IRIE FM

The Government has put an immediate pause on purchases of motor vehicles to be assigned to public officials.

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness made the disclosure at a press briefing this morning.

This is part of a continuing review of expenditure across the public sector, as the country continues to recover from Hurricane Melissa.

The Government recently announced a moratorium on non-essential overseas travel.

Dr. Holness said every ministry and public body must examine what can be reduced, deferred, or done more efficiently.

He stated that the moratorium on parties and retreats that was implemented last December will remain in place for this year. The details will be explained in a memo to the institutions.

Jamaica is expected to sign a government-to-government agreement with the United Kingdom next week to accelerate the build up of the delivery capacity of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA).

Under this arrangement, Jamaica and the United Kingdom will share equally the cost of deploying technical experts from three firms.

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness said the three firms previously supported Peru’s reconstruction programme following the devastating floods of 2017.

He noted that the experts will work alongside Jamaican professionals, providing technical assistance while supporting capacity building and knowledge transfer.

The Prime Minister also announced two urgent interventions to be advanced by NaRRA.

He said NaRRA will develop up to one hundred pre-fabricated homes at Luana Phase 3 in St. Elizabeth and install three large community tanks in Westmoreland.

Dr. Holness was speaking at a special press briefing this morning.

A year has passed since Hurricane Melissa swept through Jamaica, leaving behind death, damaged homes, lost livelihoods and families forced to pick up the pieces of their lives.

For some of those who bore the brunt of the category 5 hurricane, the passage of time has not meant a full recovery.

Markelia Rumble turns the spotlight on the road to recovery for two residents of western Jamaica in part 2 of Hurricane Melissa: one year later – picking up the pieces.

One of the 22 Third Country Nationals (TCNs) who arrived in Jamaica on October 13, has departed the country.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Kamina Johnson Smith gave the update at a press briefing this morning.

The group came under an agreement between Jamaica and the United States of America.

Mrs. Johnson Smith said another national has expressed a desire to remain in Jamaica.

She said discussions are ongoing with the individual about the transit arrangement.

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has announced an additional 9.65 billion dollars for the Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelter (ROOFS) programme.

He made the revelation during a special press briefing at Jamaica House this morning.

It comes one day before the first anniversary of the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Dr. Holness charged Social Security Minister, Pearnel Charles Jr., to disburse at least 90 per cent of the allocation to beneficiaries by December.

These beneficiaries are those who have been assessed and verified as persons in need.

The Prime Minister also indicated the intention to bring the recovery phase following the hurricane to an end by January next year.

National Coordinator for Safety and Security in Schools, Richard Troupe says the strengthening disaster risk management in schools project will help to bolster the capacity of educational institutions to anticipate, prepare for and recover from disasters. 

The initiative also forms part of efforts to address the risks faced by vulnerable communities while strengthening the systems that protect children.  

Technical support for the project is being provided through a partnership between the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and the United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF). 

While the European civil protection and humanitarian aid operations has provided funding support for the initiative. 

Mr. Troupe says the project provides an opportunity for stakeholders to advance a more structured and proactive approach to disaster risk management. 

Mr. Troupe emphasizes that the success of the project will be determined by the recognition that disaster preparedness is a continuous process. 

The project was launched this morning.

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness says his Government is moving to develop a single geographic database, which will include all Jamaican communities.

He said the aim is to ensure that the Government is equipped with all the information needed to carry out an intelligence-driven disaster response.

Dr. Holness, who was speaking at a special press briefing at Jamaica House this morning, pointed to challenges with getting assistance to all communities following Hurricane Melissa, due to informal settlements and a lack of a single database.

He said this will change.

He also noted that the lack of sufficient airlift posed a challenge during the relief phase.

“Your recovery remains our urgent priority.”

That remark from Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness, as his administration recommits to redoubling efforts to help those still reeling from the passage of Hurricane Melissa, October last year. 

The reaffirmation comes a day before the first anniversary of the hurricane’s passage. 

Speaking during a special press briefing at Jamaica House this morning, the Prime Minister paused to remember those who lost their lives, those grieving them and those suffering other losses 

He pledged to do what is necessary to ensure the Government delivers help faster.

Prime Minister Dr. Holness says persons seeking benefits from the Government will have to register under the National Identification System (NIDS).

Dr. Holness made the disclosure during a special press briefing at Jamaica House this morning.

He explained that the move aims to ensure accountability is not disregarded while the Government distributes resources to assist those affected by Hurricane Melissa.

Dr. Holness also notes that through NIDS, help can be allocated faster.

Opposition Spokesman on Health, Dr. Alfred Dawes, is criticising the Ministry of Health and Wellness for what he says is its failure to allocate sufficient resources towards breast cancer screening in Jamaica.

Dr. Dawes says the country is failing its women by not placing greater emphasis on the early detection of the disease.

He warns that without adequate screening, more women could have their breast cancer detected at advanced stages, when treatment may be more difficult.

Dr. Dawes is calling for increased investment in mammography services and expanded access to breast cancer screening across the island.

He argued that women who cannot afford the high cost of treating advanced breast cancer should also have access to screening services that could help detect the disease early.