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The Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) held a critical workshop here over the weekend, aimed at strengthening collaboration in sports throughout the Caribbean.

The XIII Annual Workshop and XXIII General Assembly, a two-day event, was held at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre and attracted over 100 delegates from 28 nations.

The summit was held under the theme, ‘Charting the Future of Authentic Caribbean Sport’, and featured a powerful assembly of global sport administrators, underscoring the regional focus on modernising governance. Guyana’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. stressed the value of regional synergy during his welcoming remarks.

‘When the Caribbean collaborates, we accelerate. Hosting CANOC here in Georgetown is about building capacity, trust, and a shared future for sport,’ Ramson Jr said.

The Minister praised CANOC’s mission to strengthen governance and capacity, calling the event a ‘significant opportunity’ for nations to exchange expertise and accelerate shared development goals.

The opening day focused heavily on the institutional frameworks necessary for future success, including a session on the CANOC/UWI MOU to map a roadmap for sport education, and legal discussions on CANOC Incorporation led by Sandra Osborne, SCM, SC.

A presentation on the CANOC/Deloitte Partnership also explored financial governance and sustainability standards.

The summit follows a preparatory Olympic Solidarity Financial Management Workshop, reinforcing the primary mandate for greater financial transparency and accountability across Caribbean National Olympic Committees.

The Barbados-based Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) Monday said it has been officially approved as an non-government organization (NGO) in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

CBU, which was founded in 1970 with UNESCO’s support, said that it had been afforded ‘consultative status’ and that ‘this recognition’ is the first of its kind for an NGO from the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.

‘Becoming an official partner of UNESCO is not just a badge of honour. It offers the CBU a seat at the global table, a stronger, direct voice in shaping cultural and media policy worldwide. And the world needs to hear the Caribbean’s voice,’ said Eric Falt, UNESCO Representative for the Caribbean.

The CBU is a regional, non-profit association comprising public service, independent, and community media services, media education institutions, and regulators.

‘Since the very birth of CBU in 1970 with UNESCO’s support, our partnership has been instrumental in strengthening Caribbean media at home and ensuring our sector has a voice on the global stage,’ said CBU president, Anthony Greene, highlighting the long and productive relationship between the two organizations.

The CBU said that the status conferred during the 222nd session of UNESCO’s Executive Board in Paris, was also welcomed by member states hailing it as an important achievement for the Union and a signal of encouragement for other NGOs in the Caribbean and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to strengthen their collaboration with UN body that promotes world peace and security through international cooperation in education, the sciences, and culture.

The CBU said that with its new consultative status, it will now join UNESCO’s broader family of NGOs worldwide to advance shared priorities in education, science, culture, and communication.

It said plans are already in motion for joint activities during Global Media and Information Literacy Week from October 24, and preparations for World Radio Day 2026, to be celebrated under the theme ‘Radio and Artificial Intelligence.

Saint Lucia cycling legend Jean Louis passed away over the weekend after being involved in a vehicular accident here in Burlington.

According to reports, Louis was hit by a vehicle while riding on Friday and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 66 years old.

Louis, a former champion, was named Saint Lucia’s Sportsman of the Year in 1985, the only cyclist to ever cop the award.

In 1987 he created more history when he captured the inaugural Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Cycling Championships men’s title.

Hailing from the south Castries community of Anse La Salopwe in La Toc, Louis won multiple Ovaltine titles at home and in St Kitts and Nevis, including the 1987 Barclays Bank Race to Dennery and back, and invitational grass track races at school sports.

He even rode in National Championships in 2023 and 2024, just to support the next generation of cyclists.

President of the Saint Lucia Cycling Association, Cyril Mangal lauded Louis for helping to develop the sport on the island.

‘Jean Louis was instrumental in the development of many of the young cyclists in the 1980s to the 90’s. He played a major role in my development, along with my brothers.

‘He helped us with equipment. He was like a father figure to us. He contributed even while he was [a] resident in Canada. He was always there to encourage me as a cycling administrator when things seemed tough for the sport, encouraging me not to give up,’ Mangal said.

Trinidad and Tobago’s nomination for a position on the United Nations Security Council for the period 2027-28 could be in jeopardy following Port of Spain’s decision to support the United States in its military build up in parts of the Caribbean, well placed sources told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) on Monday.

They said that there is a perception in the region that some regional leaders are not happy with the view of Trinidad and Tobago, making reference to the statement put out by CARICOM over the last weekend.

The sources make reference to Trinidad and Tobago’s position on the US actions, even in light of reports that two of their nationals were killed last week.

On Sunday, Trinidad and Tobago reiterated its position why it is standing apart from its CARICOM neighbours saying that the US operations are ‘aimed at combatting narco and human trafficking and other forms of transnational crime (and) are ultimately aimed at allowing the region to be a true ‘Zone of Peace’ where all citizens can in reality, live and work in a safe environment’.

Last Saturday, the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said that regional leaders had met last week to discuss several issues on the regional agenda, including the security build-up in parts of the Caribbean and its potential impact on member states.

It said that the position at that meeting was not endorsed by the government of the twin-island republic.

The meeting follows a series of deadly strikes by the Donald Trump administration targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels off the Venezuelan coast, the latest of which reportedly claimed the lives of two Trinidad and Tobago nationals.

‘Save in respect of Trinidad and Tobago who reserved its position, Heads agreed on the following: They reaffirmed the principle of maintaining the Caribbean Region as a Zone of Peace and the importance of dialogue and engagement towards the peaceful resolution of disputes and conflict.

‘CARICOM remains willing to assist towards that objective,’ the CARICOM statement read.

Trinidad and Tobago holds responsibility for security in the quasi CARICOM cabinet and according to the sources, Port of Spain’s position calls into question the endorsement secured by Trinidad and Tobago under the last administration to serve on the United Nations Security Council for the period 2027-28.

Further, the sources said that Trinidad and Tobago may have also rendered itself ineligible to represent CARICOM given Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar’s view that the US military should kill all traffickers violently.

The Caribbean is also worried that her views are also also causing friction among the wider Group of Latin American and Caribbean countries (GRULAC), as well as affect the ongoing collaboration pursued under the three non-permanent African countries and CARICOM, known as the A+3 block of countries.

The sources told CMC that in the past there has been an excellent working relationship with the grouping under St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Guyana, the latest two CARICOM countries that have selected to the UN Security Council in recent years.

Last week, the Venezuelan Ambassador to Dominica, Jose Durabio Moros Savelli, urged Caribbean countries to unite in opposing the military build saying that it is important for preserving peace in the Caribbean.

‘We should fully preserve the peace in the region.it is not just about Venezuela if the United States start a war in the Caribbean it will be bad for all of us, our economy, our people,’ Savelli said.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has also criticised the deployment of United States naval forces to the Caribbean, calling them a source of strain that could undermine peace in the region.

‘The presence of the armed forces of the largest power in the Caribbean Sea is a factor of tension,’ Lula had said.

Colombia, one of the United States oldest and strongest allies in the region, has also come out against the military build up saying it is destabilizing for all Latin America.

Colombia’ has rejected outright President Donald Trump’s claims that the naval ships, a submarine, and a squadron of F-35 fighter jets were there to tackle the drug trade.

The sources said that as a result of such opposition, the matter of Trinidad and Tobago’s selection to the UN Security Council is such that regional leaders should be asked to state their views given that they had in their statement reaffirmed their commitment to tackling narcotrafficking and the illegal trade in small arms and light weapons, which continue to pose major threats to regional stability.

The CARICOM leaders had stressed that such challenges must be addressed through ongoing international cooperation and in keeping with international law.

In its statement on Sunday, Port of Spain said that the Trinidad and Tobago government ‘affirms that these operations are not meant to target law abiding persons, specifically fisherfolk and other seafaring individuals seeking to earn an honest living.

‘Alternatively, all persons who may seek to engage in, or indirectly support, any illegal activities in the region, are warned that should they be so inclined, they do so at their own peril.

‘The Government of Trinidad and Tobago reiterates its commitment to the people of the Caribbean for the creation of a safer, stronger and more prosperous region,’ the statement added.

The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) MOnday said it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the OPEC Fund for International Development, establishing a strategic framework for collaboration aimed at unlocking new financing opportunities and driving sustainable growth across the Caribbean.

It said the agreement sets the stage for parallel financing and co-financing of projects in critical sectors such as climate resilience, renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, food security, trade finance, and youth empowerment.

It also promotes knowledge sharing, technical assistance, and capacity building, ensuring that Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) benefit from innovative solutions and expanded access to resources.

CDB President, Daniel Best, speaking at the signing ceremony that took place last week on the margins of the International Monetary Fund-World Bank annual meetings in Washington, underscored the transformative power of collaboration.

‘Strategic partnerships between multilateral development banks are fundamental to achieving meaningful progress and driving transformational impact. By working as a cohesive system – combining expertise, resources, and aligned priorities – we can fast-track solutions to global challenges and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.

‘This MOU is a significant step forward, showing that cooperation among development institutions is not just beneficial but vital to delivering real and lasting improvements in people’s livesm,’ Best added.

The MOU outlines joint activities including project preparation, technical assistance, and regional dialogues to advance inclusive and green development. Areas of focus range from climate-smart agriculture and water security to digital connectivity and private sector growth, all aligned with CDB’s mission to foster resilience and reduce poverty.

‘This partnership opens unparalleled opportunities for our Borrowing Member Countries. By leveraging the OPEC Fund’s global reach and CDB’s deep regional expertise, we can accelerate investments in infrastructure, climate adaptation, and human development – creating a future that is sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous for the people of the Caribbean,’ Best said.

The region’s premier financial institution said that the collaboration will also support youth empowerment initiatives, technical and vocational training, and innovative financing mechanisms such as debt-for-sustainability swaps and blue economy facilities, reinforcing the Caribbean’s position as a leader in climate resilience and sustainable development.

Akeal Hosein and Ramon Simmonds have named as replacements for the West Indies in the ongoing One Day International series against Bangladesh.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced on Monday that Hosein and Simmonds will replace pacers Jediah Blades and Shamar Joseph for the remaining two matches.

Ramon Simmonds (left) and Akeal Hosein (right) have been included in the West Indies ODI squad to face Bangladesh.

The 23-year-old Blades, a left-arm medium pacer has been ruled out of the upcoming matches and the following tour of New Zealand with a stress fracture to the lower back and will return home to undergo rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, Joseph, who missed the preceding tour of India, reported some discomfort in his shoulder during the first training session ahead of the opening ODI against Bangladesh on Saturday.

Following a subsequent scan, he has been recommended for consultation with a specialist in England to start the rehabilitation process.

The 24-year-old Simmonds made his debut for the senior side in the recently concluded T20I series against Nepal, where he took four wickets in two matches.

The West Indies trail the three-match ODI series 1-0 after losing the opening match by 74 runs.

The second ODI is scheduled to be played on Tuesday.

The St. Kitts and Nevis government says it is getting closer to returning the capital with a 24-hour water supply after it said progress on the two-million-gallon-per-day desalination plant at the C. A. Paul Southwell Industrial Park is ‘well advanced’.

Public Infrastructure Minister, Konris Maynard, said that the plant was powered up for the first time last Thursday and that the testing of the individual sequence of treatment stages, such as the reverse osmosis trains, will be ongoing for several weeks.

‘We made a commitment that we will undertake to ease and significantly improve the water situation of the Federation, in particular, Saint Kitts, and we are well on the way to do so,’ Maynard said.

The authorities say that when operational, the desalination plant will provide a steady and dependable source of water to meet the growing demand from households and industry.

They said efforts to improve the water situation outside of the Basseterre area are also continuing and that the results of the recent hydrological drone survey revealed 17 promising sites where potable water is likely stored underground. Drilling of new wells is expected to commence in December 2025.

The report from the survey has since been presented to the Water Services Department and Maynard said that of the 17 sites ‘we intend to pick the first best 10 of those sites as we go through the report to identify which ones have the best production capabilities’.

Maynard said that the Water Services Department is also assessing the Western and Northern sides of the island to ensure that ‘we maximise the groundwater resources’ on the island.

Maynard said that the Trinidad-based Water and Oil Well Services Limited had won the contract as the driller for the new potable water sites from the hydrological survey.

He said following the report from the hydrological survey, the contractor received the ‘Notice to Proceed’ earlier this month and that work at the first site is expected to commence in December 2025.