Black Immigrant Daily News

The Government of Jamaica is strengthening the national framework to combat human trafficking.

Development of a National Policy and Plan of Action on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) are underway through the National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (NATFATIP).

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Courtney Williams, who is chairman of NATFATIP, made the disclosure while addressing the third Bilateral Dialogue for the United States-Jamaica Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership, which was held on July 13, at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Kingston.

The CPC partnership aims to provide support and strengthen the work of the NATFATIP.

The contributions include the implementation of a child-friendly space, the development of a TIP handbook and training of service providers such as police officers, to identify victims of human trafficking.

Mr. Williams said that the Government is providing more comfortable and safer spaces for survivors of human trafficking, particularly for vulnerable groups.

He noted that the new policy frameworks will allow the Taskforce to gain greater support from other ministries and agencies in strengthening efforts against human trafficking and provide assistance for vulnerable persons.

“The move to implement a National Plan of Action and Policy is a responsibility that we all share across Government. It is an extremely important one that requires all our support,” he said, adding that “every effort must be made to ensure that we can sustain the gains obtained from this partnership [The CPC].”

The National Policy to Combat TIP aims to strengthen Jamaica’s ability to prevent human trafficking through public education, which will help to reduce the vulnerability of at-risk groups.

It will also provide protection and assistance to victims of TIP and to prosecute and punish those who violate the human rights of Jamaicans and foreigners who are trafficked in Jamaica’s jurisdiction.

World Day Against Trafficking in Persons will be celebrated on July 30. The NATFATIP will observe its week of activities from July 24-30.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

See below for full statement from APNU/AFC on the recommendation to suspend 8 Opposition MPs for alleged parliamentary misconduct: 

On March 1st, 2022, Opposition Members of Parliament Christopher Jones (Opposition Chief Whip), Ganesh Mahipaul, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Sherod Duncan, Vinceroy Jordan, Natasha Singh-Lewis, Annette Ferguson and Maureen Philadelphia received letters from the Clerk of the Committee of Privileges captioned “Re: Referral to the Committee of Privileges for gross disorderly conduct, contempt, and breaches of privileges in the Assembly” requesting that they “show cause”, in writing, to the Clerk of the National Assembly by Monday, 7th March 2022, why the Committee of Privileges should not recommend to the National Assembly that sanctions be meted out to them for alleged gross disorderly conduct, contempt, and breaches of privileges.

All eight Members of Parliament responded between the 4th and 7th March, 2022, requesting further information from the Clerk of the National Assembly on the allegations, since the motion which referred them to the Committee of Privileges for gross disorderly conduct, contempt, and breaches of privileges NEVER specified which of their acts so qualified.

To this date, July 16th, 2022, none of the eight Members of Parliament has received a response from the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Clerk of the Committee of Privileges, or the Speaker of the National Assembly. The Opposition MPs are now however in receipt of a report from the Committee of Privileges which has ascribed to them several false and trumped-up acts intended to impugn their good character. The report recommends suspension for all MPs.

The APNU+AFC rejects this recommendation as we consider it to be:

a)Unconstitutional because our constitution—the supreme law of our land— enshrines the right of all citizens to natural justice; that is, the right of every Guyanese, regardless of the charges, to be given an opportunity to be heard by a competent, independent, and impartial court or any other tribunal prescribed by law.
b)Unparliamentary because the records of Parliament show that all Members of Parliament in the past who were referred to the Committee of Privileges were always afforded the opportunity to be represented by legal counsels of their choice and were all given the opportunity to be heard.
c)An act of political discrimination and suppression, aimed at deterring and intimidating Opposition MPs from fully scrutinizing and criticizing the actions of the government on behalf of the Guyanese people.

It is our firm conviction that this is yet another attempt by the PPP regime to continue breaking down the guardrails of our democracy. But our lawmakers will not sit back and allow such an unconstitutional act to go unchallenged. We wish to assure our supporters, friends, and all Guyanese that this illegal act to suspend eight Members of Parliament without due process will be challenged. We also thank the thousands of Guyanese who called and sent messages of support. We will continue to fight for our Guyana and we know the people of Guyana are standing strong with us.

                                                            -END-

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The Major Crime Unit (MCU) within the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) has initiated an investigation into a double homicide that occurred on Thursday, July 14, 2022.

The incident, which occurred at Block 2000, Old Montrose, resulted in the deaths of Darius Bynoe, 25yrs labourer of Old Montrose, and Zimron Richards, 28yrs labourer of Redemption Sharpes.

According to preliminary investigations, at about 9:45 p.m, the deceased men were sitting by the side of the public road in the vicinity of Singer Warehouse when a White Nissan car (registration number unknown) drove by and the occupants in the car fired on the men. Both men sustained multiple gunshot wounds on their bodies.

Bynoe was pronounced dead at the scene while Richards died at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) from his injuries. A third man was also shot in his left leg and is currently a patient at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

The motive for the shootings is unknown at this time. The reported homicides for 2022 now stand at twenty Five (25).

A postmortem examination would be carried on the bodies to ascertain the exact cause of death.

The RSVGPF is soliciting the assistance of anyone with information about the shootings to contact the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Crimes at telephone number 1-784-457-1211, the Officer in charge Criminal Investigations Department at 1-784-456-1810 or any police station or police officer you are comfortable speaking with.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment says ten new COVID-19 cases have been recorded here, bringing the total number of active cases to 151.

Health officials say there were three new PCR cases and seven new Rapid Antigen cases from tests carried out yesterday, and two recoveries were noted over the reporting period.

Four persons are currently hospitalized with the virus and all are unvaccinated.

9,225 cases of COVID-19 and 8,959 recoveries have been reported in  St. Vincent and the Grenadines to date.

And, 71,811 COVID-19 vaccines have so far been administered locally.  36,858 persons have received their first dose; 30,984 have received their second dose and 3,969 persons have received boosters.

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