FINAL PREPARATIONS Story on Page 5 Supermarket Gets Two Weeks to Solve Stench Problem Page 4 MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 2020
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MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 2020 | ISSUE 125 | WWW.POINTVILLE.AG SCHOOLS MAKE FINAL PREPARATIONS Story on Page 5 Supermarket gets two weeks to solve stench problem Page 4 MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 2020 PAGE 2 Local News New talk show premieres on Pointe FM Pointe FM 99.1 today and Barbuda, the domestic premieres a new interac- population and members of PUBLIC SERVICE tive morning show, Start- the diaspora. ing Pointe, from 7am to The final half-hour of 9am. Starting Pointe will be re- ANNOUNCEMENT Hosted by Shelton Dan- served for telephone calls The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank invites entrepre- iel, Starting Pointe, which and social media interac- airs Monday to Friday, will tion from its Facebook, neurs or business leaders operating in Antigua and Bar- feature two hours of dis- Instagram and WhatsApp buda to participate in its digital EC currency (DCash) cussion, analysis and feed- audiences. pilot! As a business operator, you will be able to use back on issues and topics The telephone numbers DCash to grow your business, generate invoices and re- that are of interest and con- for local calls are 562- ceive payment from customers instantly in digital EC cern to the media house’s 2991 and 562-3989. Call- currency. multi-platform audience. ers from the US should dial Sign-up today by emailing [email protected]. The topics addressed 718-285-7889. Visit the ECCB’s website: www.eccb-centralbank.org on the show will cover a WhatsApp messages can for more information. range of international, re- be sent to +1 (268) 729- Issued: 28 August 2020 gional or local issues, but 7102. they will all be designed Ahead of the launch of Media Contact: Shermalon Kirby, Acting Director, Corporate Rela- to generate thought pro- the programme, Daniel tions Department Phone: (869) 465-2537 | Fax: (869) 465-9562 voking discussion which promised the Pointe FM E-mail: [email protected] bears relevance to Antigua audience a riveting debut. Website: www.eccb-centralbank.org MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 2020 Local News PAGE 3 Tracking devices for quarantine violators The government is mov- threat, but I must warn the ing swiftly to strengthen the people of Antigua and Bar- firewall intended to stop the buda that it is still real and local spread of the coronavi- people are still dying every rus by firmly addressing the day from this virus,” the indiscipline of persons who prime minister declared. have been ordered to quar- He said most people have antine at home. followed the advice of the Reporting to the nation health professionals and are on the issue, Prime Min- actively engaged in the fight ister Gaston Browne said against the virus. Unfortu- the government will soon nately, he continued, there acquire electronic bracelets are those who deliberately and geo-fencing devices to minister, the tracking equip- trolling the transmission of flout the protocols designed track the movement of peo- ment is expected to arrive in the COVID-19 virus within to protect the population. ple who are quarantined but the country in approximate- the community. Browne said that these per- insist on violating these in- ly three weeks. There are no active con- sons will be dealt with ac- structions. “We can’t depend on these firmed cases of the virus in cording to the law. “We have a case where a individuals to stay at home Antigua and Barbuda based Meanwhile, PM Browne returning national was seen and this is one area of our on the latest data provided has suggested that the coun- at Scotiabank conducting protocols that we clearly by the Ministry of Health, try should stage another business two days after he have some vulnerability. however, Browne cautioned Day of Prayer to offer God returned at a time he was We will soon introduce new that there may be asymp- thanks for steering the coun- told to quarantine at home. measures to close this gap,” tomatic carriers of the virus try through the pandemic Luckily, the individual was he stated. within the population who and to the point where there reported to the health au- The prime minister cred- would still pose a threat to are no recorded active cases thorities and they took the ited the government’s re- the community. of the virus. necessary action,” Browne sponse along with the re- “Our biggest threat re- “When you look at the said on the Browne and sponse of the Ministry of mains complacency as some risk we have taken on, I Browne talk programme. Health and other key gov- appear to be of the view must say that there is divine According to the prime ernment agencies in con- that COVID is no longer a guidance.” MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 2020 PAGE 4 Local News Supermarket gets two weeks to solve stench problem The Central Board of Health given fourteen days from the (CBH) has ordered a su- date of receipt of her letter to permarket to deal with foul begin to take positive steps in smelling waste water that implementing three recom- flows into a nearby village mendations to remedy the ex- and which poses a health haz- isting problem. ard for those living in the vi- A synopsis of the recom- cinity. mendations included, “the ad- A letter from the Chief dition on premises of holding Health Inspector, Sharon tanks for the storage of efflu- Martin, to the management of ent only, ideally the installa- First Choice Supermarket sur- tion of a sewage treatment faced online which described plant activated sludge or se- in detail the situation between quencing batch reactor type the supermarket and neigh- as well as an absorption area, boring communities. adequately sized to accommo- Martin gave management date the output of the effluent two weeks to deal with the flow on a daily basis.” matter. The Chief Health Inspector The letter, dated August continued that this incessant 24th 2020, identified the is- problem and nuisance to res- sue as the incessant flow of idents in the area predated her untreated effluent from First to the tenure of her predeces- Choice Supermarket. sor and was allowed to con- “In my tenure of Office as tinue unabated. the Chief Health Inspector, I Charles Fernandez, the par- have received several com- liamentary representative for plaints and threats to pick- St. John’s Rural North, re- et my office from residents joiced at the news saying he in the community (i.e Yorks shared the enthusiasm of the and Old Runaway), visitors community who will soon re- to the community and pass- ceive relief. ersby who travelled along the Fernandez, who had been Anchorage main road, about in active dialogue with health the ever present redolent, and safety officials, contin- malodorous stench emanating ued that he is looking forward from the drain,” Martin wrote. to an amicable and speedy The Chief Health Inspec- solution. tor noted that the letter was “We appreciate the role that a followup to a face-to-face the supermarket has played discussion about two months in providing support to the ago with the business’ man- local economy and we antic- agement at their Anchorage ipate a solution for everyone ever, the supermarket’s health authorities re- road location. involved,” A comment from a manager claims that garding waste from the Martin advised the estab- community group read. he has not yet received Anchorage road super- lishment that they would be According to reports, how- an official letter from market. MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 2020 Local News PAGE 5 Final preparations being made for schools’ reopening Final preparations are underway this as meetings of the heads of depart- They will ensure that hand washing week ahead of the start of the 2020-21 ments within the schools,” Browne in- stations are in place, that seating meets academic year on Monday 7th Septem- dicated. with Pan American Health Organiza- ber. Schools in Antigua and Barbuda tion regulations along with any other A top education official has indicated closed in the middle of March with the measures intended to safeguard the that a hive of activities are taking place onset of the coronavirus pandemic. health and safety of the students and as the Ministries of Health and Educa- A series of inspections will also take teachers. tion, teachers’ union, parents and other place at schools across the country. Schools will reopen under a two- stakeholders prepare the way for a safe According to the director several tiered system in which lessons will return to the classroom by thousands of teams will fan out across the country to be delivered in person and via virtual students after a six month interruption inspect the protocols that are in place classrooms. in learning. to welcome back the students. The government has ordered six According to Director of Education, Each team will be composed of a thousand tablets which will be distrib- Clare Browne, the first three days of the representative from the Ministry of uted to students. week will involve a series of meetings Health, the Ministry of Education, the The ministry of Information and between the Ministry of Education and Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teach- Technology has also made arrange- teachers ahead of the start of classes. ers, the National Parent Teachers As- ments for government public schools “The meetings this week will include sociation and the Safer Schools Com- to be provided with high speed inter- zonal meetings, staff meetings as well mittee. net. MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 2020 PAGE 6 Local News ABLP hopeful Cochrane claims credit for spurring candidate hopefuls to action Residents in the constitu- Cochrane said he found ency of All Saints East and the attempts at one upman- St.