Sandals Resorts International – operators of Sandals, Beaches and Grand Pineapple resorts across the Caribbean - continues to raise the bar and cement its status as industry leader and innovator with the recent opening of its first ever global dedicated high street retail store. The Luxury Travel Store is based in Chelsea, London and is the first overseas hotel brand to have a stand-alone high street outlet in the UK.

The new 5,000 sq ft interactive store, which saw an investment of over one million pounds, will immerse visitors into the world of Sandals’ Luxury Included® offering through a range of educational and sensory experiences, all designed to evoke consumers’ imaginations as soon as they walk through the door.

The Luxury Travel Store tailored customer journey includes:

Research Area – visitors can virtually sightsee through the world of Sandals and Beaches by engaging with inspirational content across up to 30 55” flat LCD screens, including video footage, apps and real time social feeds

Sandals Showcase – dedicated Sandals team members will take guests through a personable and stress-free booking service, whilst getting a taster of the Luxury Included® offerings available, including lavish surroundings and premium brand refreshments

Dedicated Wedding Lounge - visitors can explore Sandals and Beaches’ tailor-made wedding offerings in one-on-one consultations with members of the Weddings team

Beaches Family Zone – families can book their dream holiday whilst enjoying the fun experiences on offer, including a photo booth and XBox station.

Tour desk – As island exploration is encouraged at Sandals and Beaches, the store will also give visitors a chance to experience a taste of Islands Routes, Sandals and Beaches’ adventure tour company with a dedicated desk showcasing the variety of tours on offer, from sunset cruises, to voluntourism experiences.

The Sandals Bar – to complete their journey, visitors will be able to relax and soak up their Luxury Included® surroundings, whilst enjoying some of the top-shelf spirits and Robert Mondavi wines available throughout Sandals and Beaches Resorts.

Sandals Select counter – A dedicated area for our exclusive reward members

Karl Thompson, managing director for Sandals UK & Europe comments: “We are very excited to be making our mark on the high street and extending our longstanding commitment to providing a high quality of customer service to our guests. The substantial investment in this retail experience further demonstrates the growth potential in the UK market.

The immersive nature of the store will allow us to showcase the incredible Sandals and Beaches’ experience for both existing and new customers, as well as provide a more personable holiday booking experience.”

Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses says 12 Jamaicans were denied into the twin-island republic last month because they were deemed “likely to become charges on public funds”.

The group of Jamaicans had accused immigration officials at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad of treating them badly after refusing to let them enter the country when they arrived on two Caribbean Airlines flights on March 21 at 7:53 p.m. and 8:43 p.m.

In a statement issued after he received a report on the matter, Moses said all 12 visitors were denied entry in accordance with Section 8 (1) (h) of the Immigration Act which speaks to persons who may be deemed likely to become charges on public funds. And he said within 12 hours of their arrival, they were put on planes to return home.

The minister explained that both the passengers and airline were notified and served the relevant notices when it was determined that the group would not be allowed in.

“At approximately 11 p.m., the passengers were taken into the care of the airline…to await an outward-bound flight to Kingston, Jamaica on Caribbean Airlines flight BW414 at 7:50 a.m. on 22nd March, 2016,” he said.

Outlining the Jamaicans’ treatment at that point, Moses said: “They were taken to the Customs and Excise section of the airport for a baggage check, then escorted upstairs to the departure lounge area where they remained in the presence of the security company contracted by Caribbean Airlines. The 12 persons were served a meal and drinks and were provided with blankets by representatives of the airline in keeping with usual airline procedure.

“They had access to a water cooler and were escorted to the washroom facilities on the lower level of the terminal building upon request, as repairs to those facilities in the departure lounge were then being undertaken.”

The Foreign Affairs Minister said he had met with High Commissioner for Jamaica to Trinidad, David Prendergast, and the matter was discussed in “an open, frank and courteous fashion befitting the strong relationship between both countries”.

The National Police of Haiti (PNH) says law enforcement officials have arrested 35 people including five for the murder of four police officers and three for lynching three disabled women last week.

PNH deputy spokesman and the Principal Inspector, Garry Desrosiers, said the 35 individuals arrested are accused of various crimes including: criminal conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and kidnapping simulation and rape.

Last week, the Defense National Network of Human Rights (RNDDH) in a report noted that the police officers were killed during the period January 3, 2015 to March 18 this year.

It said that 34 police officers were shot and one died as a result of a knife attack. It said five inspectors were among those killed while 37 others were also injured during the period.

Desrosiers said that the PNH had been actively investigating the murders and that three members of a gang were arrested during the police sweep for allegedly murdering police agents Jean Ralph Coq and Johnson Jean Pierre in April and November last year.

He said two others were arrested in connection with the murder of police officer David Dumé on February 12, this year and murdering police officer Wagnac Warrior on December 19, 2015.

Desrosiers said that three people were arrested in Cabaret in connection with the murder of the three women last week and that other suspects were being sought.

Hundreds of people took to the streets last Friday to protest the murder of the three disabled women.

Several human rights organisations and groups representing disabled people said that the three women, who were deaf and dumb, had been lynched after being taken for “witches”.


Source-CMC

Jamaica is equipped to conduct Zika virus testing on behalf of other countries if so assigned by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Acting Director of the National Virology Reference Laboratory at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), Professor Monica Smikle, told JIS News that the facility is a valid WHO testing agency.

Members of staff have also benefited from training from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

The certification to test for Zika, Professor Smikle informed, comes from the WHO through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“There was a process of capacity building after which tested samples were sent to the CDC in Puerto Rico for validation. Following subsequent reports that all tests were completely successful, the lab was given the go-ahead to proceed with testing here in Jamaica,” she explained.

The Trinidad and Tobago-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) was designated as the Zika testing lab in the Caribbean when the virus entered the region.

With the need to facilitate faster diagnosis for Zika, the Government of Jamaica provided $10 million to upgrade the UHWI Virology lab to quip it to test for the disease locally, and also provide increased capacity for the diagnosis of dengue and chikungunya.

WHO/PAHO Country representative, Dr Noreen Jack, explained that while there is little difference in the cost of having the test done in the island versus sending samples to CARPHA, the benefit is in the faster turnaround time for results.

She noted that PAHO has been supporting in-country testing and capacity building for Jamaica and other countries in the region. “We had a consultant virologist here to provide support and this was also done for Barbados and Suriname,” she explained.

For his part, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Winston De La Haye, said that while the Ministry’s interest is in procuring the equipment and ensuring that the lab has adequate chemicals for the testing of Jamaicans, this does not preclude the facility from assisting other countries.

He said that having had its testing approved by the CDC and benefited from training from PAHO, “the lab will be able to tweak and fine-tune its processes and be able to do more samples.”

“This opens up an opportunity for them to offer the service to other Caribbean islands,” he added.

The virology lab houses the National Influenza Centre for the island.

It is a full service laboratory that performs a range of diagnostic services for the detection and monitoring of a wide range of viral infections such as respiratory, central nervous system, gastrointestinal and sexually transmitted infections.

Source-JIS