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Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds.

A HIGH COURT judge has refused a request by a criminal defence attorney to abort or adjourn a trial before her in the San Fernando High Court.

On Wednesday Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds denied the defence attorney’s request on behalf of a man on trial for indecent assault against a minor.

The jury trial began on Monday, with jurors being empanelled at the Princes Town Family Court, which is being used to facilitate jury trials from San Fernando.

Prosecutors began their opening address to the jury on Wednesday and the taking of evidence will begin on Friday.

A statement from the Judiciary said Ramsumair-Hinds ordered the trial to proceed despite the defence attorney being in quarantine.

Newsday was told the attorney has not tested positive for covid19, but is a primary contact.

The statement said Ramsumair-Hinds directed the attorney to appear remotely, from his home, for the trial until his quarantine ends, in keeping with new practice directions which allow for cases to be heard in a hybrid mode, both electronically and in person.

The latest directions allow for hybrid hearings and provide an explanation for this type of hearing. At a hybrid hearing, not everyone has to be in the same courtroom at the same time. Witnesses or jurors can appear in a courtroom while judges, the accused and attorneys can appear remotely.

The Judiciary’s statement said it reinforced its commitment to improving access to justice and reducing delays by, among other things, using technology.

It also quoted Monday’s practice directions, in which the Chief Justice “reiterated that the Judiciary must seize the opportunity to use technology to reduce delays and further improve access to justice,” the statement said.

The practice directions said the Judiciary was committed to doing everything necessary to improve access to justice and modernising its operations. It also said it wanted to expand public access to services, creating options to make accessing justice more convenient while reducing the number of people having to physically visit a court building.

In March, practice directions allowed jury trials to resume after a two-year hiatus which was one of the measures to control the spread of covid19.

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The closure of The Alleyne School on September 21, 2022, is only temporary.

The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training is assuring students and their parents and guardians, as well as staff that they are on top of the situation after parts of the library block’s roof came loose with the weather conditions today.

In a statement from the Chief Education Officer, Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw said:

“As a result of high gusts, galvanise sheets were observed lifting off the roof of the library block at The Alleyne School at approximately 8:15 am. Immediately, emergency procedures were put in place to ensure the safety of all students and staff who gathered at the emergency point by the school’s sports hall and playing field. The school was subsequently closed to ensure the safety of students and staff on the compound.”

The company that the Board of Management has contracted to complete the roofing was contacted, arrived on site almost immediately, and assessed the situation. “Based on their findings, the company began corrective action on the roof. They have assured the principal and the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training that the work will be completed by the end of today.”

School for all students and staff at The Alleyne School is set to resume tomorrow, September 22, 2022.

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INGEZONDEN Dit jaar is het thema van de VN Internationale Dag van de Vrede, die jaarlijks op 21 september wordt

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The JMMB Group is looking to capitalise on the growth potential in the commercial real estate market, targeting the development of commercial, warehousing and business process outsourcing (BPO) projects over the next two to three years.

To this end, planning has begun for two projects in downtown Kingston and Mandeville, consisting of approximately 33,000 square feet and 30,000 square feet of commercial office and BPO spaces.

Tracey -Ann Creary, corporate development manager with portfolio responsibility for the management of JMMB’s land and property holdings, outlined the financial group’s strategic direction to leverage opportunities that will add shareholder value.

Creary said JMMB is actively identifying and pursuing projects which will grow its portfolio and respond to market needs and trends.

“These two multi-billion dollar projects are expected to be completed in the next two to three years, even while JMMB Group looks to roll-out other projects in its portfolio,” she said.

Tracey -Ann Creary is the corporate development manager with portfolio responsibility for the management of JMMB’s land and property holdings.

As a newer player in the real estate market, JMMB Group is looking to plan, design, develop and construct properties and later bring to market for sale, lease or sale-leaseback.

“Real estate is not static, and as an innovator in the field, we are open to lucrative opportunities that are in keeping with our portfolio focus, and therefore will explore joint-ventures and other partnerships,” Creary said.

She noted that partnerships would enable JMMB Group to deepen and expand its reach in the real estate market, meet the investment and strategic performance criteria, and fulfill our business objectives, thereby providing returns for our stakeholders.

Over the long-term, JMMB Group will continue to build out its portfolio of greenfield and brownfield projects for other commercial projects that can facilitate agile working and other uses.

“With the Jamaican government and private stakeholders undertaking key infrastructural projects, such as the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement and the development of town centres in Morant Bay and other rural towns, we believe that this signals clear opportunities to undertake real estate projects that will create significant value that are broadly aligned with national development and Jamaica’s Vision 2030 plans.”

Investment in commercial real estate, aligns with the changing economic environment with the growing need for warehousing, business process outsourcing space and related projects that will support infrastructure development, the JMMB executive added.

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Saint Lucia and the Republic of Georgia have concluded a visa waiver agreement that will facilitate travel between the two countries.

The agreement was signed in New York on Monday 19th September, by St. Lucia’s External affairs Minister, Hon. Alva Baptiste and Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Ilia Darchiashvili.

The Agreement will facilitate the travel of nationals of the two countries to each other’s territory without a visa not exceeding ninety (90) days in any one hundred eighty (180) days period.

Honourable Alva Baptiste noted that this latest initiative with Georgia sets the stage for further meaningful contact and people to people exchanges, which are extremely useful in international relations, adding that the Agreement signals his administration’s commitment to meaningfully strengthen ties with countries with which Saint Lucia shares bilateral relations.

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Honourable Alva Baptiste is in New York for the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly which opened in New York on Monday 20th September.

Honourable Baptiste is expected to attend a number of other high level bilateral and multilateral meetings during his seven day stay in New York.

SOURCE: Ministry of External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation & Diaspora Affairs

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