Latest news with #Holness
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Jamaica rebuffs Rubio push against Cuban doctors
Jamaica on Wednesday rebuffed a push by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to sever a program that brings in Cuban doctors, who have become critical to health care in fellow Caribbean countries despite allegations of labor exploitation. Donald Trump's top diplomat held talks on the sidelines of a Caribbean summit aimed in part at finding new ideas on violence-ravaged Haiti, with host Jamaica saying it would help the new US administration in a "global war on gangs." But Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness made clear his differences with Rubio on the doctors, who are sent by Cuba around the world and have become a major source of revenue for the cash-strapped government. Rubio, a Cuban-American and vociferous foe of the communist government in Havana, announced last month that the Trump administration would bar visas for foreign government officials who assist the program, which he characterized as human trafficking. "Let us be clear, the Cuban doctors in Jamaica have been incredibly helpful to us," Holness said at a joint news conference with Rubio. He said that the 400 Cuban doctors in the country filled a deficit as Jamaican health workers emigrated. "We are, however, very careful not to exploit the Cuban doctors who are here. We ensure that they are treated within our labor laws and benefit like any other worker," Holness said. "So any characterization of the program by others certainly would not be applicable to Jamaica." Rubio promised to engage with Jamaica to have a "better understanding" of how it treats Cuban doctors. "Perhaps none of this applies in the way it's handled here," Rubio said. But Rubio said the United States remained opposed "in general" to the program. "The regime does not pay these doctors, takes away their passports and basically, it is, in many ways, forced labor, and that we cannot be in support of," Rubio said. The US special envoy on Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Caron, has also credited Barbados with taking steps to pay Cuban directors directly. Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Browne earlier this month sharply denounced the US pressure, saying the absence of Cuban doctors would "literally dismantle our healthcare services and put our people at risk." According to Cuban official figures, Cuba sent 22,632 medical professionals to 57 countries in 2023, with Cuba earning $6.3 billion in 2018 and $3.9 billion in 2020, in part in the form of oil from Venezuela. - 'Global war on gangs' - Rubio's trip comes as he considers a new strategy on Haiti, the hemisphere's poorest country, which has been plunged into chaos for years after government authority collapsed and armed groups took over. A Kenyan-led mission supported by former US president Joe Biden has deployed to Haiti in hopes of bringing stability, but the troop numbers have come up short and violence has resumed. Holness said the United States has been an "incredible partner" on Haiti but that the priority should be on a "significant expansion in resources" to Haiti's fledgling national police so it can take on gangs. "The present holding situation that we have, it's not necessarily moving the situation forward," he said. Holness said he spoke with Rubio about "a global war on gangs, and there is already significant policy alignment" between Jamaica and the Trump administration. Rubio has issued a waiver to Trump's sweeping cuts to aid to back the Haiti mission. He also announced that the United States would provide assistance to Jamaica to combat gangs, including software. Rubio said that the support to Jamaica "highlights exactly what our vision for aid moving forward is." "The United States is not getting out of the aid business," he said. But instead of funding non-governmental groups, Rubio said, "We want to provide foreign aid in a way that is strategically aligned with our foreign policy priorities." sct/dc
USA Today
11-03-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Jamaican artist Cocoa Tea dies: Reggae singer was 65
Jamaican artist Cocoa Tea dies: Reggae singer was 65 Show Caption Hide Caption What you need to know about the rise of walking pneumonia cases The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued an alert over the surge in cases of walking pneumonia in children younger than 5 years old. News 12 Cocoa Tea, a celebrated reggae singer and songwriter, has died. He was 65. "I extend condolences to the family, friends, and supporters of Calvin George Scott, affectionately known as Cocoa Tea," Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness wrote in a post on Instagram Tuesday. "His smooth vocals and compelling lyrics gave us timeless classics like 'Rocking Dolly' and 'I Lost My Sonia,' songs that have become anthems in our cultural landscape," Holness wrote. His wife, Malvia Scott, confirmed to the Jamaica Gleaner, the country's paper of record, that the singer had died following a cardiac arrest early Tuesday morning in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Born in the Rocky Point neighborhood of Clarendon, Jamaica, Scott rose to popularity on the island first before his fame began growing internationally in the '90s. Known for songs like "Lost My Sonia" and "Rocking Dolly," his signature sounds blended breezy slow-grooving vocals with socially conscious lyricism. 50 years later, 'The Harder They Come' remains a touchstone moment for Jamaica and reggae He was first diagnosed with lymphoma in 2019, which worsened when he began battling pneumonia six months ago, his wife told the Gleaner. "He was definitely very brave," Malvia Scott told the outlet. "He was positive throughout it all. About three weeks ago when he was admitted in the hospital he asked if I was worried and I said 'I am always worried.' He told me not to worry because everything was going to be all right. He was always very hopeful." That positive outlook could be seen throughout his discography as he leaned heavily on themes of love and peace − both also important tenets to Rastafarianism, a religion he joined in 1985. "Beyond his musical genius, Cocoa Tea was a beacon of kindness and generosity, consistently uplifting the less fortunate and embodying the warmth of our nation," Holness said in his statement. "Cocoa Tea's influence extended beyond our shores, touching hearts worldwide and solidifying Jamaica's place on the global musical stage."
Miami Herald
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Caribbean nations have yet to send forces to Haiti to join Kenya-led mission. Here's why
Long before Guatemala and El Salvador agreed to deploy military forces to join the international armed mission to help Haiti's beleaguered security forces fight terrorizing gangs, Jamaica raised its hand. The country, just 118 miles west of Haiti, not only has one of the more experienced militaries in the Caribbean when it comes to taking on criminal gangs alongside police, its defense force has been increasingly focusing on digital threats, which Haitian gangs are rapidly using to announce attacks and show their prowess. Still, as the security situation in Haiti grows more desperate with gangs expanding their territory to now control as much as 90% of Port-au-Prince, the English-speaking Caribbean nation still hasn't fully deployed. Nor have The Bahamas, Belize or any of the other Caribbean countries that volunteered to field police and military to the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti. The delay, observers say, is both a matter of funding as well as safety, which hit home Sunday when the mission confirmed its first casualty, a Kenyan police officer. The cop was injured during a firefight with gangs in the Artibonite region north of Port-au-Prince, and died after he was airlifted by members of the Salvadoran army. The details of what happened have still not been made public. But the dangers that Haiti's crises continue to pose loomed large last week as the 15-member Caribbean Community regional bloc known as CARICOM discussed the ongoing problems in Haiti, a member country. 'The region continues to be committed to ensuring that Haiti is stabilized and that the security situation can be brought into order,' Mia Mottley, Barbados' prime minister and current CARICOM chair, said during comments at a closing press conference Friday. Last month, as the United Nations reported that gang-related violence had led to the killings of more than 5,600 people in 2024 and more than a million are now internally displaced, Barbados became the latest country to publicly back out of deploying a contingent to join the Kenyan mission. 'Our position really has always been that our numbers are better suited in providing the technical support,' Mottley said. 'We don't have the numbers that other countries have with respect to the capacity to offer those boots on the ground.' The Caribbean forces in Haiti include 31 soldiers and police officers from Jamaica, Belize and The Bahamas. Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness said he remains committed to deploying the 200 security personnel he pledged in September. At the time, Holness said the initial group, which include the mission's deputy force commander, would lay out the command structure and prepare for the future deployment. 'The commitment for troops and other personnel remains,' Holness said. 'Jamaica sent a command group to Haiti to assist in the development of logistics and planning. That group is due for rotation. They are there for almost six months. Upon rotation, a larger group will be sent. Possibly double the size, and then shortly thereafter, the full complement that we committed of 200 will be on the ground.' Holness did not give a timeline on what overall has been a slow deployment of forces. First requested by the Haitian government in October 2022, the Kenyan mission wasn't authorized by the U.N. Security Council until a year later and the first troops didn't start deploying until June of 2024. In that time, armed groups have escalated the violence, launching coordinated attacks against police stations, hospitals and other key government infrastructure, including the airport and seaport. Though hundreds of additional troops from Kenya, Guatemala and El Salvador have arrived since the start of the year, including the first all-female SWAT unit from Nairobi, to boost the forces on the ground, the mission is still at less than half of the 2,500 personnel originally envisioned. READ MORE: Caribbean leaders agree Haiti needs elections. The debate is on how soon they can happen Though Haiti's current instability goes as far back as 2017 when gangs carried out a large-scale massacre in the Grand Ravine neighborhood of the capital, the country's near total plunge into anarchy was precipitated with the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise. Holness said it was important to keep in mind that the establishment and preparation for deployment of the mission has not been straightforward. 'We have to ensure that when we deploy issues such as the availability of medevac, the availability of facilities to properly and appropriately house the personnel, that those are in existence. And that may not have always been the case, so we have to build out and deploy troops according to the facilities that are available,' he said. He was confident, he added, that all the facilities will be available for full deployment. Earlier this month, Salvadoran forces landed in Port-au-Prince as part of a 70-person medevac team that consisted of three helicopters, one of which was used on Sunday to airlift the injured Kenyan back to Port-au-Prince. Ahead of the tragedy, Caribbean leaders met with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres to discuss the future of the mission amid its uncertain funding. Guterres told leaders that he plans to present a plan later this week to the Security Council, which had been asked by the outgoing Biden administration and Ecuador to transform the Kenyan mission into a formal U.N. peacekeeping operation to address its lack of funding, equipment and personnel. Instead of proposing a peacekeeping mission, however, Guterres is proposing a model where the U.N. provides logistical and non-lethal support to the existing Kenyan-security mission and the salaries are paid for by voluntary contributions to a U.N.-controlled trust fund. 'This follows a very thorough assessment of the full range of options for the U.N. to support the medium-term security goals of Haiti, in line with what we can realistically do,' Guterres spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, said. Currently that trust fund has $110.8 million with Canada being the largest contributor. The U.S. recently froze its $15 million cash contribution meant to encourage other donors after Washington financed the lion's share of the mission, with more than $600 million in kind-donations, equipment and the construction of the base. So far, no Latin American country has contributed to the fund. Neither has Russia nor China, the two loudest critics of foreign intervention in Haiti. The lack of funding, one Caribbean official pointed out, has been a major obstacle to the deployment of regional forces. The critical need for additional boots on the ground was underscored last week as both Haitian police and the MSS continued their efforts to stop the advancement of armed gangs in Kenscoff, a community in the mountains above the capital, and found themselves stretched thin as gangs set fires to homes in the neighborhoods of Nazon and Carrefour-Feuilles, sending residents running into the streets. The death of the Kenyan cop, identified as Samuel Tompei Kaetuai, a father of two who was newly married, occurred on another battle front further north in the central Artibonite region. Amid the surge in gang violence — and ongoing political infighting and power struggles within the government that's severly undermining efforts to restore security— a police union on Monday demanded that the transitional government increase protections and equipment for police officers. Union leader Garry Jean Baptist, during a protest outside of the offices of the prime minister and presidential council, also said cops were not being paid on time. As he spoke, a handful of civilians held up signs that said, 'We deserve security.' Later, in a speech marking his first 100 days in office, Prime Minister Alix Dider Fils-Aimé promised a doubling of the budget for security, saying 'We are at war against gangs.' Recent investments in equipment and support for the Haiti National Police, he said, show the government's commitment to fighting gangs, which is a prerequisite for ending the transition by February 7, 2026 with a newly elected president and parliament. 'Security is the condition for a successful transition. There will be no referendum or elections without security,' Fils-Aimé said. 'No force can stand up to the State when it chooses to make proper use of all its resources to deliver results.' Already this year, eight Haitian police officers have been killed along with two members of Haiti's small army. Most of the deaths occurred in confrontations with gangs, according to a report compiled by the National Human Rights Defense Network. Pierre Esperance, the head of the group, said despite efforts by Caribbean governments last year to help Haiti put in place a transitional government the situation has only become worse. 'We've gone backwards,' Esperance said. 'There is more political instability today and worsening of security. There are more territories that have been lost,' he said, as he ticked off neighborhoods in the metropolitan area as well as parts of the Artibonite region that have now fallen to gangs: Carrefour, Solino, Nazon, Gressier, Ganthier, Cabaret, communities in Kenscoff and the entire hospital district in Port-au-Prince. 'It's under this government that the gangs have burned more hospitals.' Even the area around the U.S. embassy in Tabarre has not been spared the wrath of armed gangs. 'The U.S. embassy was always operational between 30% and 40%. Now I think it's at 10%,' Esperance said. CARICOM leaders say there have been improvements. They cite the creation of the Transitional Presidential Council, whose seven voting members and two observers represent the leading political parties and sectors in Haiti's political life. They also cite the efforts of three former Caribbean prime ministers who have tried to mediate a brewing crisis on the council involving three members who have been accused of bribery. The three have insisted on their innocence and dismissed calls to step down.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Arizona guardswoman recovers after drone attack, and receives Purple Heart
The Brief Arizona guardswoman Sgt. Aneska Holness was badly hurt in a drone attack in Jordan in 2024. She persevered and worked toward recovery, and on the way, she was awarded a Purple Heart. Holness also earned a master's degree while she was recovering. PHOENIX - An Arizona guardswoman is on the road to recovery after surviving a deadly drone attack during a deployment in Jordan in 2024. It left her with life-long injuries, but she's not letting that get in her way. What we know Sgt. Aneska Holness was just weeks into her deployment in Jordan when the drone strike happened. "I was sleeping. I was in one of the room's buildings that were hit. It's honestly just waking up to chaos. It was very unexpected. I don't think anyone really thought that would happen while we were there," Holness said. "There's a sense of security and safety that you felt, especially because the base hadn't been hit in over 20-plus years." She was one of dozens of Arizona service members who were hit in the attack. Dozens were injured, including Holness, but she still found a way to help her friend. "She was calling out for help and everything else didn't matter in that moment. It was just trying to get to her. "So once I got to her, and we helped her get out, that's when I really understood the scope of what had happened," she said. Holness received the Purple Heart for her traumatic brain injuries and hip wounds. "It was an honor meeting everybody else or some of the soldiers that got that award as well, but I think more than anything, myself included, my family, is just happy I'm still here," Holness said. Dig deeper She's still here, but with more surgeries on the way. She remains focused on her future growth. While serving, she went to Arizona State University, obtaining an undergrad degree in anthropology. Then, while recovering, she made a choice to go back to school. "When it came time for me to receive my master's, it was an easy choice," she said. She attended ASU once again. This time, she earned a master's focusing on cybersecurity. It was a tremendous undertaking while also learning how to walk again and recovering at Fort Bliss. "I try to focus on the goal," Holness said. "The end goal. That has been a source of motivation for me." She has plenty of motivation, and a mom and family who couldn't be prouder. "I think they have seen more than anyone else how hard I've worked for it. Especially after the injuries and having my surgeries done, I still had to work that much harder to be able to focus not just on recovery, but being able to complete with good grades as well, so they're really proud of me and celebrate my accomplishments," Holness said.
