Prime Minister Announces New Ministerial Appointments

Press Release From the Office of the Prime Minister - 20250316:

Hon. Audrey Marks

Senator Delano Seiveright

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has announced new appointments to pivotal roles within the Government of Jamaica. These appointments reinforce his Administration’s commitment to innovation, efficiency within the public service, and tourism development.

Senator the Honourable Ambassador Audrey Marks has been appointed as Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Efficiency, Innovation, and Digital Transformation. Senator Marks brings a wealth of experience to this role, having previously served as Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, where she played a crucial role in strengthening bilateral relations. Senator Marks also had an illustrious career in the private sector.

Senator Delano Seiveright has been appointed as Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism. Senator Seiveright has been an active participant in Jamaica’s tourism sector and has contributed to many initiatives that enhanced the nation’s tourism product. In his new role, Senator Seiveright will focus on increasing the linkages between the tourism sector and the wider economy, ensuring that more Jamaicans benefit directly from the industry’s growth.

Both Senators will be sworn in at King’s House tomorrow, Monday, March 17, 2025.

Prime Minister Holness expressed confidence in the capabilities of Senators Marks and Seiveright, stating that their appointments are strategic steps towards achieving the Administration’s goals of modernising government operations and further strengthening the tourism industry under the ASPIRE growth strategy introduced by Prime Minister Holness in November 2024.

ASPIRE represents six key pillars: Access to Economic Opportunity for All (Inclusive Growth), Safety and Security, People (Human Capital Development), Infrastructure Development, Reform of the Bureaucracy (Ease, Speed, and Cost of Doing Business) and Economic Diversification/New Industries.

Both Senators are firmly committed to advancing the ASPIRE strategy and look forward to leveraging their respective assignments to contribute meaningfully to Jamaica’s long-term economic and social development for the people of Jamaica.

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Yes Your Electricity Bill Can Be Reduced and Dangerous Broken JPSCo Pole!

There is a JPS post at McVille Drive, Wembley Farm, Red Ground, Old Harbour in St. Catherine that is broken. High-tension wires are on this pole, and further deterioration could prove very dangerous to persons on the ground and persons who use electricity in the area.

Several people in the area are extracting electricity from the JPS lines. This is very dangerous.  This can result in overloading of the circuit, which can cause damage to the transformers in the area and also damage to equipment in homes and even destruction of homes by electrical fire.

The government has indicated its intention to deal with the challenge of the illegal extraction of electricity. This is a serious matter because persons involved in the illegal practice have in the past lost their lives, and it has also resulted in the loss of lives of others. Persons have lost their homes due to illegal extraction of electricity. JPS is often blamed for these tragedies.

The MP for the Red Ground in Old Harbour is MP Everald Warmington, and the Councillor is Keith Knight.

Helping The People To Reduce Electricity Cost  (Please Share These Ideas)

1. Reduce taxes on electricity.
2. Ban the importation of  60-cycle electrical equipment.
3. Give a one-year moratorium and remove all taxes from household refrigerators to allow people to import 50-cycle refrigerators.
4. Remove all taxes on household solar items such as refrigerators for a year.
5. Teach our students to make solar equipment such as solar dryers. Solar dryers could be used to dry tomatoes and jackfruit, for example. 
6. Significantly reduce the theft of electricity to minimize the burden on paying customers.

These recommendations would reduce our fuel bill and increase our disposable incomes to spend on other items, such as locally produced food. It would also reduce the demand for foreign exchange. 60-cycle electrical equipment can be imported from countries like the United Kingdom, India, and Germany. 

Your inefficient and old refrigerators are responsible for your high electricity bill. Using the wrong cycle electrical equipment not only burns more current, but also shortens the product life. 

Call on our government to implement a Cost of Electricity Reduction Plan - CERP now!

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Remember that Bark Di Trute could fail to bark one day without your support. Send your ideas, stories, and news by WhatsApp at (876) 816-5261.

You can view the blog on your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com, and you will be able to see the various links. For example, there is a link that takes you to the calendar so you can see what is happening on the weekend. You can even search the site for articles.

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New! Bark Di Trute Poll on Elections 2025

I was shocked to see the low level of interest in national affairs in Jamaica based on an unscientific questionnaire that I sent out. The response to the questionnaire, in comparison to other posts, is poor.  It seems that people are more interested in x-rated stories, stories about terrible crimes, and fires, for example. This is interesting. I am posting the link again and I implore you to share it with as many persons as possible.

Click on the link below to answer the questionnaire.

Click to answer questionnaire.

The following charts show the responses to questions asked as at Sunday, March 16, 1545 EST.

Comments Received:

Suggest issues that the parties should support that would make you want to vote for that party.

8 responses

Deepening and widening the wealth creation process.

A bottom up capitalist system making credit available to even the landless with no collateral except their ideas

Improved public transportation systems nationwide bringing forward the higher speed trains West to East and North to South.

Rural development.

Execution of guilty murderers forthwith.

Improved literacy programs for males in the country.

Mor representation or presence at the community level. At least Quaterly

Creating Job opportunities

Talk the truth so they can be trusted.

Removal of corruption, reduction in crime

CRIME, continue along the path that is evolving.

It's going to take a long time to make meaningful headway with this one

EXPAND Technology, you are doing it but please expand where you can.

TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT LIVE IN FEAR, WHEN JUDGES LET THESE CREMINALS OUT ON BAIL.

TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT GET SICK WHEN THE TRIALS ARE ABOUT TO START.

TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT LEAVE THE COUNTRY WHEN ITS TIME TO GIVE EVIDENCE IN COURT.

TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT SEE AND DON'T SEE.

I also believe that the current system encourages Corruption, take a look at what we are supposed to pay to bring a vehicle into the country.

Where does the trade board get these %% from?

There are many other things however this platform is not able to accommodate them all.

I'm glad that they finally arrested some one for bringing the guns into the country.

There should a Big fine or ban the shipping company from shipping to jamaica when guns are found in their shipment.

Too many laws are on the books that are not being enforced.

Yes

Death sentence for murder. Three strikes for any serious crime, such as wounding, sexual assault, attacking a member of the security forces while carrying out his/her duties, stealing and damage to property for example, should result in a life sentence. Every child should have a registered mother and a father. Persons should be allowed to have at least two contacts on the bank account and dormant accounts should go to the persons estate. Students below college level should not be promoted based on age. Only offenders who are a danger to the public should be incarcerated. All other offenders should be made to work and pay for their offences. Persons who are incarcerated should work and pay for their upkeep in prison.

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Elections Coming Up. Make Your Voices Be Heard From Now!

Elections will be held in a few weeks. The political parties will have their manifestos. They might not even consult us before putting on those manifestos. Click on the link below to answer the questionnaire and make sure you state what issues should be put on the table. I will be sending these issues to the parties.

Click on the link below to answer the questionnaire.

Click to answer questionnaire.

Please support this project and share this blog with as many people as possible. Supporting Bark Di Trute is supporting the people's voice.

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Leaning JPS Pole at Richings Avenue in Kingston

 

Residents are concerned about this leaning post on Richings Avenue, Kingston 6.  The post identifier is SL 21507.

It is good to note that the Richings Avenue road is being repaired. Someone said to me that companies that get contracts to fix roads, should ensure that their workers wear masks, portable bathroom facilities are available, and they should have water for drinking and sanitation purposes on site. 

Residents in other areas have also complained about the poor quality of the work done. Are these workers trained how to repair our roads, and are they properly supervised?

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Remember that Bark Di Trute could fail to bark one day without your support. Send your ideas, stories, and news by WhatsApp at (876) 816-5261.

You can view the blog on your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com, and you will be able to see the various links. For example, there is a link that takes you to the calendar so you can see what is happening on the weekend. You can even search the site for articles.

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Breaking News - Trump Announces Airstrikes against Houthi terrorists in Yemen

President Trump announced today that the US will have airstrikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

"They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones," Trump's post read.

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What's Happening - March 14, 2025

Update From Fire Chief

Commissioner Steward Beckford, head of the Jamaica Fire Brigade

Click the icon below for an update from the Fire Chief:

Owen James

Owen James

Veteran broadcaster and journalist Owen James is dead. When I heard from a journalist last night near midnight, I said to myself, "What is life? We come, we perform, and we leave the stage." 

Let us live one day at a time and give thanks for another day.

Pat Reid

Someone called me to say that there have been a few comments about Pat Reid's contribution. People are just mentioning her voluntary work. She worked with Prime Ministers Edward Seaga and Bruce Golding, as well as Ministers Babsy Grange and Darly Vaz.

Scotia Head Smiles - Profits are Up!

Mrs. Audrey Tugwell Henry is full of smiles as bank profit soars. Consumers would also like to smile with improved customer service. Scotia could start by responding to a complaint that I made about poor customer service recently. I have to pay bank charges for their services, but I would like to know if I will be compensated for two waste-of-time visits to the bank and the embarrassment of having my credit card declined.

Pity that my story and other similar stories will only make the headlines in this blog. It took me five years to get the title for my car from Scotia.

ABMs continue to give challenges, and sometimes they do not accept the new notes. 

The security of our credit cards needs to be dealt with as a matter of emergency. 

I have made many suggestions to the banks to improve service delivery to the customers, but I assume they don't have to improve their services to make money. 

We should be hearing more from MP Phillip Jackson on this matter.

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Subscribe Now!

• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel.
• Subscribe to my Emergency News Advice Service.
• Make a financial donation now.

Remember that Bark Di Trute could fail to bark one day without your support. Send your ideas, stories, and news by WhatsApp at (876) 816-5261.

You can view the blog on your computer at https://vderby.blogspot.com, and you will be able to see the various links. For example, there is a link that takes you to the calendar so you can see what is happening on the weekend. You can even search the site for articles.

Click on the icon below to see the calendar:

Click to view the calendar.

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