ST Newsletter july september 2014

VOL.2, ISSUE # 3

JULY— SEPTEMBER 2014

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

A Q ua r te rl y N e ws l e tte r of t h e Scie n t if ic R e s e a rch Co un cil , Ja m a ica

This Newsletter highlights news, events and activities in Science & Technology (S&T) and related subjects which have taken place primarily in Jamaica over the last three months.

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IN THIS ISSUE: 1 | AGRICULTURE 2 | AWARDS/COMPETITION 2 | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 4 | CLIMATE CHANGE 5 | ENERGY 7 | ENVIRONMENT 8 | HEALTH ISSUES

SRC Crazy Hat Competition— 2nd Place Winner Kadian Davis (Left) 1st Place Winner Lamore Andrews (Right)

AGRICULTURE Manchester farmers graduate from agro-business programme Chudleigh, Manchester — One hundred and sixty-nine registered farmers in Manchester were recent graduates of a four-month AgroBusiness Technical Assistance Programme. Selected from the North East Manchester communities of Green Bottom, Long Coffee, [...]

9 | MEDICAL MARIJUANA 10 | SCIENCE (GENERAL) 11 | SCIENCE (EDUCATION) 12 | SCIENTISTS 12 | WORKSHOP/SEMINARS

Two more agro-parks being developed by mid-2015 Agro-Invest Corporation (AIC) has identified a tenth location at Unity Farm in St Mary to cultivate an agro-park. So far, just over 20 per cent of the 6,600 acres of land presently targeted for large-scale farming has been brought under production. [...] ...more on page 2/ 

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Making Science & Technolog y work for you

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

Genetically modified crops still a way off In 1992, a pair of scientists had a brainwave: how about inserting genes into rice that would boost its vitamin A content? By doing so, tens of millions of poor people who depend on rice as a staple could get a vital nutrient, potentially averting[...]

400 benefit from agro business programme Over 400 farmers from communities in Manchester, St Catherine, Clarendon, St Andrew, St Mary and St Thomas are beneficiaries under a project co-ordinated between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) to build capacity in farm management. Under the Caribbean Development Bank [...]

AWARD/COMPETITION Wolmer’s Girls wins Junior Achievement Company of the Year award The Junior Achievement student company ‘Knotz Enterprise’ from Wolmer’s High School for Girls was named the 2014 Junior Achievement Company of Entrepreneurs (JACE) Company of the Year at an awards banquet held recently at the University of [...]

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Scotiabank opens $500-m loan facility for SMEs Scotiabank will open a $500-million loan facility for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in September. The initiative, launched under Scotiabank’s 125th anniversary celebration [...]

From Phd to business owner

SCAN ME AND LOG ON!

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Andre Jones is a synthetic organic chemist who holds a doctorate in chemistry. That qualifies him for a range of high profile research and development [...]

(Cover image: Crazy Hat Competition 2014)

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

Nathaniel Peat: Enterprising entrepreneur Growing up in the United Kingdom, multi-award winning entrepreneur Nathaniel Peat was faced with stereotypes of what West Indian children were perceived to be. [...]

New b2b e-commerce platform for Caribbean slated for early 2015 launch Global Trade Services Limited plans to launch an online, business-to-business (b2b) trading platform for the Caribbean early next year. The e-commerce site, called Ab2bmarket, seeks to make business transactions more efficient. “We will launch in January with the pilot and then the full launch in May 2015,” said Antionette Dunston, chief marketing officer at Global Trade Services [...]

Start-Up Jamaica Ready For ‘Tech-Preneur’ Pitches A new initiative to jump-start Jamaica’s entrepreneurial tech sector is now up and running and is taking lessons from countries as diverse as Chile, Vietnam and Jordan. Start-Up Jamaica (SUJ), whose website was launched last week, is a government initiative, based on the success of Start-Up Chile. It is designed to help entrepreneurs transform business ideas over [...]

15 schools to benefit from PCJ’s $62-m solar project Fifteen schools and three Government agencies should soon see considerable reductions in their energy bills as the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) will be installing Solar PV Systems at public sector buildings at a cost of more than $62 million. Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (MSTEM), Julian Robinson has [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

New programme allows young people to develop business skills Young people in North Central St Catherine now have an opportunity to develop their business skills through a recently launched entrepreneurship grant programme. Minister with responsibility for sports, Natalie Neita Headley, who made the announcement in her contribution to the 2014/15 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, said the North Central Community Youth [...]

Panos Launches Regional Online Database Panos Caribbean last week launched its new online database – complete with video conferencing capabilities – that is designed to enhance networking and promote collaboration among regional stakeholders on, among other things, biodiversity conservation and climate change. Dubbed the Panos Information Portal (PIP), the database was developed by Dr Maurice McNaughton and a team from the [...]

CLIMATE CHANGE Japan gives Caribbean US$15m for climate change projects Port of Spain, Trinidad (CMC) — Japan is providing US$15 million to help several Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries cope with the impact of climate change. [...]

Women said more vulnerable to climate change That climate change poses great risk to Jamaica is no longer debatable, but a recent publication designed to make the link between climate change and gender shows that women are more vulnerable to the impact of natural disasters such as hurricanes. [...]

Visit our Caribbean Energy Information Platforms today !

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

Jamaica’s Adaptation Fund Project Can Be Altered, But …

As a storm brews over the installation of breakwaters to arrest beach erosion in Negril, it has emerged that Jamaica’s Adaptation Fund project can be altered – but not without board approval from the Fund.[...]

ENERGY

Sagicor Bank designs loan for renewable energy projects Sagicor Bank Jamaica has created a new loan facility to power renewable energy projects for residential and commercial use. The loan is offered at an annual interest rate of 9.5 per cent calculated on [...]

Willing to invest in energy Pan Jamaica Investment Trust (Pan Jam) is optimistic that the Government will meet its International Monetary Fund (IMF) targets. But the conglomerate is worried about the stalled 380 megawatt (MW)[...]

Law firm MF&G’s $100-m renewable project to cut light bill in half Local law firm, Myers, Fletcher and Gordon (MFG) expects to complete plans for the final component of its renewable energy strategy — aimed at cutting its electricity bill by 50 per cent [...]

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Innovation

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

JPS Still Targeting LNG for Replacement Capacity The green light for Jamaica Public Service Company to assume responsibility for replacing capacity appears to put onus on the company to swap out up to 292 megawatts to be retired from the grid.

However, JPS said this week that it plans to seek clarity on its own obligations to the grid under its amended licensing [...]

Getting more out of renewables means building smaller gas plants Replacing those energy-hungry units, which burn diesel and heavy fuel oil, with newer, natural gasfired plants in one fell swoop would likely result in large savings. Estimates on potential fuel cost reductions range from US$150 million to US$300 million annually, depending on who is doing the math. But building a large power plant which is fired by [...]

New wind farm seeks US$20m from IFC US-owned BMR Energy aims to secure US$20 million in financing from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for its multimillion dollar wind farm in St Elizabeth. “IFC is considering a $20 million loan to BMR Jamaica Wind Limited to support the development of a 34 megawatt (MW) greenfield wind farm in St Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica,” said the [...]

School bag $1.8M in PCJ energy competition The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) has awarded cash prizes valued at $1.8 million to the winners of its 2014 Schools Energy Programme Competition. The initiative, which is the PCJ’s major vehicle for promoting energy education among Jamaica’s youth, attarcted primary and high school students from 75 institutions across the country for the 2013-14 school year.[...]

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Innovation

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

Schools to benefit from $62m energy-saving project A $62-million energy saving project is to be implemented in 15 schools and three Government agencies as the administration works to reduce the high energy bill within the public sector. This was announced by junior minister in the Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Ministry Julian Robinson, who noted that the project has been approved

by Cabinet [...]

Wigton Windfarm to undergo further expansion The Government is to undertake further expansion of the Wigton Windfarm in Rose Hill, Manchester, which should result in the reduction of 37,100 barrels of imported oil, and savings of $400 million. State Minister in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Mining and Energy Julian Robinson said along with the reduction in oil consumption, the expanded facility [...]

Ethanol Producer Looks Inward For Feedstock Avia Collinder, Business Reporter Discussions are under way between energy and sugar interests for local sugar estates to set aside about one million tonnes of cane annually for the production of wet ethanol.

But at least one company in the agro-processing business has poured cold water on the plan, saying it will likely create supply rivalry in the [...]

ENVIRONMENT Thousands of Bajans march against solid waste tax Bridgetown, Barbados (CMC) — Thousands of Barbadians took to the streets yesterday to protest against the imposition of the Municipal Solid Waste Tax. The midday march, led by Mia Mottley, leader of the Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP), ended outside the office of Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, where Mottley delivered a letter of protest on behalf

Douglas Castle residents combating global warming Residents of Douglas Castle in McNie, St Ann, although far removed from many major towns, have joined several groups working to combat the effects of global warming as decreased rainfall in the farming community causes major soil erosion when it does rain.

Community members have happily joined an initiative funded by the United States Agency for [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

Sandals employees, Barrett Town All-Age students raise their voices for mother Earth Students of Barrett Town All-Age School in Montego Bay, St James, accompanied by members of Sandals’ environmental team, on June 11 led an environmental awareness road march in the second city.[...]

HEALTH ISSUES Anti-HIV activity found in lignum vitae, say scientists Jamaica scientist Dr Henry Lowe and his team of researchers say they have discovered potent bio-activity against the deadly HIV in Lignum Vitae, Jamaica’s national flower. [...]

Jamaica not in high risk category for Ebola, says health minister Kingston, Jamaica (JIS)–Minister of Health, Dr Fenton Ferguson, says Jamaica does not, at this time, fall into the category of high risk countries for transmission of the Ebola Virus. [...]

UWI Study Finds Anti-Cancer Properties In Purple Yam A research centre at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, said it has discovered the presence of anti-cancer properties in purple yams. Dr Dennis Bailey from the Biotechnology Centre made the discovery while conducting doctoral studies. The study reportedly involved a focus on indigenous varieties of yams cultivated in Jamaica known as the Dioscorea alata, [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

Study recommends 10-year development plan for health- care system An Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded technical study conducted on Jamaica’s health-care system has recommended the creation of a 10-year strategic development plan. The study focused on the ‘Reform and Financing of Jamaica’s Health System’, which is aiming to provide increased access by persons seeking affordable and quality health care, Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson told the [...]

MEDICAL MARIJUANA Ganja Decision Should Not Be Based On Votes Dismiss the hype and listen to the science, is the advice from Dr Winston De La Haye to policymakers now considering the ‘freeing up’ of ganja for recreational, medicinal, and religious uses. [...]

Legislator calls for clear position on deciminalisation of ganja St.John’s, Antigua (CMC) — An Opposition legislator has called on the new Antigua and Barbuda Government to state its position regarding the decriminalisation of marijuana, as legislators debated a bill to allow for alternative options to a jail term.[...]

Westmoreland ganja farmers petition Prime Minister for freedom to grow and trade marijuana Westmoreland, Jamaica – The Westmoreland Hemp & Ganja Farmers Association is petitioning Prime Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller to free the parish of Westmoreland from the ganja Laws in the form of an authoritative “non-enforcement declaration [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

Influential US groups back Caricom marijuana commission New York, USA (CMC) — Two influential drug policy groups here have supported the Caribbean Community’s (Caricom)’s decision to establish a Regional Marijuana Commission.

“It’s great that governments in the Caribbean are finally pushing forward with this dialogue,” said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), which claims that it is America’s leading [...]

Golding tables ganja Bill in Senate Minister of Justice, Senator Mark Golding, finally tabled the much-anticipated Bill proposing the automatic expungement of convictions for certain minor ganja- related offences in the Senate on Friday.

The Bill also provides that conviction for a minor offence of ganja possession, which involves a fine of $1000 (or such other amount as may be prescribed), or [...]

Former Caricom chair mum on marijuana debate Kingstown, St Vincent, CMC — Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves says he will not speculate about the outcome of the discussion within the Caribbean Community (Caricom) as it relates to the decriminalisation of marijuana for medical purposes.

He further sidestepped a question on whether his government is willing to follow the lead of Jamaica, which last [...]

SCIENCE (GENERAL)

Caribbean countries acquire new insurance policy to deal with storm damage Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (CMC) — The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) says it is now providing excess rainfall insurance coverage to eight regional countries as the Caribbean continues to take precautions against possible damage caused by storms during the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season.[…..]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

Parrotfish ban?

Jamaicans love parrotfish. Steamed, fried or roasted, the brightly coloured sea creature is a common feature on many a dinner plate. It’s also a favourite at the beach and at roadside eateries on the weekend. But the enjoyment could soon come to an end as local and international groups are lobbying for a parrotfish ban. The [...]

‘Respect our national emblems, symbols’ As Jamaicans observe the annual ‘Emancipendence’ season and adorn cars, houses and business places with national symbols in a show of patriotism and celebration of nationhood, the Government is reminding Jamaicans that there are rules governing their appropriate use. [...]

SCIENCE (EDUCATION) New high school equivalency programme launched The Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL) has launched a new high school diploma equivalency programme targeting high school dropouts, the unemployed, and adults who left high school without passes in CXC, which they need to progress to the tertiary level. [...]

Teachers to Be Trained As Math Coaches Teachers will become students, this year, when the Education Ministry starts a programme to coach the educators on new ways to teach mathematics in schools. [...]

Nestle Jamaica Collaborates with the SRC to Host Competitions The Scientific Research Council in collaboration with Nestle Jamaica Limited this year embarked on three competitions: Mother’s Day Essay Poster and Poetry Competition, Essay and Oratory Competition and Sweet Delights Competition.[..]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

SCIENTISTS Lowe Gets US Patent For Anti-Cancer Formula Renowned Jamaican scientist and entrepreneur Dr Henry Lowe has been awarded a second patent from the world’s leading United States Patent Office on the anti-cancer activities of the ball moss. The patent was issued on May 6 and titled,” Methods for inhibiting prostate cancer by kinases and angiogenesis inhibitory mechanisms.” Dr Joseph L. Bryant of [...]

WORKSHOPS/SEMINAR Alcoa sponsors two teachers for US science workshop May Pen, Clarendon — Two teachers, one from Clarendon and the other from Manchester, will join several others from schools in the USA and countries around the world when they participate in an environmental science programme hosted by the Keystone Science School in Colorado, USA this summer. The event is being sponsored by the Alcoa [...]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

Biology and pathogenesis of Chikungunya

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JULY—SEPTEMBER 2014

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