Why 8 Barbadians possibly with Zika Virus and 66 dead from H1N1 means Jamaica by February 2016

“The fact that the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits the Zika virus, is the same mosquito that spreads dengue fever and chikungunya, we are all very familiar with the prevention and control measures which we need to undertake… Inspect your surroundings to  search out and remove mosquito-breeding places on your properties. The Ministry of Health recommends that this should be done once per week.”

Minister of Health John Boyce in a Press conference on Friday January 8th 2015

The Zika Virus is getting closer and closer every day, as it's currently in Martinique as noted in my blog article entitled “Why Zika Virus in Martinique means 2016 the Year of Zika Virus in Jamaica”. 

It's now in Barbados with eight (8) Bajans possibly infected by the virus as reported in the article “Barbados monitors 8 suspected cases of Zika virus”, published Saturday, January 09, 2016, The Jamaica Observer.

 

Their Barbadian Ministry of Health has send the samples of the suspected eight (8) to CARPHA (Caribbean Public Health Agency) and plan to share the results with the rest of the nation as soon as they become available. If confirmed, they'll become the 14^th nation to register a local transmission of the Zika Virus as reported in the article “Zika threat”, published January 9, 2016 Emmanuel Joseph, Barbados Today.

This will bring the total number of Latin American and Caribbean nations that have registered the Zika Virus to fourteen (14).

1.      Barbados

2.      Brazil

3.      Chile

4.      Colombia

5.      El Salvador

6.      French Guyana

7.      Guatemala

8.      Honduras

9.      Martinique

10.  Mexico

11.  Panama

12.  Paraguay

13.  Suriname

14.  Venezuela

So said Minister of Health John Boyce in a Press conference on Friday January 8^th 2015, quote: “As of January 2, 2016, 14 member-states and territories of the Americas have confirmed local transmission of Zika virus. In Barbados, there are eight suspected cases and these samples will be sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency for confirmatory testing”.

So what are the Bajans planning to do to combat the Zika Virus, should it come to their island?

Eight suspected of Zika Virus in Barbados – Jamaica to get Zika Virus by Valentine’s Day

Meanwhile there are now 66 cases of H1N1 in Barbados, which is regarded by the Senior Medical Health Officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr Arthur Phillips as a mild virus, quote: “The flu season goes from the end of one year to the beginning of the next year, and each year there are outbreaks of the flu… The Ministry of Health has mechanisms through which it monitors and reviews possible influenza cases and analyses this data on a weekly basis”.

Most likely, like Trinidad and Tobago and H1N1 as reported in my blog article entitled “29 infected 3 dead from H1N1 in Trinidad - How the Influenza A (H1N1) virus can come to Jamaica , they have an adequate supply of vaccines to combat this seasonal flu”.

The main concern in the Zika Virus, which not only is responsible for microcepahly in babies but may also be sexually transmitted as reported in the article “Zika virus may be transmitted through sex”, published Sunday, January 10, 2016 by Derrick Aarons, The Jamaica Observer.

 

Both the Zika Virus as well as Influenza A (H1N1) albeit transmitted differently, will predominantly affect the same set of people:

1.      Babies

2.      Children suffering from an illness

3.      Elderly persons with other health problems

 

The symptoms for the Zika Virus which are seen four (4) to seven (7) days after the initial infection and last for up to four (4) weeks or longer, are a bit milder:

1.      Conjunctivitis

2.      Fever

3.      Headache

4.      Joint and muscle pain

5.      Rash

6.      Swelling of the lower limbs

7.      Weakness

Reducing the breeding sites for the Aedes Aegypti mosquito is the best preventative measure in reducing the spread of the Zika Virus as show in the CARPHA Yard Poster below.

 

There are also measures that you can take to reduce the chance of being bitten by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito:

1.      Wearing long-sleeved clothing or long pants

2.      Using DEET insect repellents

3.      Sleeping under mosquito nets

Finally taking Vitamin C and B12 vitamins will also help.

This is my current strategy ever since Dominica started fretting, Puerto Rico reported a case and the US of A is getting ready to welcome the Zika Virus as noted in my blog article entitled “Why the US of A must fear Zika Virus as Dominica and Jamaica next by February 2016”.

 

How long before it comes to Jamaica is a matter of speculation, but predict by Valentine's Day in February 2016!

Why NEPA and Ministry of Transport and Works allowing St Thomas residents to be lunch for American Crocodiles

 Folks in Albion, St Thomas as well as those people living near Pear Tree River, there is American Crocodile on the Loose!

Or rather, several of them are on the loose even going into people's back yards as reported in the article “‘Monster’ crocodile found in Albion, St Thomas”, published January 8, 2016 by Gavin Riley, Loop Jamaica. 

The sightings have occurred in Albion, St Thomas as well as near Pear Tree River as reported in the article “Pear Tree River road being overrun by crocodiles; residents angry and scared”, published January 8, 2016, Loop Jamaica. 

Albion is 37 kilometers away from the mangrove swamps near Pear Tree River, yet they share the same problem; American Alligators. Effectively, this means anyone living near to these places lives in constant fear of Alligators sneaking out and grabbing them or their children for a late night snack.

NEPA to the rescue – Wildlife Protection Act means jail time if you harm them

NEPA (National Environment and Planning Agency) have already come to these areas to remove the American Alligators that have gone into people's yards especially in Albion.

 

The Residents cannot harm them, as they're protected under the Wildlife Protection Act. Anyone caught harming crocodiles will be arrested, charged and fined up to JA$100,000 or serve 12-months imprisonment.

The American Crocodile has a right to the habitat as per the Wildlife Protection Act. After all, Jamaica is an island and tourists wouldn't mind to go on safaris to see them, as they were here before Jamaicans!

Pear Tree River fear becoming lunch - Delano Seiveright’s Crocodile Bridge in the pipeline

Still, JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) caretaker for St Thomas Eastern, Delano Seiveright is calling for the construction of a bridge for the residents of Pear Tree River as reported in the article “Pear Tree River road being overrun by crocodiles; residents angry and scared”, published January 8, 2016, Loop Jamaica. 

Many residents living in and around Pear Tree River fear that one day, they and their children will become dinner for these crocodiles. 

However, having the crocodiles for dinner is out of the question despite my blog article entitled “Jamaicans now Eating Sly Mongoose as Chicken Back shortage Gets closer to Christmas”. 

It'll be interesting to see how long it'll take NEPA and the Ministry of Transport and Works to fix the problem with people encountering crocodiles, as before they take action, I predict one of the residents of St. Thomas will be on the American Crocodile menu.

Jamaicans, don't harm the American Crocodiles. Call NEPA at the following numbers to have them removed:

1-876-754-7540

1-888-991-5005 (American Crocodile Hotline Bling)

Why the Jamaican Chicken Shortage of 2015 might be ending in 2016

Jamaicans who love chicken, fret not, the shortage that's causing the high prices may be soon over.

Minister of Agriculture Derrick Kellier has put in place plans to address the current chicken shortage as reported in the article “Ministry moves to ease chicken shortage”, published Thursday, January 07, 2016, The Jamaica Gleaner.

 

Strangely enough, Minister of Agriculture Derrick Kellier is still insisting that there is no shortage of chicken, despite evidence to the contrary.

This as many people across Jamaica are now reporting difficulty in getting chicken in the amounts that they desire to purchase as well as price increases, exactly as I’d predicted in my blog article entitled  “How the Drought of 2015 means higher prices for Jamaican Christmas 2015 and Easter 2016”.

Also, there seems to be some strange restriction of 2lb per person, as if there is a shortage.

Now personally, I don't eat meat or chicken, but according to the Jamaica Observer, chicken is now going for as high as JA$200 per pound, up from the usual JA$170 per pound.

Corporate affairs manager at Caribbean Broilers Group, Dr Keith Amie had claimed that 2 lb of chicken per person was enough to satisfy any family as noted in the article “No Shortage Of Chicken, Just High Demand, Says Caribbean Broilers”, Published Wednesday December 23, 2015, The Jamaica Gleaner.

However, this isn't possible, as 2 lb per person will not suffice many families that are fairly large and have relatives over for dinner, even after Christmas as predicted in my blog article entitled  “How Caribbean Broilers Group figures reveal Jamaica experiencing Chicken Shortage in Christmas 2015”. 

So what does Minister of Agriculture Derrick Kellier plan to do about the shortage in chicken?

Chicken shortage continues in 2016 - Ramp up production and importation is coming back

According to him, more chicken is on the way!

He's announced that production has been ramping up at one of the larger chicken producers, Caribbean Broilers, which I'd reported in my blog article entitled  “How Caribbean Broilers Group figures reveal Jamaica experiencing Chicken Shortage in Christmas 2015”.

This is actually thanks to eight (8) large chicken farmers who supply Jamaica Broilers with chicken, whom they claim are investing heavily in chicken production in 2016 as reported in “Jamaica Broilers Contract Farmers To Invest $700m In New Poultry Houses”, published Thursday January 7, 2016 by Tameka Gordon, The Jamaica Gleaner.

In fact, this investment by these eight (8) large chicken farmers translates to some 48,000 birds or a 25% increase in capacity to supply the market with chicken as noted by senior vice president of operations and finance, Ian Parsard, quote: “We are looking at eight existing farmers who would be putting up new houses, an additional five or so new farmers who are looking to enter the business, and a couple of farmers who are expanding on existing poultry houses”.

Not only that, but the Minister of Agriculture Derrick Kellier has also announced that the ban on chicken importation on some US States is being lifted.

This ban that was put in place back in March 2015 was original due to the H5N2 or Avian Flu spreading in poultry farms in the US of A and Canada as noted in my blog article entitled  “Ministry of Agriculture bans US, Canadian Chicken Products - Why H5N2 Avian Flu is Shadows of 2014 Chicken Shortage during Easter 2015”. 

This means that the importation of Chicken will soon return to normal. Hopefully too, so will the price, thus ending the chicken shortage!

How the SMA and Jamaica Customs Agency ensure Jamaicans import Radio Devices that work in Jamaica

“This is not about imposing some sort of bureaucratic governmental process to stop people from purchasing what they want. What we are saying is that there are things that will work and there are things that won't work and the undue interference is what we are trying to prevent so that everyone can enjoy the use of the spectrum, and the use of these new technologies without any hindrance”

Director of Legal Affairs at the SMA, Ida-Gaye Warburton, commenting on wireless gadgets that interfere with spectrum

One has to be careful when shopping online. This as not all the gadgets work in Jamaica, which is sad, as many are now discovering this AFTER Christmas 2015!

That's the SMA (Spectrum Management Authority) is becoming aware imported electronic gadgets experiencing interference with certain spectrum in Jamaica as noted in the article “Gadget Lovers Clashing With Radio Spectrum”, published Sunday December 13, 2015 by Neville Graham, The Jamaica Gleaner.

 

So much so that the SMA has issued a Press Notice titled Notice to importers of Radio Devices on the SMA website.

Many electronics gadgets purchased online or shipped to Jamaica via the barrel as described in my blog article entitled “How US$80 Amazon 6-inch Kindle Reader (2014) is on sale - Why pack US$50 Amazon Fire Kindle in a Jamaican Barrel” are not working in Jamaica.

So what are the most common devices that do not work as advertised when shipper to Jamaica?

Some Smartphones do not work in Jamaica – Quad-Band GSM Smartphone only for Jamaica

This as many of them may be using frequencies already occupied by Telecom Provider services here in Jamaica.

This is already true in the case of smartphones, often shipped down in bags of rice in barrels to relatives here in Jamaica. In many cases, it can be as simple as purchasing a Smartphone that isn't compatible with any of our local Telecom Network, Digicel or FLOW Jamaica which use the following frequencies:

1.      Digicel: GSM 900MHz, 1800MHz, 850MHz, 1900 MHz

2.      Cable and Wireless – LIME: GSM 850MHz, 1900 MHz

Jamaicans often purchase smartphones that are CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and forget that Jamaica uses a GSM (Global System Mobile) that's incompatible with any CDMA Smartphone that work on Sprint or Verizon as noted in my blog article entitled “How to unlock any phone and put it on any Network - Guaranteed to unlock any Feature or Smartphone on the Chennai Express”.

1.      T-Mobile USA: 1900 MHz

2.      AT&T: 850 Mhz, 1900 MHz (3G 850 Mhz, 1900 Mhz)

Unlocking Smartphone should no longer be a problem, especially as most Smartphone are now being sold carrier unlocked since February 2015 as noted in my blog article entitled “US Carriers must Carrier Unlock smartphones as of Wednesday February 11th 2015 – How Americans can get their smartphones Carrier unlocked”.

Here in Jamaica, Digicel and FLOW Jamaica has unilaterally decided to start selling unlocked smartphones since January 2015 as noted in my blog article entitled “Why Digicel and FLOW Jamaica selling unlocking smartphones as Huawei and Xiaomi coming in 2016”.

This is thanks to increased competition from dual-SIM Smartphone and sellers of unlocked smartphones such as Miami-based phone-maker Blu Products, Chinese based Huawei and the soon-to-come Xiaomi, makers of the Xiaomi Redmi smartphone.

But aside from smartphones, what other products may have difficulty working in Jamaica? And what does the SMA plan to do about this rising problem?

SMA on Electronic Gadgets - Check before importing due to Signal Interference

Aside for smartphones, the other gadgets that seem to not work in Jamaica are as follows:

1.      Garage door openers

2.      Keyless entry devices

3.      Vehicle immobilisers

4.      Vehicle trackers

5.      RFID tags

6.      CB Radios

7.      Wi-Fi Routers

8.      Bluetooth-enabled devices

Here is a List of Equipment Seized Under the Radio and Telegraph Control Act. This is a list of items seized by the Jamaica Customs Agency.

Many of these devices are low power transmitters, which are easily overwhelmed by the higher signal strength of our local Telecom Network as allocated on the SAC (Spectrum Allocation Chart) as shown in the image below.

As such, you product may not work in Jamaica, even though they may have been advertised as working abroad, as pointed out Director of Legal Affairs at the SMA, Ida-Gaye Warburton: “You are bringing in a keyless device, but it uses the spectrum; if it is not a device that is configured to work on the frequency range that we have here in Jamaica for that device, when you try to use it, you may experience interference from something else that is authorised to work in that band. It may work in China, but China uses a different plan than in Jamaica”.

Realizing that more Jamaicans are purchasing these devices, the SMA is putting in place plans to police the spectrum that is currently being used and make customer aware of how their devices might be suffering interference. This as the SMA, who are the guardian of Spectrum on behalf of the Government of Jamaica, have it in their power to certify devices that transmit or receive radio signals for operation in Jamaica.

They are advising customer and businesses who seek to import certain electronic gadgets into Jamaica to seek clearance from the SMA via their Notice to importers of Radio Devices on the SMA website. Otherwise the Jamaica Customs Agency pending approval of the SMA, will start to confiscate items deemed to be potentially presenting an interference hazard with our current usage of spectrum in Jamaica.

This has always been the case but they are now thinking to be more proactive via their press Notice, to quote Director of Legal Affairs at the SMA, Ida-Gaye Warburton: “Customs has always been detaining items of this nature if it is that they are not already authorised by the SMA. So it is not new. It is simply alerting the public to the fact that this is what will occur if it is that they bring in an item that's not already preapproved”

So how do you check to see if the item you are importing conforms to the spectrum guidelines set out by the SMA?

List of Approved Devices - What the Jamaica Customs Agency allows you to import

For one, there is a list of List of Approved Devices on the SMA website that customers and business can check in order to know what can be imported and what cannot be imported.

This list of items is listed in Approved Equipment Certification List as at 2016 January 4 that comply with SMA's regulations and which the Jamaica Customs Agency will allow to be imported into the island. These devices are regulated through their Type Approval process, which is done in other Caribbean and international territories.

This verifies that the electronic gadget conforms to both national and international standards. It’s also checked to see if it is fit for importation in terms of the frequency it uses as well as potential to experience interference or cause interferences with other products. 

So the next time you plan to import an electronic device or any Telecommunication product, check the SMA's Website for their list of Approved Equipment Certification List as at 2016 January 4 so as not to face the headache of spending thousands of dollars on a product that doesn’t work.

Here’s the link:

List of Equipment Seized Under the Radio and Telegraph Control Act

Approved Equipment Certification List as at 2016 January 4

SMA Type Approval process

Why the Abeng 88.7 FM is the last FM Radio Station as @BCJamaica plans DSO for Radio and Television

The Maroons of Accompong have finally stepped into the 21st century.

They now finally have a Radio station, Abeng 88.7 FM as reported in the article “Accompong Maroons celebrate peace treaty, launch radio station”, published Wednesday, January 06, 2016, by Balford Henry, The Jamaica Observer.

 

January 6 is a special time in Accompong Town, as it is at that time they celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the peace treaty with the twice-defeated British colonial army. It also marks the birthday of Cudjoe, leader of the Leeward Maroons and brother of Nanny, leader of the Windward Maroons. 

Abeng 88.7 FM was launched Wednesday, January 6^th, 2016 in Accompong at 10 am during the celebration of the 278th anniversary of the peace treaty with colonial Britain, which ended the Maroon wars. The radio station was funded thanks to a US$12,500 grant from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and brings the total number of Radio station in Jamaica to 36.

Government and Opposition representatives, tourists, and residents of Accompong came out in their numbers for the celebration as well as the launch of this radio station.

Its name refers to the Abeng a cow's horn used to summon their people. It was also used to signal Maroon villages in case the British were coming.

The Abeng features prominently during the Maroon Wars and as such, Abeng 88.7 FM is being launched to advance Maroon history, development and indigenous cultural heritage.

Abeng 88.7 FM in Maroons of Accompong - Why DSO for Radio and Television coming

Unfortunately, DSO (Digits Switch Over) on the horizon for Television Broadcasters and DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) to make more efficient use of the FM spectrum.

This is currently the case in Norway, which in May 2015 became the first country in the world to switch totally to Efficient Digital Audio Broadcast  as noted in my blog article entitled “Norway to Switch Off FM Radio – How Efficient Digital Audio Broadcast mandated by @BCJamaica is coming to Jamaican Broadcasters”,

This radio station may have jumped on the bandwagon a bit too late.

Abeng 88.7 FM may be the last FM Radio Station in Jamaica before DSO, which the BCJ (Broadcasting commission of Jamaica) plans to implement to transition towards digital television, which should have occurred in 2015 as noted in my blog article entitled “Why RJR is considering HDTV - GCML IPO on the NYSE possible as 4G LTE means Content Streaming and 5G Coming”.

Hopefully they can float an IPO for the new company to attract additional funding so as to fund the transition to a fully Digital and online format, potentially making money from the sale of White Space frequencies as explained in my blog article entitled “OfCom approves White Spaces usage in Britain - Why Digital Switch Over in Jamaica is Necessary for Unlicensed White Space Frequencies”. 

Now that the RJR Communication Group and The Jamaica Gleaner are now one company after shareholder had voted as reported in the article “RJR Shareholders Approve Resolutions To Facilitate Gleaner Merger”, published Thursday January 7, 2016, The Jamaica Gleaner, DSO for Radio and Television can move forward in earnest in late 2016!

Still, Abeng 88.7 FM is worth a listen if you like to keep up with the Maroons of Accompong Town!