good afternoon I am Andrea Chism with the midday news a special welcome if
you're watching on one spot mediacom cabinet is expected to revisit the
restrictions on public gatherings as efforts continue to stop the spread of a
cove in nineteen the measures which took effect last wednesday affect nightlife
funerals weddings and other group activities the prime minister announced
that the restrictions will remain in force for at least seven days social
distancing and some social distances and other methods Jamaicans are refusing to
follow the rules and those measures will also be discussed by Cabinet Health
Minister dr. Christopher Tufton says an update will be provided at this
afternoon's press conference is something that we monitor and discuss to
the ad cabinet we will review the seven-day restrictions that we had
imposed five days ago to look at the first seven days and to see what other
decisions we'll have to make so those are issues that will come into the
discussion and decisions made appropriately and announced act a bad
boy Trevor whose given name is Garfield Reed is among two persons charged with
breaches of several legislation including one activated to prevent the
spread of kovat 19 in Jamaica the 50 year old nightclub operator and 22 year
old cashier Kenya Smith are charged with breaches of the Disaster Risk Management
noise abatement state of emergency and spirit license acts a statement issued
by the police said the party was kept at thirty-one plantation Drive in Kingston
20 after shutting down the party the police deemed seized a console and a
quantity of liquor a warning this afternoon for people to follow
guidelines outlined by the government to prevent the spread of koban 19 for
example social distancing this as kovat 19 cases have been increasing globally
or Shane masters has details this afternoon for Jamaicans to take the
warnings of a health minister seriously it comes from opposition spokesman and
medical doctor Dean Campbell the project sure is that will affect 8% of the
population so roughly about 20% then we'll get sick of the 20% that gets sent
represent of the 80% of the 80% know about 20% of them will require inpatient
care in a hospital the majority of persons are going to be
asymptomatic means they don't have symptoms are they going to be mad no if
you take 20% of that 80% so we are roughly three million people 80% is 2.4
million and 20% of that know you're looking at a lot of persons he says with
that kind of a grim picture for an island as Jamaica it will be taxing on
the health sector this he argues as there will be an increased demand for
ventilators dr. Campbell says currently Jamaica has 20 intensive care units I
see you with additional spaces to come on stream soon but what is troubling he
notes is so you want to ensure that that no one point in time you have more than
say 10 or 20 critical cases because if you do then you will have to start
playing God no deciding who should get a ventilator who shouldn't and essentially
who should live and who will die and that's why it is critical for persons to
stay inside for them to follow the hygienic practices as to how to cough
into the helmet to wash their hands to use their hand sanitizers and those
other things to prevent the spread globally there have been over 300,000
positive cases of the corona virus with over 15,000 400 deaths in Jamaica up to
Sunday there were 19 confirmed cases and one death but with a closure of the
islands borders last Saturday to all incoming passengers except in a few
cases until tomorrow the government is expecting that the spread of the virus
will be contained by shade masters thank you very much a Shane and with thousands
of people expected to lose their jobs due to the threat of the corona virus
the government is to fill that gap by providing care
packages as we hear in this report things may become worst in the tourism
industry speaking on the morning on TV Jay's smile Jamaica seen a strategist in
the tourism minister Delano Seawright said in coming days the downturn in the
local hotel industry will worsen due to the fear of the cove in nineteen virus
at least 90 percent of properties have already closed their doors or have
scaled down operations while bookings have virtually dried up mr. Sebright
said the outlook remains grim the sector in and of itself is basically grinding
to a halt there are basically no tourists covenant of notes and most
hotels will be closed before the end of the month or are fully skilled in known
operations and there are a lot of people who have been affected he estimated that
about 125,000 direct jobs are affected while more than 100,000 indirect jobs
are impacted that means a lot of persons have lost their jobs due to the impact
of kovat 19 however mr. Sebright explained that the government is looking
towards providing kovin 19 care packages the Ministry of Finance's because of
course it's a very complex it's a process what they're moving as quickly
as possible to get that done so persons who have lost their job since March 10
when we first had the first case in Jamaica kovat kids in Jamaica
once it's verified that you lost your job then then there will be some cash
transfer program in place with burns more TVJ news in other news 8 murders
were reported yesterday across four police divisions among them a triple and
double murder the incidents took place in st. James st. Andrew Southwest
Moreland and Kingston central three of the divisions are under a state
of public emergency and the st. James police have identified two persons of
interest in the shooting death of a nine-year-old boy in franca yesterday
the person of interest is identified as Lance J sterling and
is being asked to turn himself in three other people including a six-year-old
girl were also injured in the incident which stemmed from a quarrel national
security minister dr. Horace Chang has again poured cold water on the
suggestion from the opposition that they will bring back past police initiatives
such as Operation kingfish to fight crime
dr. Chang labeled that type of targeted policing as old order he addressed the
matter after a recent tour of the police emergency center and although they were
a special spot a policeman go out and you chase don't torture your high-value
criminals and you seem to get some results but very soon it bounces back up
and that's what they experienced over the last 40 years you know the talk of
reduction at one point is really statistical variation what we have to do
is to provide the police with the tools that when they execute their activities
it is sustainable we call it what you have is designed to give them a live up
if Shenzi that they can conduct the operation the way that we are sure it
will maintain law over time and it's time for a break here on the midday news
but stay with us we have more stories right after these messages
welcome back and we're continuing the news schools have been officially closed
since March 13 to contain the spread of covin 19 and for one family they are
doing their part to ensure their children are not left behind school is
definitely not out for this 11 year old girl and seven-year-old boy seats at the
kitchen table are now the home versions of desk and chairs in the classroom mom
donut Williams is a language arts teacher by profession at home she's the
principal for Dad Garth Williams a regular teacher and support system we
get up a little later than usual we normally get up around 6 o'clock to get
to school by 7:30 now the time is relaxed so they get up a little closer
to 7 o'clock we eat bathe get dressed for school without the uniform so I mean
it is you know casual clothes that's it's like summer school really
and then once breakfast is done they have a local free time so to speak and
then we get into the regime and then I'll go and look at my timetable to see
what subjects I have for today and because my teacher gave us what we're
supposed to do for a period of 10 or at home I go to this book that I wrote it
down here and based on the subjects that I have today I do the activity that I
have for this week keeping in touch where the teachers is key
technology is being utilized as lessons are submitted and clarified via phone
calls emails and whatsapp so far so good they're adjusting they complain of
boredom because they don't have their peers around them to you know have the
idle chatter occasionally in class or whatever I don't want them to get me out
of the routine that they have for school so I try as much as I can to stick to
their timetable that they work with at school so I tried to give them breaks at
the same time but it would get break it might be a little longer no
extracurricular activities are part of the routine for the children the little
boy plays chess but since chess club is on pause for now the atmosphere is being
recreated at home and since there's no dance studio the garage is now the place
for practice sessions the message to parents take the time to strengthen the
bond with the children do more projects and have fun so when we talk about home
school when I'm working from home it's easy to talk about that but then you
have to also consider the different types of domestic situations in which
people find themselves and keep that in mind because for us we live in a quiet
neighborhood very thankful for that but there are other people who there's a
constant soundbox blare in somewhere beating on a zinc I don't know you just
can't think about it right so we are very happy to be able to be in the
situation nonetheless it doesn't matter where you are you can still find time
and find ways to bond with your children you just have to think about we are and
how you make use of that if you work in Kingston you may have noticed a cleaner
city as you went to work this morning the Kingston and st. Andrew Municipal
Corporation is conducting a citywide cleanup program more from Giovanni
Dennis
disinfecting scrubbing and post spraying on a massive scale a citywide cleanup to
contain kovaydin these workers have been contracted by the Kingston and st.
Andrew municipal cooperation to clean areas many people use daily for this
senior citizen the coronavirus may have brought with it a blessing
taking a good job
no what's a long time this shop wants still but no more important cause
Tyron on everything that on the Pearson
the swab on the cleanest have been working since last week starting in
Coronation market today they cleansed other areas kingston mayor del Rae
Williams is the man in charge we did office yesterday the Mandela park the
puppy in Park and other section today we are empty the caffeine market we square
the things we have done Park and we are here in New Kingston but there's been
one observation in all locations a stench not caused by Cove 819 that is
especially concerning to the mayor the urination in public spaces is a major
issue in sections of our municipality and is something that we know as a
minister we have to address insists the Kingston
and szentendre municipal cooperation is moving to permanently zip the smell we
did move a resolution to amend the third NOx in terms of the fine for urination
and and just general discard enough of waste in public spaces and that is no
Ministry of local government we have been following up with the beliefs of
local government because as soon as those fines are increase we will also be
setting up our enforcement Giovanna Dennis TVJ news and in sports world
athletics has reportedly called on the International Olympic Committee to
postpone the Olympic Games amid sphere of the corona virus pandemic Shoshana
McGowan has that story in a letter leaked to renown publication inside the
games world athletics president Sebastian Cole asserted that Tokyo 2020
taking place as planned in July and August is neither feasible nor desirable
amid growing international concern over the pandemic call cited competition
fairness the impact of the kovat 19 outbreak on training and the increased
risk of athletes suffering injuries as the three main reasons why the
organization believes the Olympics should be postponed world athletics the
first international federation to urge the IOC to move the event says it
remains available and that they're ready to help secure a new date for Tokyo 2020
Cole also argued that postponing Tokyo 2020 would put an end to the anguish and
uncertainty being felt by athletes due to the pandemic and its impact on
training and qualification for the games Shoshanna McGowan TV Jays sports and
that's the midday news I'm Andrea Chisholm join us at 7:00 for the prompt
a nice package on behalf of the news sports and production teams good
afternoon