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Friday, December 08, 2017

Local NewsThe Grenadian VoiceJapan equips Grenada’s
Fire Department

Japan continues
to demonstrate
its commitment
towards deepening
its relations with theCaribbean Community (CARICOM)
through technicaland other assistanceas needed.
“Our doors arealways open and wewould like to broaden and deepen cooperation in every field
in which theCaribbean States andinternational entities
would like to do,”stated Mr Daisuke
Nakano, Director of
Mexico, Central
America andCaribbean division,
Latin American andCaribbean Affairs
Bureau in the
Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Japan.

He made this comment on Friday
October 20 during ameeting with theCaribbean participants of the 2017
APIC/FPCJ PacificCaribbean
Journalists’Programme. The discussion centred onJapan’s relations withthe Caribbean,
namely the countries
represented in theprogramme –Barbados, Jamaica
and Grenada and theassistance given over
the years. Journalist
from The Grenadian
Voice was among
representatives at themeeting held at theMinistry of Foreign
Affairs in Japan.
In reiterating
Japan’s commitment
to continue assisting

countries, Mr
Nakano said, “Wewould like to talkwith governments
and international
entities [and we wantthem] to talk to ourembassies in eachcountry as well to
specify what is theirpriority or need.” He
added that Japan iswilling to assist; but
countries must specify and communicate
their areas of need.

Japan’s most recent
donation to Grenada
was a fully air conditioned dual purpose
tank truck, fire
equipment andappliances, worth
US$87,000. The
items are 10 fire
hoses, 14 backpacks,
2 switch branches, 6
fire coats, 7 hemlets,
7 peers fire boots

Donated tank truck at the Fire Station on The Carenage, St George’s

and 3 adaptors,
The donation wasmade to the Fire
Department of theRoyal Grenada
Police Force (RGPF)
during a ceremony
held at the Central
Police Station, The
Carenage, SaintGeorge’s, on Friday
November 24. It wasmade throughJapan’s grant assistance grassroots
humanitarian projectto strengthen
Grenada’s emergency
response capability
in an effective manner.
JapaneseCounselor, Yoshinori
Yakabe in hisremarks said, over
the years Grenada
and Japan have been
cooperating on anumber of projects
in areas such as fisheries, environmental
management anddisaster risk reduction.
“My government ispleased to provide
support to these andother areas and work
alongside not onlywith the State sectors
but also within civilsociety and community based organisations in Grenada,” hesaid.
DeputyCommissioner ofPolice, Franklyn
Redhead noted thatafter years of negotiations and discussions for support
within the RGPF, heis pleased with thetoday’s result. He
welcomed the donation assuring that it
will go a long way insupporting the proficiency and efficiencyof the Fire
Department.
Assistant
Superintendant at
the Fire Department,
Glenroy Corian said
that the tank, which
has a capacity of
4,000 gallons, cansupport other trucks
as well as conduct
delivery.
TheSuperintendant said
the department islooking for phasetwo of this project as
the department is inneed of more equipment.

Government promises relief
measures if fiscal space allows

I

f returned to office following thegeneral elections
constitutionally due
by March next year,
the current government has promiseda package of relief
measures for nationals.
In his presentationof the 2018 budget
on Monday
November 27, Prime
Minister andMinister of Finance,
Dr the Right Hon
Keith Mitchellannounced measuresthat could come into
effect within six
months if the fiscal
space would allow.

The Prime
Minister promised a
5% reduction in therate of Personal
Income Tax and afive percent drop in
the public assistance
Cooperate Incomefor the elderly and at
Tax by June next year. the first stage tomove from $200 to
He also promised$300 per individual
an increase in public
in an attempt toassistance to theimprove the livelielderly. “Reducing
hood and dignity of
the rate of personal
our senior citizens,”
income tax in differDr. Mitchellent categories by fiveannounced to loudpercent. Reducing
applause from thecooperate income
packed audience attax from 30 percent
the Grenada Tradeto 25 to encourage
Centre.
businesses to keep
investing and keep
The measures aremoving,” the Finance part of Government’s
Minister announced. commitment toensure that all share“Repaving thein the benefits of theGrand Anse main
Homegrown
road, and other
Structuralroads at the heart ofAdjustment
the business andProgramme, which
productive activities
has lifted Grenada’s
to help us to keep
economy from negamoving. We need totive to positive
look at increasinggrowth.