-of-sales, mobile point-of-sales) and the corporate Moneyline are important to JMMB’s revenue streams but importantly to meeting the needs of it clients.

“We want to be able to facilitate the growth of our clients in the same way that JMMB Group has seen its growth over its 30 years from a single establishment to regional presence),” Duncan said.

In speaking about the deepening of its diversification strategy, Duncan revealed that JMMB continues to explore inorganic growth across the region to bolster and expand its current business lines.

For instance, JMMB, through its subsidiary in Trinidad and Tobago, JMMB Express Finance (T&T) Limited , is in the process of making a minority stake investment of 19.9 per cent ownership in Bayshore Finance (T&T) Limited (Bayshore).

Bayshore provides insurance premium financing solutions to retail and corporate customers in the twin-island republic.

JMMB said this acquisition of a minority stake in Bayshore is a strong strategic fit and is expected to allow JMMB Group to participate in the future growth of a solid and innovative company unlocking opportunities for increased market penetration and accretive synergies.

This transaction is subject to receiving relevant regulatory approvals from the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT).

Earlier in August, JMMB Holding Company, SRI and its parent JMMB Group Limited announced that it had received final regulatory approval for the purchase of 100 per cent of the shares in Banco M?ltiple Bell Bank, S.A. in the Dominican Republic.

In sharing further diversification plans, Duncan noted that JMMB Group is also seeking to deepen business line diversification capitalizing on the growth potential in the commercial real estate market.

JMMB is making an initial investment of J$5 billion in the development of commercial, warehousing and business process outsourcing (BPO) projects.

Currently, JMMB Group is constructing over 160,000 square feet of real estate in downtown Kingston, Mandeville and Liguanea, which is expected to house its corporate offices and other operations.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

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Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar greets protesters who gathered outside Parliament on Monday ahead of the budget reading by Finance Minister Colm Imbert. – Photo by Roger Jacob

Newsday photographers captured these images outside Parliament on Monday ahead of the budget reading by Finance Minister Colm Imbert.

Protesters gathered outside the Red House on Abercromby Street in Port of Spain ahead of the budget reading by Finance Minister Colm Imbert on Monday. – Photo by Sureash Cholai

“ROWLEY MUST GO!” Many of the protesters gathered outside the Red House shouted “Rowley must go!” ahead of the budget reading by Finance Minister Colm Imbert. – Photo by Sureash Cholai

The Prime Minister arrives at Parliament on Monday for the budget reading – Photo by Roger Jacob

Protesters at Woodford Square in Port of Spain on Monday ahead of the budget reading. – Photo by Sureash Cholai

These protesters held a banner showing the divers who lost their lives in the Paria tragedy. The protesters were soutside Parliament ahead of the budget reading. – Photo by Roger Jacob

A protester holds his placard saying, ‘Sign the petition: Return Chagville” outside the Red House on Abercromby Street in Port of Spain on Monday, before the budget reading by Finance Minister Colm Imbert. – Photo by Sureash Cholai

Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein makes his way to Parliament after greeting protesters before the budget reading. – Photo by Roger Jacob

The police kept close watch as protesters gathered outside Parliament on Monday. – Photo by Roger Jacob

Police and protesters outside Parliament on Monday before the budget reading . – Photo by Roger Jacob

MEET ME ON THE PAVEMENT: Protesters lined the pavement outside Parliament on Monday ahead of the budget reading. – Photo by Roger Jacob

Oropouche East MP Roodal Moonilal greets protesters outside Parliament before the budget reading on Monday. – Photo by Roger Jacob

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Chandroutie Kuarsingh, points at the steps where her son, David “Boyo” Steven fell and died after leaving a bar at Papourie Road, Lengua Village in Barrackpore. – Photo by Marvin Hamilton

The mother of a man who lost his balance and fell into a drain on his way home from a bar believes his alcohol addiction was what ultimately killed him.

Chandroutie Kuarsingh urged people to avoid alcohol.

“Stop it now. Stop the drinking,” the 53-year-old mother of four told Newsday on Monday at the family’s home.

On Sunday, her son David “Boyo” Steven died at Papourie Road, Lengua Village, near Franco’s Café in Barrackpore. Steven, a labourer, turned 29 on Saturday.

“He was a hard worker. His only problem was he liked to drink a lot. Plenty of people talked to him about it. I talked to him many times, and he promised to ease it up.

“When he drank, he would come home, eat and sleep,” Kuarsingh said. “Saturday was his birthday, and he came home drunk that night. Earlier this year, he fell from the stairs and fractured three ribs. Sometimes his friends would come and carry him to drink out the road.”

The grieving mother said Steven was sickly and had liquid in his lungs. Doctors advised him not to work for at least a year. He applied for public assistance and was expected to collect his first grant next month.

The police found Steven’s body in the drain at around 2 pm on Sunday.

Minutes earlier, he and his friend Marlon Rampersad had been liming in a bar.

Rampersad recalled that he and Steven drank two nips of puncheon rum in 30 minutes and, at around 1.30 pm, decided to return to their separate homes in the area.

“I was walking in front of him, and when I looked back, I did not see him. It seems he slipped, but I did not hear anything,” Rampersad said. “When I looked, I saw blood, and he was not moving.

“I flagged down a car, and a guy stopped to help. He called the police, and I went to the station to tell them what had happened.

“I was at Boyo’s home earlier in the day, and we drank soup before leaving to go to the bar.”

PCs Sandy, Nabbie, Ramdeo and Maharaj found the Steven lying on his back with head wounds. A DMO later ordered Steven’s body taken to the mortuary of the San Fernando General Hospital.

An autopsy is set to be done during the week at the Forensic Science Centre in St James.

Sgt Narine, Cpl Khallie, and other Barrackpore police gathered evidence.

Investigations are ongoing.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Some 3.5 billion EC dollars in Capital Projects will be undertaken here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines over the next three years.

This is according to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves as he highlighted several issues at an event in New York on Saturday night.

https://www.nbcsvg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/NEW-PROJECTS.mp3

Prime Minister Gonsalves said that the bulk of the money will go towards the Kingstown Port Modernization Project.

https://www.nbcsvg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/OUR-PROJECTS.mp3

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Keisal Peters; Permanent Representative to the OAS, Louanne Gilchrist and Consulate General, Rondy McIntosh also addressed the event.

The event entitled “Vincy Diaspora Dialogue – Re-engaging the Vincentian Diaspora in the Post-COVID and Post-Eruption Era” was held at the Friends of Crown Heights Educational Center.

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