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La empresa encargada de la transmisión y distribución de energía en Puerto Rico, ofrecerá una conferencia para brindar detalles sobre el apagón de ayer, martes, en el que más de 200 mil abonados se quedaron sin el servicio.
Para ver la conferencia transmitida por Metro, presione el enlace.
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The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment is appealing to Vincentians to continue wearing their masks and practicing other safety measures even as the mass gathering protocols for COVID19 have been lifted.
The advice has come from Chief Health Promotion Officer in the Ministry of Health, Shanika John.
Lesley De Bique has more, in NBC’s Covid-19 update.
https://www.nbcsvg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/COVID-19-UPDATE-591.mp3
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Steady progress is being made with the Schools Rehabilitation Programme, as students and Teachers prepare to return to the classroom for the start of the new academic year.
This assurance has come from Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who said the work is progressing well so far.
Speaking on NBC’s Face to Face program on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said work is being carried out on a number of schools to ensure that they are ready for the upcoming academic year.
https://www.nbcsvg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PM-SCHOOL-WORK.mp3
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Vincentians and other Caribbean nationals are likely to benefit from the coming on stream of two Jet Stream 31 aircraft, which are scheduled to begin operations shortly within the Eastern Caribbean.
The Agency for Public Information, API, says, this country’s Minister responsible for Civil Aviation, Carlos James, along with two Aviation Officers, were present at the Argyle International Airport, to witness an inspection flight by the airline operators.
The operation is a partnership between Barbados-based Executive Air and Blue Star.
They will join a number of other smaller operators, to strengthen the aviation service among the Eastern Caribbean Islands.
The flights will operate between Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Barbados.
Minister James said, as regional Governments continue to resolve the challenges facing regional air transport, the operation of the Jet Stream Aircraft will play a critical role, in filling the gap to support the movement of people in the Eastern Caribbean.
Photo by: St.Vincent Times
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The Deputy Programme Manager, Gender and Development, Anne-Marie Williams says the National Consultations on the Draft CARICOM Regional Gender Equality Strategy is the first of its kind in the region.
Williams says the goal of the strategy is to accelerate key priority actions that are in keeping with regional and international agreements that member states have signed on to and ratified.
“We do a lot individually as countries. We work in silence; Belize does its piece, Saint Lucia does its piece and so on. But what do we really achieve as a region?”
She adds that the Strategy has a Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Plan which is underpinned by specific CARICOM Gender Equality indicators.
Williams says these indicators will help to assess the progress made under the different priority pillars in the region.
“The strategy has seven priority pillars which speaks to access to health; inclusive quality education; good governance; gender equality and social inclusion; freedom from violence; sustainable natural resource management; and economic empowerment.”
Last week, Williams says there were virtual consultations in Grenada where they added culture to the list of priority pillars which she believes is important because it allows for an integral part of who we are as a people.
The National Consultations on Draft CARICOM Regional Gender Equality Strategy took place on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, in collaboration with the Department of Gender Affairs Saint Lucia. Forty-two stakeholders, representing 32 governmental and non-governmental entities from Saint Lucia participated in the consultation held at the Bay Gardens Hotel.
Williams notes that there were discussions on issues solely attached to Saint Lucia.
“The participants have an opportunity to really look at what they’d like to see included in the strategy; what are some of the challenges in the region? What are some of the opportunities to do good on those issues?”
Following consultations, Williams says that member states will review the strategy and it will then go to a conference of heads of government for their blessing.
According to the Deputy Programme Manager, 20 CARICOM member states will take part in consultations on the strategy which, she adds, is being funded under the Regional Spotlight Initiative Caribbean Program with the help of UN Women and UNDP.
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Minister In the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Ryan Straughn is happy to report that police have given the all-clear for staff of the Barbados Statistical Service (BSS) to resume their house-to-house visits to complete the Census enumeration.
The statement did not indicate if arrests have been or subsequent charges have been laid against any accused. However, if citizens feel unsafe, a hotline number has been provided.
Here is the statement from Minister Straughn:
A few weeks ago, there were a number of social media posts that caused the BSS temporarily suspend the enumeration for the population and housing census. I am happy to report that thanks to the work of the Barbados Police Service, this matter has now been resolved.
If householders are unsure that an individual is a member of the staff of the Barbados Statistical Service they can call the office at 535-2600
As a result, Census staff will be re-entering the field to complete Census enumeration from Wednesday, August 17, until September 30.
Householders are assured that staff from the Barbados Statistical Service who approach their homes are for either the Continuous Labour Force Sample Survey, or the Population and Housing Census are legitimate and have taken the Oath of Secrecy, which means that they cannot divulge information collected on any individual person or individual business.
The communities to be visited by Census workers will be publicised via the news media. These communities will also be shared with the Barbados Police Service, along with the names of the Census workers. If householders are unsure that an individual is a member of the staff of the Barbados Statistical Service they can call the office at 535-2600.
Officers will be collecting basic information on the household and will follow-up the interview with a telephone call to speed up data collection.
In addition to these surveys, the Ministry of Housing Lands and Maintenance is also conducting field work in relation to Operation Seek and Secure. Also, the officers of the Barbados Revenue Authority are conducting their tri-annual property valuation exercise, which was delayed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Officers from Operation Seek and Secure, as well as the Property Valuation Exercise, may request your permission to enter your home at your discretion, to take any relevant photographs of your property. For the avoidance of any doubt, I emphasise this is entirely at your discretion.
I am therefore asking householders to fully cooperate with the Census workers, the officers of Operation Seek and Secure, as well as Officers conducting the Property Valuation Exercise from the Barbados Revenue Authority when they visit your home. These officers will be carrying picture identification cards issued by the respective institutions.
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door Shanavon Arsomedjo PARAMARIBO — Het begon met het maken van TikTok-dansvideootjes bij het Paramaribo-teken van de International Mall of
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Founder and Director of the annual event, noted dub poet Yasus Afari stood tallest at Sunday evening’s staging of the 12th Annual Jamaica Poetry Festival in New Kingston.
Hosted by AC Hotels, the vibrant event included a wide array of artistic performances, and appeared to have been well supported by corporate Jamaica.
Among the performers was guest of honour, Professor Mervyn Morris, who delivered a calm and reflective set of works that was well received by the audience who gave him a rousing welcome on stage.
Iconic pianist Marjorie Whylie provided mellow music, which was warmly received and was later complemented with the presentation of the festival’s 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award to her.
Also a standout of the evening was comedian Dr Michael Abrahams, who dubbed his way through a number of subject areas, including politics and ‘home affairs’, which was translated into “man and woman business” by the master of ceremonies.
After raising eyebrows in asking members of the audience to indicate whether they were Labourites or Comrades, Abrahams got a huge ‘forward’ in declaring that “Mi tired ah unno!”
A section of the audience which was in attendance at Jamaica Poetry Festival 2022 at AC Hotels in New Kingston last Sunday evening.
Then he shifted into a higher political gear in taking local politicians to task by citing that every government claims to be fighting corruption, “but there has been no interruption (in corruption)”.
When the heavyweight Yasus Afari came on stage, it was a fully-loaded affair lyrically, with him waxing eloquently through subjects like environmental concerns, humanity and injustice, history and the African continent. His performance was enriched with artistic accompaniment from skilled percussionist, Calvin Mitchell, and the expressive duo of ‘dancing queens’ (Rebecca and Oris), who playfully seduced and entertained a quite responsive audience.
“If we protect the earth, the earth will protect us,” declared Yasus.
“Take care of the earth and she will take care of us,” he added emphatically.
Approaching the end of his rousing set, he labelled ‘Miss Lou’ (Louise Bennett-Coverley) as the “muma of (the Jamaican) patois, and said both Opposition Leader, Mark Golding, and Prime Minister Andrew Holness should be thinking about exporting the Jamaican patois, instead of relying too much “on the speaky spoky business”.
In his virtually-delivered presentation, globally-acclaimed Jamaican Jazz musician, Monty Alexander, paid tribute to the continued growth of the local creative arts and was grateful to the Poetry Festival for its outstanding development and promotional work. In one of the surprises of the evening, he treated the audience to a premiere of a track from his upcoming album. The audience enjoyed his soothing vocals and lovely music video as he enthralled them with a version of ‘As Time Goes By’, originally recorded by Herman Hupfield in 1931 and famously re-introduced in the 1942 film Casablanca.
Another section of the audience that was at Jamaica Poetry Festival 2022 at AC Hotels in New Kingston last Sunday evening.
The evening’s entertainment was closed by an energetic set from reggae violinist Mark Stephenson, including closing with a lively rendition of the ‘Drop Leaf’ rhythm to the absolute delight of the appreciative audience.
Others who performed – all creditably – included drummer Calvin Mitchell and poets Sammoya Banton, Kai Falconer and Ebony Payne, with special virtual appearances and endorsements from Skip Marley, George Elliott Clarke and Patrick Lafayette.
The Jamaica Poetry Festival is staged by SenYAcum Edutainment for which Yasus Afari serves as Founder-Director. The festival received strong support from prominent local businesses and other entities, including the JN Group, the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), VM Investments, Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), Jamaica Observer, Proven Investment, Sandals, Digicel Foundation, Tuff Gong International Limited, Sun Coast Beach Club; along with the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (PBCJ), Learning Life Jamaica, and Art of Life Magazine.
In his sponsor’s message and representing Sun Coast Beach Club, Lance Thomas expressed delight at the standards of artistic talent that were on display at the festival, and commended the SenYAcum team for its role in building a platform for local presentation and enjoyment of the creative arts. He commented that it is such standards of excellence that can fuel other local development efforts, such as the Sun Coast Beach Club, a resort-inspired, super-inclusive gated community being developed in Twelve Miles, St.Thomas.
Thomas also interestingly drew parallels between the artform of poetry and the parish of St Thomas, describing both as under-appreciated national treasures with significant latent potential.
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The two-man team of Dr Mark Newnham and Michael Gleichman easily won the Jamaica Golf Association’s (JGA) trials for the Caribbean Amateur Golf Association’s (CAGC) Four-Ball Championship, which was held at the Caymanas Golf Club over the weekend.
They were competing in the trials to represent Jamaica in the defence of the Francis Steele Trophy for men over 50 years.
Their scores during the three rounds were one under par 71, five under par 67, and one over par 73 for a combined five under par 211.
They ended the trials seven strokes ahead of their nearest rival, Owen Samuda and Philip Prendergast, who posted two rounds of 73 and par 72 on the final day for a total of two over par 218.
Third place in the category went to the team of William Lee and Philip Gooden, who had scores of 75, 76, and 75 for their total of 10 over par 226.
Newnham said: “[I] am very proud of how we played. We feel we didn’t play our best despite the five under [on Saturday], we still feel we left a lot of shots out there.”
The category winner of the Higgs & Higgs Cup was the two-man team of former JGA president Wayne Chai Chong and Rory Jardine. They were in second place at the end of day one with a score of one under par 71 but ended up in a three-way tie after round two by posting two over par 74 at 145.
At the end of the third and final round, Chai Chong and Jardine separated themselves by carding the best score of all 14 teams on the course with three under par 69.
This gave them a combined score of two under par 214, which was three strokes over the second-placed team of Dorrel Allen and Robert Chin.
Allen and Chin were in third place on day one with par 72, then posted one over par 73 in the second round (part of the three-way tie in round two) and followed up with par 72 in the final round for 217.
The third place team of Michael Boyd and Bert Tomlinson had the best first round of the three teams with three under par 69 but faltered in round two with four over par 76 (the third of the three-way tie) and then three over par 75 in the final round for 220 overall.
Competitors for the Higgs & Higgs Cup must be over 60 years.
The third category of players were in the hunt for the defence of the Ramon Baez Cup for men 35-five years and over. The team of Seam Morris and Delroy Johnson had three good days of three over par 75, three under par 69, and even par 72 for an even-par total score of 216.
There were 14 two-man teams on the golf course who were vying to represent Jamaica in the three categories. Five in the Francis Steele Trophy, eight in the Higgs & Higgs Cup, and one in the Ramon Baez Cup.
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Through a partnership with the Sandals Foundation, the Great Shape! Inc. 1000 Smiles clinic, the world’s largest international humanitarian dental project, has provided free dental care to over 300,000 Caribbean nationals since 2003.
Following a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic, the Great Shape! Inc. team hopes to significantly increase that number when they return to Jamaica in August.
The first of a series of two-week clinics will kick off at the Torrington Wesleyan Holiness Church on the outskirts of Savanna-La-Mar from August 22 to September 2, 2022.
The team of dental care professionals includes experienced dentists, dental hygienists, final-year dental students from the University of Technology (UTECH) as well as support staff.
“Great Shape! and the 1000 Smiles dental project is thrilled to be back in Jamaica working to serve the people of Jamaica who need care,” said Joseph Wright, Founding Executive Director of Great Shape! Inc.
He noted that the impact of the work being done by his team and volunteers is profound because not only do they fix teeth and relieve suffering, but they are also changing people’s lives by improving their employability, their self-confidence and their social standing with a beautiful smile.
Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of Sandals Foundation, is elated about the resumption of the 1000 Smiles dental project in Jamaica.
“We are incredibly honoured to work with an organisation like Great Shape! Inc., which brings health and healing to the Caribbean’s frontlines. It has been two years since the last staging of the 1000 Smiles Project, so I am confident that the team coming here will make a significant difference for the people in the communities by giving them the opportunity to rediscover their smiles,” Clarke said.
Clarke also stated that the organisations are grateful to the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) for their support over the years.
From August to November, the team will provide cleanings, fillings, extractions, and oral health education to adults and children in the Whitehouse, Negril, and Ocho Rios regions, using some of the best military-grade mobile equipment. Dental sealants, thin coatings that, when painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (molars), can prevent cavities (tooth decay) for many years, will also be provided in the Ocho Rios region, allowing families who are unable to visit the dentist on a regular basis to protect their teeth for years to come.
This year’s clinic at the Torrington Wesleyan Holiness Church in Westmoreland will operate on an appointment-only basis, with each sitting accommodating up to 22 patients, as mandated by the GOJ to alleviate overcrowding at the clinic site.
Members of the public can schedule appointments by calling or texting (876) 863-7858 or (876) 402-6170. Individuals must provide their name, age, gender, and the procedure they wish to have performed.
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