good afternoon I am Andrea Chism with the midday news a special welcome if
you're watching on one spot mediacom we begin with news that medical officials
at the University Hospital of the West Indies are treating a suspected case of
the corona virus the hospital's accident and emergency department has been
treating the suspected case all morning now we have also learned that the A&E
department is on partial shutdown the patient is female and is in quarantine
and the microbiology unit at the University Hospital is also locked up
now regarding the patient TVJ News understands that the patient went to
China to visit our relative and recently returned to Jamaica the patient flew in
to Jamaica via the Norman man the International Airport we do not know
when the patient arrived and the Health Minister dr. Christopher Tufton will be
having an emergency press conference at 12:30 so once again just letting you
know that medical officials at the University Hospital of the West Indies
are treating a suspected case of the corona virus and we expect much more
from the minister when he holds his press conference in a few minutes
meanwhile dr. Christopher Tufton in an interview on primetime news last night
said the ministry had all in place to treat with cases of the corona virus he
was speaking with TV jays Danella press use the truth is that I have full
confidence in our health staff nurses included who are there we have
sufficient infrastructure and that is why we have been able to prevent viruses
or new diseases like the the this particular one from entering our shores
now there's always a margin of error and one could always argue for more
facilities but let's take the issue of an isolation area the truth is that our
health officials are the port's if the need arises have access to areas that
can isolate an individual is suspected of having a particular
ailment or a particular represents a particular risk beyond that there is
logistic support to move persons from the port to a medical facility where we
have those in place but again I say in situations like this we have to be
careful that we do not create an impression that we are led where
unexposed because we would be doing ourselves a disservice or nurses have
worked very hard and yes they do come under stress and as a government we want
to work with them which is why we have done a number of things to support I
think it's important for the Jamaican people to understand that we all have a
role to play which is why public education is key but the government is
taking this issue very seriously that was Health Minister dr. Christopher
Tufton speaking last night on primetime news talking about Jamaica's readiness
for the corona virus now for those of you just joining us we told you a few
minutes ago that the University Hospital of the West Indies are treating as is
treating a suspected case of the corona virus and we told you that the patient
is female more details are coming in as we speak
we have subsequently learned that the female patient is a business woman who
returned to the island on January 12 and she just started showing symptoms of the
virus and of course we'll keep you updated during the day and we'll have
much more details in prime time news at 7
in other news farmers in Central Village Saint Catherine are calling for the
National Water Commission to provide compensation after their farm was
covered by water from a broken end of the sea main they told TV je news that
the water has been flowing through their farm for over three weeks now despite
several reports of the commissioner TV jays kaliesha Williams has that story
it has not rained in Central Village st. Catherine for days yet this vegetable
farm is covered by floodwaters the sorcerer looks like an underground
spring but it's actually a broken end of Lissie pipeline nearby these rotten
vegetables told the tale and the farmer are I read well am i earning gand on the
gin much time on top honking almost to me at or pop Joe pepper everything's all
right I know something are we gonna go up on that side that side that did the
cancer the camera take it water boots come in handy as a farmer
servers through the murky water and instead of celebrating their first
harvest for the new year the farmers have to be counting their losses to make
matters worse they will not be able to replant anytime soon even if the water
dries up and as you can see the wallet my lord I would Nora source disappears
are comin away see I will basically plant pop Joe catch crop and to the
water our here no not me accuracy yourself we were told the water has been
flowing through the farm for three weeks no despite reports the National Water
Commission welcomed a conflicted what I'm Mickey coma for the farm like we
can't do a thing me now I get no answer from no one on this morning we decide we
take it open and I go to TVJ no mega water commissioner they say miss lemon
integrity VJ for this need we open it where ask for some help from you about
power food when I have not let you know when we contacted the Commission's
public relations department we're told they have nor ports of the
incident however a representative told us a team will be deployed to the area
to carry out further investigations kaliesha Williams TV news the police say
they will not relent in the fight against crime police commissioner Major
General Anthony Anderson was addressing Lane magistrate's in Montego Bay
recently as you're probably aware we have whole or parts large parts of gangs
in custody awaiting trial at the moment the largest being 50 members of one gang
and gang leaders are in custody awaiting
trial we're waiting under the the verdict from the first gun case 1919
members are there still awaiting the verdict we should get that next in March
and that gang is the yuchun's wilson gang
chief justice Brian Sykes is expected to rule on the case in March
prosecutors say members of the yuchun's Wilson gang were involved in murders
rapes and armed robberies between 2015 and 2017 the gang allegedly stole
license Firearms cars and other items valued at more than four hundred million
dollars in the meantime Major General Anderson says there are a number of
other gangs that will be brought before the courts we have another one another
gang case that just started last week for another collective and I have 12
lined up to come when you start to do that that's what's gonna give you the
long term change that's what's gonna make the difference with that organized
crime highly violent gang culture that exists meanwhile the police commissioner
is insisting that states of emergency are not the only response to crime with
the addition of the Eastern Kingston Police Division on Sunday it SOE zernow
in operation across the country but for the police commissioner SOS help to hold
shootings and murders Major General Anthony Anderson pointed
to major technological advancements in the police force this he says will help
with how cases are tracked by the police in addition more technology will be used
to help with how resources are allocated
we're just doing the evaluation on station record management system which
is if in effect the e diary and that's in a view to at some point in
not distant future we will get rid of the paper records and go to an
electronic system that links us as soon as something's entered in st. James we
know in Portland we know in Kingston and we know in Port Marant
that something has happened this is going to significantly impact the
ability of people to avoid the law as of this month we've started to track our
vehicles within another month we'll have about a thousand two hundred of them
tracked so we'll know how fast they're going how they being driven where they
are where our people are what they're doing and when you have a traffic
accident it will generate a report in six seconds and it's time for a break
but stay with us we have more stories right after these messages
welcome back and we're continuing the news there are more reactions to news
that members of the Caribbean maritime university CMU council who recently
resigned had a signed non-disclosure agreements attorney-at-law Burt Samuels
has strongly criticized the concept of the agreement The Gleaner reported on
the weekend that the agreements Markham's members from speaking publicly
about information obtained during their tenure it's valid for five years from
the date it was signed the Prime Minister has promised to look into the
issue and raised it at cabinet according to mr. samaras several questions
immediately arise when these agreements come into play because it appears
there's something to hide it puts a lot of pressure on the individuals who are
signing these agreements because no doubt it was a condition of their
service and it is obvious that the whistleblower that is required to help
us at times would become you know trapped by this agreement mrs. Samuels
outlined and northern negative implication of non-disclosure agreements
do not meet with persons who really want to serve and who believe that they
should not be involved in secrecy it pushes away people who want to do
that and it sends a bad bad signal for those who are serving as though we could
point to them and say okay you're a part of the cover-up who wants to be part of
a cover-up especially at the CMU is now looking in you know in retrospect so bad
the government is being called on to put measures in place to deal with the poor
road conditions especially in northern Jelani t BJ's prints more reports
the call comes from MP for northern Chelonia victor right following the
withdrawal of touch the services yesterday by some operators who ply the
route from Falmouth to Hammersmith in Trelawney mr. Wright says he has made
attempts to get funding for the project I have on the table Parliament right now
questions to the Prime Minister asking him about to answer about this road I
need to know how much money has been spent in this constituency because when
you look what is happening around North relining you have roads fixing from
Jackson thrown up just to atone you have solar and that was the year before I
came but in all the other constituencies you have at least some semblance of Road
appears that is happening none is happening in north alone and as a member
Parliament get it in your head I have gotten not even one cent as a member of
parliament the taxi operators say for years they have been calling on the
government to address the road conditions as it's costing them
thousands of dollars to repair their vehicles which are damaged repeatedly by
the poor state of the roads we have many craters all along the road and we have
been having this situation for very long time now so we decide that we need some
very good attention from those who are in authority in the meantime counselor
for the Martha by division Philip service says for years there have been
efforts to fix some sections of the roads he says this is done through
patching but that's not enough at this time in spite of fact that there have
been funds allocated occasionally 40 for the occasional patch in the condition of
the road is so bad that the tax men here have been calling for one of the major I
think that I recall is right no more patching on the road as we speak some
porcinis even going on and that is what I think has escalated this thing
situation this morning know this appeal to the government last week or in
Parliament and there was a supplementary estimate here but for one point four
billion dollars and we heard that that money is to go towards Road appears I am
NOT one of the lucky mm MPs in Parliament to have been receiving any of
this allocation from my constituency I am
saying that allocates some money for the road especially this particular Road
another inch Ilana unless the contractors bid so we can have proper
piers being executed for the road it's a disgrace mr. Wright is also calling for
the government to dialogue with MPs when roads are to be fixed
in a constituency so what I agree that tourism is important and that Nero to
Google needs to be repaired if you are going to in one instance and this
argument is out here that the money comes from tourism phone all the money
belongs to the taxpayer every money in the country belongs to the taxpayer and
somebody is responsible for allocating that money if you can allocate money to
fix a tourism road that 2% of the constituency uses then you can allocate
money to fix a major road that the other 98% you Prince more TVJ news more
students at the University of the West Indies Mona are to benefit from
increased scholarships Scotiabank is the lead sponsor of the UWI Toronto benefit
gala scholarship program senior vice president with responsibility for
international banking Brendon King explained that a 10-year partnership
with the program has raised over 1.5 million Canadian dollars for over 500
beneficiaries at the recent awards ceremony mr. King revealed that Scotia
Bank has extended the partnership for an additional five years we'll be
increasing our total sponsorship investment to 75,000 Canadian dollars
per year
and most importantly our sponsorship our sponsorship will include 15 new scotia
bank scholarships per year designated to support worthy students in need among
the recipients this year are Jody more a final year actuarial science student and
TJ Henry with studying linguistics and language education we're willing to give
just breathtaking to me like they're willing to give without any other
expectation only that of your success now that just means so much to me I
experienced quite a few financial struggles in my first year of University
and this life-changing award has acted as a lifeline that has allowed me to
continue to pursue my studies here
alright and just to remind you that the medical official officials at the
University Hospital of the West Indies are treating a suspected case of the
corona virus the andi department of the hospital is on lockdown and they have
been treating the suspected case all morning it's on partial shutdown it's a
female patient and they are in quarantine the patient recently visited
a relative in china and we'll have much more we'll continue to track this story
and give you more details on as it unfolds the minister health minister dr.
christopher Tufton will be having a press conference scheduled for about
12:30 so we'll try to bring you all the details as far as possible
and that's the midday news I'm Andrea Chisholm join us at 7:00 for the prime
time news package on behalf of the news sports and production teams good
afternoon