Black Immigrant Daily News

“Ik vroeg mezelf af hoe ik ‘zo’ kon zijn, maar het is niet iets waarvoor je kiest. Het overvalt je

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) is reporting that the unemployment rate for July 2022 was 6.6 per cent.

This was a 1.9 percentage point decline compared to the corresponding period last year.

Director General of the institute, Carol Coy, said the data showed that in July 2022 there were 89,700 unemployed persons, 22,800 fewer when compared to July 2021.

She said the number of unemployed males decreased by 8,100, noting that there was a larger decline in the number of unemployed females of 14,700.

She was speaking during STATIN’s quarterly digital briefing on Wednesday (October 19).

“The male unemployment rate was 5.2 per cent, representing a 1.1 percentage point decline. For females, the unemployment rate was 8.2 per cent. This represents a 2.8 percentage point decline compared to July 2021,” she said.

Coy further indicated that there were 14,300 fewer unemployed persons between the age group 20 and 24 years, accounting for 62.7 per cent of the total decline in the number of unemployed persons. She added that the youth unemployment rate, that is persons 14 to 24 years, was 16.7 per cent compared to 23.9 per cent in July 2021.

She noted that for July 2022, there were 1,357,700 persons in the labour force, an increase of 30,200 or 2.3 per cent compared to 1,327,500 in July 2021.

Coy said the increase was mainly in the female labour force, which grew by 27,400, while the male labour force only increased by 2,800.

She said there were 1,268,000 employed persons in July, an increase of 53,000 or 4.4 per cent.

Coy noted that females accounted for the larger proportion of the increase in employment, 79.2 per cent or 42,200.

“There were 579,500 employed females in July, compared to 537,500 in the similar quarter of 2021. Males, on the other hand, increased by 11,000 to 688,500,” she said.

She noted that youth employment also showed strong growth, with employed youth aged 14 to 24 years increasing by 18,800.

“Of this increase, females 20 to 24 years accounted for 80.3 per cent or 15,100,” she said.

She noted that clerks, service workers and shop and market sales workers and craft and related trades workers had the largest increases in employment.

Coy said a comparison of the July quarters of 2022 and 2021 showed that the group ‘clerks’, which includes customer service clerks, contact centre information clerks and enquiry clerks, increased by 25,400 to 132,200.

“This was the largest increase in employment among occupation groups, with females accounting for the majority of the increase, 16,100 or 63.4 per cent,” she said.

The STATIN director general noted that the group ‘service workers and shop and market sales workers’ increased by 21,400, moving to 290,700.

“Again, females accounted for the larger increase, 18,100 or 84.6 per cent. Within this group, there are personal service workers, such as waiters, bartenders and hairdressers, and also sales workers, such as street food vendors, store/supermarket/shop clerks and cashier and ticket clerks.

‘Craft and related trades workers’, which includes groups such as masons and plumbers, increased by 9,600 to 157,200. Unlike the other two occupation groups, the largest increase was for males, 6,600 or 68.8 per cent,” she said.

Coy stated that employment in the industries of ‘real estate and renting and business activities’, ‘accommodation and food service activities’, and ‘construction’ accounted for the largest increase in employment.

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Antigua and Barbuda hosts 14th Caribbean Conference on National Health Financing Initiative)

The Minister of Health Sir Molwyn Joseph has called for a focus on primary health care to achieve universal health coverage.

The Minister was speaking at the formal opening of the 14th Caribbean Conference on National Health Financing Initiative currently underway in Antigua and Barbuda.

Sir Molwyn intimated that health promotion and health education are critical components to assure healthy lifestyles and reduce non-communicable diseases.

He further noted that this health education should begin at the primary school level and should form a part of its curriculum.

He added it is necessary for primary school students to be educated on the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle, inclusive of healthy eating, and adequate rest so that they can make informed, healthy choices at a young age.

These early childhood practices will reduce incidences of childhood obesity and promote optimal health in adulthood.

This would ultimately help to reduce health care cost. The Minister noted further that with an adequate and functioning primary health care system, people can receive quality and comprehensive care.

This he says will reduce the pressures at the secondary and tertiary healthcare levels.

Also speaking at the conference opening was the Chairperson of the Medical Benefits Board, Senator Osbert Frederick.

Senator Frederick noted that the country’s strategic plan for health is to promote and provide high quality health services that are accessible and affordable by the citizens and residents of Antigua and Barbuda.

The plan, he says will have to be supported by effective policy formulation, health regulations and strategic partnership.

The goal of the national strategic plan for health the Senator adds is to empower individuals and families to manage their health, strengthen health systems and community support mechanisms and also to extend strategic partnership.

Day one of the conference focused on confronting COVID-19 and policy challenges in the Universal Coverage Agenda, Managing COVID-19 within the Context of Universal Health Coverage and Managing COVID-19: Coping strategies by Health Financing Agencies.

Day two will include a focus on experiences from mature health financing agencies, Universal Health care – management challenges of health financing sustainability.

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New steel pipes brought in by WASA to the Godineau River site of the rupture of the utility’s 36-inch diametre water transmission lines. Repair work continued all day on Wednesday. – Photo by Lincoln Holder

RESTORATION work has started on the 36-inch diameter transmission line at the Godineau River which ruptured on Tuesday after the steel support beams collapsed and fell into the river.

Most of south Trinidad immediately lost pipeborne water after the rupture.

WASA is hoping the repairs can be done within 36 hours.

Initially, the authority had given a timeline of between 48-72 hours to complete repairs, but after work began on Tuesday night, the time was revised to an estimated 36-hours to completion.

However, while work was being carried out at the Godineau River site, another water line ruptured at the Mon Repos Roundabout leading to another WASA crew having to be despatched to effect repairs. That rupture led to major flooding between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

In a statement, WASA said using its internal resources, work is underway at the Mosquito Creek, following an assessment which included interacting with all stakeholders including the Ministry of Works and Transport.

All materials to effect repairs have been identified and transported to the site.

“These works include the replacement of 150 metres of pipeline, 30 metres of fabricated pipework and the supporting structural works,” WASA said.

The WASA release said that its valve management protocol ensured a pipeborne water supply was returned to some of the communities effected and this will continue as all efforts are placed on returning full service to all customers.

Sections of the steel support beam are seen in the Godineau River after its collapse on Tuesday. With nothing to support its weight, the WASA transmission line which was resting on the support beams, eventually ruptured. – Photo by Lincoln Holder

Following calls for the urgent restoration of supply in this Divali Holy Week, the authority said it is aware of the importance of a water supply and remains committed to ensuring service is restored in the shortest possible time.

It also thanked the affected customers for their patience and understanding.

Commenting on the rupture, UNC shadow public utilities minister Barry Padarath said this was a reflection of the country where everything has collapsed.

“The public utilities sector has collapsed and the actions of government has run the utility companies into the ground. Therefore, it is having a tremendous effect on their ability to provide satisfactory services to consumers,” Padarath said.

He predicted that more aging, dilapidated infrastructure will collapse as over the past two budgets, government has cut material, supplies and maintenance by $600 million to WASA.

He called for an immediate review of all mains, substations and other related infrastructure in the public utilities sector in light of Tuesday’s incident.

Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal also called for quality control and regular inspections of these and other works so as to avoid future disruptions.

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