La peste porcine africaine : la sensibilisation pour éviter cette maladie animale en Martinique

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Martinique FranceAntilles

Cette maladie qui touche les porcs et les sangliers est aux portes de notre île, notamment en Haïti et en République dominicaine.

Le ministère de l’agriculture lance une campagne de communication pour éviter que la peste porcine africaine ne gagne la Martinique. Le virus s’étend actuellement en Europe et dans les Antilles.

Très contagieuse et mortelle pour les porcs et les sangliers, la PPA peut occasionner de sévères pertes économiques pour les éleveurs mais  ne présente aucun danger pour la santé humaine.

 Depuis juillet 2021, indique le ministère, plus de 1600 foyers de PPA ont été déclarés à l’Organisation mondiale de la santé animale (OMSA) en Haïti et République dominicaine. La maladie est devenue endémique dans l’île d’Hispaniola.

Vigilance accrue

« La proximité géographique entre la République dominicaine et les collectivités et départements/régions français d’Outre-mer dans cette zone (Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthélémy, Guadeloupe, Martinique et Guyane) ainsi que les liaisons aériennes et maritimes existantes entre ces territoires doivent inciter à une vigilance accrue dans ces territoires français et dans toute la région », indique le ministère.

L’ensemble des personnes intervenant en filière porcine est ciblé par la campagne. À savoir, tous les détenteurs de porcs (professionnels et particuliers détenteurs), les vétérinaires, les transporteurs d’animaux ; les travailleurs saisonniers en exploitation agricole de toute nature issus de pays où la maladie est endémique, en particulier de Haïti et de la République dominicaine ; les voyageurs et les professionnels du transport routier, aérien et maritime. 

Mesures recommandées 

–  Pour les éleveurs et les transporteurs, il s’agit de respecter les règles de prévention et les mesures sanitaires de biosécurité (nettoyage et désinfection des véhicules et du matériel utilisé), être vigilants et signaler et déclarer toute suspicion de PPA à la Direction départementale de l’agriculture et de la forêt (DAAF) de Martinique.

– Pour les voyageurs et les travailleurs saisonniers, jeter les restes d’aliments à base de porc dans des poubelles prévues à cet effet et fermées car le virus peut se transmettre aux porcs domestiques par la viande ou des produits à base de viandes contaminées. 

« Chaque acteur est invité à respecter strictement les mesures de prévention pour ne pas introduire ou diffuser le virus en Martinique. Les compagnies de transport sont notamment appelées à veiller au respect des mesures préconisées pour les voyageurs », indique le ministère.

Plus d’infos sur le dispositif de campagne : 

https://agriculture.gouv.fr/peste-porcine-africaine-le-kit-de-communication

Pour en savoir plus sur la peste porcine africaine :

https://agriculture.gouv.fr/peste-porcine-africaine

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Ce qu’il faut savoir sur cette 71e édition du Tour de la Guadeloupe

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Guadeloupe FranceAntilles

Tour cycliste de la Guadeloupe

Avec 25 équipes et 146 coureurs engagés, un contre-la-montre à la Désirade ou encore 3 arrivées au sommet, ce Tour de Guadeloupe s’annonce de haute volée. Notamment avec Stéfan Bennett qui vient défendre son titre, l’USL qui a des prétentions pour le général avec Alexys Brunel, une équipe italienne qui vient de rayonner au Tour du Vénézuela ou encore le retour de Julien Gagné, le vainqueur du Grand Prix Boris Carène. 

“Ce sera le Tour le plus relevé de l’Histoire”. Frédéric Théobald a été direct lundi soir lors de la conférence de presse du Tour de Guadeloupe. “Avec 7 équipes professionnelles qui sont structurées pour ce type de compétition et un parcours atypique avec pas mal de changement de rythme, 3 arrivées au sommet, je pense que l’ensemble de la caravane va le sentir passer.” Et quand le président du Comité Régionale Cycliste des Îles de Guadeloupe parle de l’ensemble, il parle d’un gros ensemble…


France-Antilles Guadeloupe

1788 mots – 04.08.2022

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CARPHA speaks about the benefits of breastfeeding Loop Jamaica

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Jamaica News Loop News

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[1].

Early initiation of breastfeeding is critical to newborn survival, reducing their risk of morbidity and mortality[2]. Breastmilk provides optimal nutrition for infants for their physical and mental growth and development, along with antibodies to prevent and mitigate childhood illnesses[3].

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[4]. 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[5].

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[6].

Breastfeeding also contributes to infant and household food security[7]. 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[8],[9].

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[10]. 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[11]. 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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JUST IN: Man fatally shot, five guns recovered, cops flood Portmore Loop Jamaica

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Jamaica News Loop News
Kimmo Matthews

9 minutes ago

NEWYou can now listen to Loop News articles!

One man was fatally shot and five guns were recovered by members of a joint police/military that are carrying out an operation in sections of Portmore, St Catherine.

Details into the operation are still sketchy but reports are that members of the island security forces are now carrying out several searches on Dyke Road while other officers have also flooded sections of Gregory Park where criminals have been locked in an ongoing gang feud.

Police sources report that several houses were burnt down by criminals locked in an ongoing gang war.

Police high command LAO reported that a curfew has been imposed in Gregory Park, it took effect at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2 and will remain in effect until 6:00 pm on Thursday, August 4.

According to law enforcers, the boundaries of the curfew are as follows:

North: Along the Dyke Road about 1,759 metres from the round-a-bout to the intersection of Portmore Villa Boulevard and Dyke Road.

East: Along Dyke Road about 695 metres from the intersection of Portmore Villa Boulevard to the train line.

South: Along the train line from the intersection of Dyke Road to the intersection of Municipal Boulevard about 2080 metres.

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Oxygen kits handed over for use by fisher folk, divers at the Urlings Fisheries Complex

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The content originally appeared on: Antigua News Room

Over the years there have been many cases of decompression sickness in fisherfolks in Antigua and Barbuda more specifically the conch divers as well as conch fisheries.

The Fisheries Division has been trying to improve the occupational health and safety of fisherfolks so that the safety and livelihood of fisherfolks are protected.

In 2016, it was mandatory that the fisherfolks were trained in safety at sea inclusive of first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Divers were also trained in divers’ safety, which is important to ensure that no injuries are sustained as they apply their trade.

Last week, the Fisheries Division was represented by Chief Fisheries Officer, Ian Horsford and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs, Hon. Samantha Marshall handed over oxygen kits to fisher folk divers at the Urlings Fisheries Complex.

Mr. Horsford explained that the division sought medical equipment to assist divers with whatever mishaps that may take place and hopes that it will help in improving the safety of fisherfolks in the industry.

The equipment handed over to the divers included an emergency oxygen tank and mask, and each fisheries complex will be equipped with a larger oxygen tank for emergencies and refills.

Hon. Samantha Marshall expressed gratitude to the People and Government of Japan for their timely donation to the fisherfolks in Antigua.

“I think that if we are asking our fisherfolks to increase production and to make sure that they maximize and do their best, I think that it is important that we also promote safety and protection of our fisherfolks,” explained Minister Marshall.

Fisherfolks were given a brief demonstration after the handing over on how to operate the tanks and workshops will be available for them to participate and learn more about how to protect themselves and others.

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Record amount of seaweed choking Caribbean shores

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The content originally appeared on: Antigua News Room

NPR: Near-record amounts of seaweed are smothering Caribbean coasts from Puerto Rico to Barbados, killing fish and other wildlife, choking tourism and releasing stinky, noxious gases. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES.

More than 24 million tons of sargassum blanketed the Atlantic in June, shattering the all-time record, set in 2018, by 20%, according to the University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab. And unusually large amounts of the brown algae have drifted into the Caribbean Sea.

A raggedy carpet of vegetation recently surrounded an uninhabited island near the French Caribbean territory of St. Martin that is popular with tourists, forcing officials to suspend ferry service and cancel kayaking, paddleboarding and snorkeling tours. The normally translucent turquoise waters around Pinel Island turned into a prickly yellowish-brown slush.

Oswen Corbel, owner of Caribbean Paddling, said he had to close his St. Martin business on July 22 and doesn’t expect to reopen until late October. He estimated he has lost at least $10,000.

“Maybe I should give up. … Sometimes I think I should go into the mountains and herd sheep, but this is what I know to do,” he said. “What’s next? We had Hurricane Irma, we had COVID, we had the sargassum, and now I’m pretty scared of global warming.”

Scientists say more research is needed to determine why sargassum levels in the region are so high, but the United Nations’ Caribbean Environment Program said possible factors include a rise in water temperatures as a result of climate change, and nitrogen-laden fertilizer and sewage that nourish the algae.

“This year has been the worst year on record,” said Lisa Krimsky, a university researcher with Florida Sea Grant, a program aimed at protecting the coast. “It is absolutely devastating for the region.”

She said large masses of seaweed have a severe environmental impact, with the decaying algae altering water temperatures and the pH balance and leading to declines in seagrass, coral and sponges.

“They’re essentially being smothered out,” Krimsky said.

The “golden tide” also has hit humans hard.

The concentration of algae is so heavy in parts of the eastern Caribbean that the French island of Guadeloupe issued a health alert in late July. It warned some communities about high levels of hydrogen sulfide gas emanating from the huge rotting clumps of seaweed. The gas, which smells like rotten eggs, which can affect people with breathing problems such as asthma.

The Biden administration declared a federal emergency after the U.S. Virgin Islands warned last month of unusually high amounts of sargassum clogging machinery at a desalination plant near St. Croix that is struggling to produce water and meet demand amid a drought.

In addition, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ electricity generating station relies on ultra-pure water from the desalination plant to reduce emissions. The loss of such water would force the government to use a type of diesel fuel that is more expensive and in limited supply, officials said.

Chuanmin Hu, an oceanography professor at the University of South Florida who helps produce the seaweed reports, said sargassum levels for the eastern Caribbean were at a near-record high this year, second only to those reported in July 2018. Levels in the northern Caribbean are at their third-highest level, he said.

Experts first noted large amounts of sargassum in the Caribbean Sea in 2011, and the problem has occurred practically every year since then.

“We don’t know if this is a new normal,” Krimsky lamented.

Sargassum in moderation helps purify water and absorb carbon dioxide and is a key part of the habitat for fish, turtles, shrimp, crabs and other creatures. It is also used in fertilizer, food, biofuel, construction materials and medicinal products.

But it is bad for tourism and the environment when too much accumulates just offshore or on beaches.

“This is the worst we’ve ever seen it for sure,” said Melody Rouveure, general manager for a tour company in the Dutch Caribbean territory of St. Maarten, which shares an island with St. Martin. “It did ruin my personal beach plans.”

On Union Island, which is part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the seaweed invasion has forced some resorts in recent years to close for up to five months.

Masses of sargassum also have strangled the Caribbean’s fishing industry. It damages boat engines and fishing gear, prevents fishermen from reaching their vessels and fishing grounds and leads to a drop in the number of fish caught. Barbados, where the beaches are piled with reddish-brown seaweed, has been hit especially hard.

An overabundance of sargassum was blamed for the recent deaths of thousands of fish in the French Caribbean island of Martinique. It also has activists concerned about the plight of endangered turtles. Some are dying at sea, entangled in the seaweed or unable to lay their eggs because of the mat of algae over the sand.

In the Cayman Islands, officials launched a trial program in which crews pumped more than 268 square meters (2,880 square feet) of seaweed out of the water. But on Tuesday, the government announced it suspended the project, saying the seaweed had decomposed so much that it had rendered the pumping useless.

Some island nations use heavy machinery to remove seaweed from the beach, but scientists warn that causes erosion and can destroy the nests of endangered turtles.

Many Caribbean islands are struggling financially and do not have the means to clear the vast amounts of seaweed.

Gov. Albert Bryan of the U.S. Virgin Islands said he asked President Joe Biden to declare a federal emergency for the entire three-island territory, not just St. Croix, but that didn’t happen. Bryan said he is now trying to find local funds to clean beaches, “but a lot of things need money right now.”

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Historic Wadadli Action Platform Set To Advance Action For SIDS Resilience

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Antigua News Room

Leaders of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) from the Pacific, Caribbean, and African, Indian Ocean and South China Sea states will converge at the Wadadli Action Platform to address the most critical issues that hinder Sustainable Development in SIDS.

The two-day meeting, organized by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), in partnership with the Governments of Denmark and the United Kingdom, will take place on August 8th and 9th, 2022, at St. John’s, Antigua. The event will be a solutions-oriented springboard for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in SIDS. Presenters and participants will include Hon. Abdulla Shahid, President of the United Nations General Assembly, Dr. Hyginus Leon, President of the Caribbean Development Bank, Dr. Natalia Kanem, the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, and other United Nations representatives and SIDS global partners who will address the environmental, social, and economic factors which waylay SIDS’ advancement.

“Wadadli, meaning “our own”, signifies the leadership of SIDS in pioneering tailored and sustainable solutions, including through local and traditional knowledge,” said The Honourable Molwyn Joseph, Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment for Antigua and Barbuda, who will lead the event in his role as Chair of AOSIS.

“Reeling from the aftershocks of the global pandemic and lockdowns which decimated the tourism sector on which many of our economies are based, SIDS require accelerated and concrete action and tailored solutions for recovery. Our countries also contend with debilitating loss and damage from climate change impacts, with GDP losses from tropical cyclones alone, averaging at 3.7% per year. In response, the least amount of Green Climate Fund (GCF) funding compared to other regions was made available for SIDS last year – just 4% of total funding. Many SIDS are struggling to stay afloat, weighed down by onerous debt burdens which may now be exacerbated by the international market disturbance due to the armed conflict in Europe.”

“At the Wadadli Action Platform we aim to transform rhetoric and commitments for enhancing resilience in SIDS, into urgent and tangible actions to ensure our right to thrive,” he added.

With the stakes at an all-time high for these developing and least-developed countries, the Wadadli Action Platform is set to put SIDS challenges in an international spotlight and enhance partnerships to strengthen long-term resilience. The Platform aims to secure new, actionable commitments to address the issues in access to development finance that continue to plague SIDS, such as the long overdue implementation of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) by the International Finance Institutions, to guide their concessional lending and debt restructuring policies. It will also serve as a critical marker on the road to the Fourth International Conference on SIDS in 2024, to take stock and identify key priorities and elements for the development of the new framework for SIDS.

The Wadadli Action Platform agenda will focus on:

· Environmental Resilience in SIDS: Protecting the planet

o Addressing the adverse impacts of climate change.

o Addressing Marine Plastic Pollution for sustaining Ocean-based Economies in SIDS.

· Economic Resilience in SIDS: Access to Development Finance

o Adoption and use of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index; dissecting the interim report of the Expert Panel.

o Solutions for debt sustainability in SIDS.

· Social Resilience in SIDS: Inclusive and enabling environments

o Promoting formal and informal education, including through digital technologies.

o Gender, youth, economic empowerment and the inclusion of persons with disability.

· The Fourth SIDS Conference: Setting the future for sustainable development

o Monitoring implementation and strengthening national and regional statistical systems.

o Priorities for the post-SAMOA Pathway development – The Next SIDS Blueprint.

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Tobago team in Grenada to promote inaugural Carnival

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

A jab jab out in full force at the 2020 launch of Carnival in Tobago. – FILE PHOTO/DAVID REID

A ten-member Tobago contingent is in Grenada to promote the island’s inaugural Carnival, scheduled for October 28-30.

Speaking to Grenada’s MTV News GD on Wednesday, THA Assistant Secretary of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation Megan Morrison, who is leading the contingent, said Tobago was invited by the CEO of Spice Mas for an exchange programme.

Grenada’s Spice Mas is being celebrated from August 8-9.

Discussing the objectives for the October Carnival, Morrison said: “It is a unique experience we’re trying to put out there.

“Apart from that, Tobago is a naturally beautiful place – we have fabulous beaches, historical sites, we are home for the oldest rainforest in the western hemisphere. So we are vastly becoming the event or festival island in our aim to become the greatest little island on the planet.

“I think there is nowhere else to be. After you leave Miami in early October, come straight to Tobago. You would have an experience of the entire island going straight into Carnival.”

Questioned on the challenges been experienced along the way, she said transportation remains the main issue.

“One of the major challenges right now is to get to Tobago. We are currently booked out for October. We are hoping that some air carriers and some sea vessels would opt to bring in passengers and so on to the island. While everybody wants to get to Tobago, to get to Tobago is the current challenge that the administration is working out and trying to figure out how to get people to Tobago.”

She said to date, talks are ongoing with two cruise lines, adding that while Caribbean Airlines is the national carrier, there are hopes that they too would buy in.

“Put on some extra flights and so on, so we can bring people to the island.

“Grenada, also we are trying to do a charter from Grenada to Tobago via the fast ferry, to experience Carnival in October.”

The major sponsor for the inaugural event, she said, is the THA in their bid to foster the development of the local entrepreneurs.

“We have promoters on the island, we have our local mas entrepreneurs on the island, music trucks – we are trying to generate the economy in Tobago so we would like to inject some finances to those different entities. We have mas producers; it is our business to support these entities to ensure that they are successful.”

And with the country just out of a two-year lockdown on entertainment events owing to the covid19 pandemic, she said people have been yearning for social activities.

“Yes, covid19 is still among us, I think our bodies have learnt to adapt to that virus. Some people still opt to wear the mask, and they are still taking precautions by being sanitised…That has stayed with them, and people will be cautious over the Carnival period.”

Recalling the last two weeks of the Tobago Heritage Festival, she said that people came out in support but were all adhering to the health guidelines.

“We had street parade, different activities in the communities, I have not heard of a spike so that is good news. I think we’re adapting, and I think it would not humbug us come October.”

Assistant Secretary of Tourism Megan Morrison – THA

Discussing the trip on the Tobago Updates morning programme on Wednesday, THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said there are a few artistes in the contingent, who would perform at some of the events and promote Tobago carnival.

“It is also part of a larger territory of twinning both territories that we are hoping to do. While there, the team would also be meeting with organisers and planners and promoters and government officials from Grenada as well. It would also allow for some knowledge exchange to happen across the space.

The cost benefit analysis, he said, is on two fronts.

“I’m not sure what cost value we can attach to the knowledge gain and sharing because there is a cost to that experience. But, on the other end, we are exploring regional tourism. Tobago has almost always looked to two sources of inputs in tourism – we have looked to Europe, and in particular within recent times we’ve looked to the United Kingdom and very little elsewhere. We have looked to Trinidad for domestic tourism, but we have never really explored regional tourism.”

He said over the next week, the assembly will be trying to meet the Port Authority to continue a conversation started earlier this year about the possibility of chartered sailings, regular sailings between Grenada and Tobago.

“We can’t just start at the place of just developing the port in Tobago, getting duty-free and then saying come to Tobago. What has to happen is that we have to do incremental advertising, engagements with our regional friends and family so that by the time we open up…

“You have to permeate the markets you want to penetrate first – let them know of the brand, know of your product offering and so by the time you open up, you would get an inflow.”

The discussion, he said, is still at the preliminary stage.

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“Lo que se escucha, son delitos graves que conllevan cárcel”, exfiscal federal reacciona a arresto de Wanda Vázquez

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Radio Isla TV

La licenciada María Domínguez, quien fue fiscal federal, afirmó en RADIO ISLA que, de lo que se escucha sobre los cargos contra la exgobernadora Wanda Vázquez, “son delitos graves y delitos serios que conllevan cárcel”.  

Wanda Vázquez fue arrestada en horas de la madrugada del jueves, por agentes del Negociado Federal de Investigaciones (FBI) junto a otras dos personas. Vázquez Garced era investigada por un esquema de soborno relacionado con un donativo a su campaña política a cambio de la destitución del excomisionado de Instituciones Financieras, George Joyner.  

Noticia relacionada: Interamericana confirma contrato de Wanda Vázquez vence al final de este mes

Domínguez expresó que la fiscalía federal debió de haber sopesado bastante la situación y montado una gran cantidad de evidencia en contra de Vázquez Garced. 

María Domínguez informó que el costo de la defensa dependerá de cuánto tiempo se extenderá el caso. “Usualmente, los honorarios son cónsonos con la inversión de tiempo”, expuso Domínguez.

Domínguez expresó que el abogado tendrá que tratar de mitigar la percepción pública y darle un ‘spin’ de que es algo menos grave. Luego de que el exdirector de campaña de Vázquez Garced, Jorge Dávila, alegó que esta pudo haber sido “ingenua” al momento de realizar su campaña electoral, Dominguez comentó que la ingenuidad no constituye una defensa legal, pero se puede desarrollar una estrategia para plantear que no hubo intención criminal.

La portavoz de prensa del FBI, Limary Cruz Rubio, en la conferencia de prensa a las 11 de la mañana se ofrecerán los detalles.

Noticia relacionada: Federales arrestan a exgobernadora Wanda Vázquez

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PM says ‘pricey’ Ruthven Towers apartment will go on… Loop Jamaica

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Jamaica News Loop News

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced that the Government will be moving ahead with phase two of the controversial National Housing Trust (NHT) Ruthven Towers apartment complex in New Kingston.

In fact, Holness, in recognising that the decision could risk his own popularity, has asserted that persons from “all walks of life” and income brackets should be able to purchase their house, despite the cost.

“There should be no reason why someone who can afford a $48-million home not get the opportunity to buy his $48-million home. There is no reason, just as long as we are ensuring that the man who only can afford his $8-million home, gets his too,” declared Holness.

He was speaking at Wednesday’s handing over of Ruthven Towers Phase One.

In December, Holness had directed NHT to re-evaluate phase two of the Ruthven Towers apartment complex, as well as its participation in the segment of the housing market targeted at upscale developments.

This was due to public backlash in November last year after applications opened for the purchase of apartments.

The unit cost for the high-rise apartments, for which phase one is under construction, ranges from $27.7 million to $37.7 million.

The apartments were, in 2018, proposed to sell for $16 million to $22 million, but after a review, the prices increased. The NHT defended its pricing strategy, citing “the cost of construction inputs, as well as global challenges which have increased the cost of housing.”

On Wednesday, Holness said that after the public backlash over the apartments, the NHT and officials from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), including himself, had to take a “serious look” just to ensure that these projects fit within the mandate given, which is to build 70,000 houses for persons, including those he described as “lowest-income”.

“We considered very carefully whether or not we should continue with a project such as this. And we debated for a while, and I had even announced that we would not continue with the other phases, but after careful consideration, you know, we have to be reasonable,” he said.

“… As a politician, we always want to be considered favourable in everyone’s eyes… but you know that at the end of the day, you have a country to run, and people want their houses.

“… And popularity can carry you so far and no more. We have to do what is right. What is right is to have all houses that can be built, have them built with our financial resources and in the law, so that people from all walks of life in Jamaica can benefit,” he added.

According to Holness, critics of the Ruthven Towers apartment complex were trying to change the public mood.

“The duty of Government is to facilitate and create the opportunity for all Jamaicans from all walks of life, from all income brackets, to achieve aspirations, and sometimes the politics can be so unreasonable and, without research, people make wild comments that change the public mood, and (this) becomes a distraction for the project Jamaica that we have to keep our eyes on,” he argued.

“We made the decision after careful consideration that we will go ahead with the additional phases,” the prime minister said, adding that subject to layout modifications, the NHT will put on the market approximately 234-more units.

Meanwhile, Holness noted that the conversation around the Ruthven Towers apartment project would have led the unsuspecting Jamaican to believe that the NHT diverted all its resources there.

“This is the third development of this type that the NHT has done in the last 28 years.

“Further, the Ruthven development represents less than one per cent of the projects currently being undertaken by the NHT, as all other projects are being done to cater to affordable housing solutions,” he disclosed.

Amid those concerns over the NHT’s construction of upscale apartments, Holness reiterated that the agency has been directed by him to build more houses to cater to the current demand.

He noted, too, that since 2020, a more specific mandate was given to the NHT after the completion of a strategic review.

“Out of that review, the NHT has been directed to increase its housing output year-on-year.

“We believe that if we can 70,000 housing units onto the market, it will ease the demands that exist in our society for housing. It will slow down the decades of unabated irregular and illegal settlement of land.

“It will slow down the chaotic developments of communities all across Jamaica, which just springs up overnight and then places a demand on the Government to retroactively catch up with infrastructure, security, health, and education,” he reasoned.

Still, Holness argued that “this kind of unplanned development, chaotic development, and expansion of shelter on our built space has to stop.”

“An important part of stopping that is to get ahead of the demand by putting in place structured housing opportunities for the average Jamaican to access, and that is why we have put this mandate of 70,000 solutions,” the prime minister said.

“The NHT has committed to us that it will do… approximately 43,000 of that 70,000 (housing solutions). I know that from the handing-overs that I have done, they would have delivered over 1,000 houses out of the 43,000.

“But they have in-ground a significant number, and they (the NHT) are working,” he added.

In sharing that the pandemic and other global issues has had an impact on the NHT in delivering houses in the time frame, Holness has assured that “the NHT is working assiduously.”

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