Category: CANA News

As a tribute to former West Indies cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced that admission to Kensington Oval for the final two One Day Internationals between West Indies and New Zealand will be free.

Sir Garry, widely regarded as the greatest cricketer of all time, passed away at his home in Barbados on Friday at the age of 89 after ailing for some time.

As a mark of respect, CWI took the decision to allow free entry into the venue for the two ODIs on Sunday and Tuesday.

Patrons who have already purchased tickets will receive a full refund, which will be processed within seven days.

In a statement issued on Friday, CWI said the matches would “serve as a celebration of the greatest cricketer the game has ever known, with tributes planned to commemorate Sir Garfield’s extraordinary contribution to cricket, Barbados, the Caribbean and the world.”

CWI’s chief executive officer, Chris Dehring said the decision to open the gates free of charge reflects the immeasurable impact Sir Garfield had on generations of West Indians and cricket lovers around the world.

“Sir Garfield Sobers belonged to all of us. While Barbados was his home, his brilliance united the Caribbean and captivated the cricketing world. Kensington Oval is a fitting place to honour his life and incomparable career, a venue where so many unforgettable chapters of his remarkable journey were written.

“We want every individual in Barbados to have the opportunity to come together as one cricket family to honour a man who inspired millions and whose legacy will live forever. These matches will be more than international cricket fixtures; they will be celebrations of an extraordinary life and a chance for all of us to say thank you to the greatest cricketer the game has ever known,” Dehring said.

Pakistan’s duo of Azan Awais and Shan Masood were the standout players on a rain-affected first day of play in their four-day warmup match against a West Indies Select XI.

On a day where only 60.4 overs were possible, Awais and Masood scored contrasting half centuries to help their side up to 184 for two.

Awais added 39 runs for the first wicket with Imam-ul-Haq, before fast bowler Ojay Shields dismissed the latter for 10.

Awais then joined forces with Masoon, with the pair sharing a 108-run partnership for the second wicket.

The home side’s captain, Jomel Warrican broke the stand by having Masood caught for 70 off 100 balls, inclusive of 10 boundaries.

His dismissal brought Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam to the crease, and together with Awais they added a further 37 runs before the end of play.

Awais finished the day unbeaten on 78 off 189 balls and has so far struck seven boundaries, while Azam was on 14 not out.

Below is a statement issued by Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley on Friday following the passing of Sir Garfield Sobers.

“My fellow Barbadians, friends of Barbados, and lovers of cricket in every corner of the world. This is a solemn hour for our nation. It is with profound sadness that I now advise the people of Barbados, the region and the wider cricketing world of the passing of The Right Excellent Sir Garfield St. Aubrun Sobers, our beloved Sir Gary. Across Barbados and across the world, we hold him with gratitude, with reverence, and with the tender sorrow that comes when a people have to say farewell to one of their greatest sons.

“Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers, our Sir Gary, did not begin life among privilege or parade. He began in Walcott Avenue, Bay Land, a boy of Barbados, shaped by family, community, loss, discipline and faith.

“He travelled from Bay Land to Kensington, from Kensington to Sabina Park, and onto the world stage, carrying his country Barbados, carrying the West Indies, and carrying the Caribbean as a whole with distinction.

“Long before people spoke about the GOAT, the Greatest of All Time, the Mighty Sparrow settled the debate in song. He asked, “Who is the greatest cricketer on earth or Mars?” Anyone can tell you. It is the great Sir Garfield Sobers.

“He is remembered as the greatest cricketer, the greatest all-rounder the world has ever seen, not simply because of his records, but because he became the standard by which greatness would forever be measured.

“We remember the image of him kneeling to receive his knighthood in 1975, less than a mile from where he was born in the Bay Land, knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, knowing full well that his people had already crowned him in their hearts.

“For many years, Sir Gary was our only living National Hero, though the world had recognised him long before Barbados made it official.

“There is a story from Swansea in 1968 that still feels larger than sport. On the fifth ball of that immortal over, Roger Davis held the catch, then the momentum carried him beyond the rope. The boundary itself could not contain Sir Gary. That was his life.

“Every innings, however great, must at some point come to a close. The finest innings do not end in silence. They end with a whole ground rising, and with a grateful people saying thank you and yes we love you.

“I had the opportunity to speak to his children, and I therefore publicly now say that, on behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, I extend my deepest condolences to them, to Matthew, to Daniel and to Genevieve, Matthew, Daniel and Genevieve, and to his stepchildren Stuart and Trisha, children of Sir Gary’s longstanding partner Jackie White, who predeceased him; to his grandchildren, we say we are so sorry, especially Gabriel, who lived with him; to his former wife and the mother of his children, Prue; and to his younger brother, Cecil, whom we know as Saul; and to all of his family, loved ones, friends, cricket lovers, cricketers, admirers across Barbados, the Caribbean and the world.

“The Government has declared today [Friday], July 17, a Day of National Mourning. There will also be a Day of National Mourning on the day of interment of Sir Garfield. On these two days there will be no official functions. The flag will immediately be flown at half-staff and will remain so until the interment of Sir Gary. Further information regarding the place and date of the State Funeral and all other arrangements will be provided by Senator Lisa Cummins, who has been given the responsibility of coordinating the funeral with Cabinet Office and the Barbados Defence Force.

“Sir Gary, Barbados stands for you. The West Indies stands for you. The world stands for you.

“For an innings that was so well played, Sir Gary, so well played. We will always love you.”

St. Vincent and the Grenadines has joined other member states within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in providing humanitarian assistance to Venezuela following the earthquakes on June 24.

St Vincent contributed to the initiative alongside Guyana, Grenada, Belize, The Bahamas, Jamaica, and St . Kitts and Nevis, complementing humanitarian support from other CARICOM member states.

According to Prime Minister Godwin Friday his administration understands firsthand the devastating impact of natural disasters and the importance of standing together in times of crisis

“We have faced our own difficult times, and we know how much it means to have friends and neighbours stand with you when you need them most,” Friday said.

“So, stand with our CARICOM partners and to extend a helping hand to the people of Venezuela. We hope this contribution will bring comfort and support to families and communities working to recover and rebuild,” the prime minister said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble, said the regional response underscores the importance of cooperation and solidarity among Caribbean nations.

“When our neighbours face hardship, we must be prepared to stand together and respond. This humanitarian effort demonstrates what we can achieve through regional cooperation and collective action,” Bramble said.

“St. Vincent and the Grenadines is pleased to contribute to this CARICOM initiative and to stand with the Government and people of Venezuela during this difficult period.”

The shipment was received on behalf of the government and people of Venezuela by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yván Gil, accompanied by the Vice Minister for the Caribbean, Raúl Li Causi.

During a brief meeting with CARICOM representatives, Interim President Delcy Rodríguez expressed gratitude to the leaders of the participating CARICOM member states for their humanitarian assistance and requested that her appreciation be conveyed to Prime Minister Friday and the people of St. Vincent .

Gil also expressed his appreciation to CARICOM, describing the bloc as a steadfast friend and partner whose solidarity reflects the strength of regional cooperation in times of need.

The twin earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, caused catastrophic damage across north-central Venezuela, resulting in over 4,800 confirmed deaths, with thousands more reported missing following building collapses.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs further said that nearly 17,000 individuals were wounded and required medical care.

Over 18,000 people lost their homes and were placed in temporary transitional camps.

The regional humanitarian initiative delivered 88 containers of relief supplies to La Guaira.

The shipment included food, medicines, construction materials, debris-removal equipment and 300 water tanks to support affected communities.

The House of Representatives has passed the Mediation Act, which seeks to establish a regulatory framework for the conduct of mediation in Jamaica.

The act governs community, court-directed, and international mediation, the registration of mediators, and the licensing and regulation of mediation service providers.

The legislation will also give effect to the provisions of the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting From Mediation, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in New York on December 20, 2018.

The Bill, which was piloted by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Delroy Chuck, was passed with two amendments.

Among the changes are amendments to clause two, with the term “habitual resident” being replaced with “ordinary resident”.

In addition, amendments were made to clause 11, which deals with the offence of operating as a mediation service provider without a licence.

Chuck explained that the offence carries a maximum fine of $1 million but is being amended to also include a prison term.

“So, clause 11, we will put after $1 million, the words ‘in default of payment of the fine, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months’,” he stated.

The Mediation Act is in keeping with the country’s alternative dispute resolution framework, transforming mediation from an informal option into a structured cornerstone of the justice system.

The legislation will, among other things, provide legal certainty by clearly codifying the mediation process into domestic law and eliminating confusion for global businesses.

It also establishes the “rules of the game” giving local courts a clear framework to seamlessly recognise and enforce mediated settlement agreements.

The Bill will now be sent to the Senate for its approval.

Six Jamaican resorts have been named among the Caribbean’s top 25 resorts in the 2026 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards, with Tensing Pen in the western tourist resort town of Negril earning the No. 2 spot overall.

The annual readers’ choice awards recognised resorts across the resort towns of Negril, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Treasure Beach, with Jamaica accounting for nearly a quarter of the region’s top-ranked properties.

The Jamaican resorts featured on the list are Tensing Pen (No. 2), Jamaica Inn (No. 8), Rockhouse Hotel and Spa (No. 12), Round Hill Hotel and Villas (No. 15), Jakes Hotel, Villas and Spa (No. 18) and Skylark Negril Beach Resort (No. 20).

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett welcomed the recognition, describing it as a reflection of the quality of Jamaica’s tourism product and the dedication of the country’s hospitality sector.

He said having six resorts ranked among the Caribbean’s best highlights the exceptional service and experiences that continue to attract visitors to the island.

Director of Tourism Donovan White said the rankings reinforce Jamaica’s strong appeal among international travellers.

The Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards are based on readers’ surveys evaluating hotels and resorts on criteria including accommodation, facilities, location, service, dining and overall value.

West Indies captain Shai Hope is hoping that the death of the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers inspires his troops to victory in their One Day International series against New Zealand.

Sir Garry, one of Barbados’ National Heroes and widely regarded as the best cricketer the world has ever seen, passed away on Friday at the age of 89.

In 93 Test matches for the West Indies between 1954 and 1974, Sir Garry scored 8032 runs at an average of 57.78 and also took 235 wickets.

With the West Indies needing to win the final two matches of the series at Kensington Oval to overturn a 2-1 deficit into a series victory, Hope said while Sir Garry’s death had created a sombre mood in the camp, he was counting on it to serve as a motivator for the regional side.

“It is a sad one. He has shown what West Indies cricket really means. He’s one of the first legends of the game and really set and paved the way for us all, so I think tomorrow should be a big inspiration for us, a big confidence booster for us.

“I’m not saying that we’re looking at the death to only rise us, but we need to play this one for the great man and hopefully we can get the results that we really want in his honour as well,” Hope said during a pre-match interview on Saturday.

He said winning the remaining two games was also crucial in their bid to secure automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup

“It’s very important and something we’ve been mentioning for the last few series now is that every single game is very important, especially for what’s at stake. We’ve got a big qualification period, I think these games hold a bit more weight, probably a bit more than the others.

“But we’ve still got to play each game as it comes, we have to ensure that we’re following all of our processes and executing when the time comes,” Hope said.

Unlike the previous three matches in Guyana, the captain said he expected a pitch which would be much easier to bat on.

However, he emphasised that regardless of the conditions, the West Indies needed to adapt quickly and be at its best.

“It [the pitch] doesn’t look as though it’s going to be as slow and low, but again, the adaptation needs to happen when the toss flips and when the first ball is bowled.

“We still have to see what’s going to happen. We have a better understanding of the surface here in Barbados, but regardless of how we think it’s going to play, we still have to assess on the day and be ready for whatever challenges we face from an opposition standpoint and from a condition standpoint as well,” Hope said.

Two Haitian nationals are in custody after they were picked up hours after arriving by boat in the central parish of St. Catherine on Thursday.

According to Senior Superintendent Leighton Grey, of the St Catherine police, the men were found hiding in bushes and the authorities have been contacted as investigations continue into reports that the men were part of a larger group of Haitians, including women and children, that was spotted in a boat.

The Haitian men told the police that Jamaica was not their destination.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the small vessel had left Haiti, destined to the United States of America, but as they go along, they develop difficulties along the way. The fact that the police was quick on the scene as they approached, it was only two males that disembarked the vessel, as they had left to seek food for the other persons,” Grey noted.

It is unclear whether the other Haitian nationals disembarked the vessel.

Grey said neither the Haitians nor the boat was seen during a further search of along the coastline.

Julien Alfred beat Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas for the second time in a week on her way to setting a new meet record at the London Diamond League here on Friday.

The reigning Saint Lucian Olympic 100m champ blazed across the finish line in 21.66 seconds, relegating the American to second in 21.81 seconds, while Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas claimed the third spot in 22.24.

Alfred’s time broke her own meet record of 21.71 seconds, which she set at the event last year.

“I am happy I won one [a race] again. I am healthy, so I couldn’t be happier. Right now, I am in a good place mentally and physically,” Alfred said after the race.

“I’m not going to lie, I didn’t want to run today, but my coach was like, ‘It is our last race for a while, we can go home and get to Saint Lucia, too’. I am here, I did it and I won, so I am very happy with how it went today.”

Results of the fourth round of matches in the CWI Rising Stars Under-19 Men’s 50-over Championship here on Saturday.

At Pigotts Sports Ground: Barbados defeated Trinidad and Tobago by six wickets.

T and T 141 in 37.1 overs (Christian Lall 54, Levi Ghanny 25, Brendan Boodoo 22; Rajeev Parsooram 5-35, Justin Parris 2-9, Raphael Lovell 2-21).

BARBADOS 142-4 in 31.1 overs (Seth Smith 40 not out, Jordan Graham 37, Justin Parris 27 not out, Kemar Dixon 23; Renaldo Fournillier 2-20).

At Bethesda Sports Ground: Jamaica defeated Windward Islands by 113 runs.

JAMAICA 252-3 in 50 overs (Tyson Gordon Jr 102 not out, Odane Binns 55, Demarco Scott 52 not out, Pajay Nelson 16).

WINDWARD ISLANDS 139 in 25.3 overs (Cody Fontinelle 47, Aiden Burton 38, Johnathan Daniel 18, Earsinho Fontaine 12; Perico Henry 4-28, Joel Williams 2-25).

At Liberta Sports Club: Guyana defeated Leeward Islands by 121 runs.

GUYANA 272 in 47.1 overs (Parmeshwar Ram 79, Adrian Hetmyer 76, Emmanuel Lewis 42, Dhanesh Persaud 10; Matthew Miller 4-45, Kerique Mentore 2-51).

LEEWARD ISLANDS 151 in 37.4 overs (Kunal Tilokani 37, Lawshorn Bergan 31 not out, J’Quan Athanaze 22, Jathan Edward 17, Rondre Daniel 11; Dhanesh Persaud 4-31, Gilbert Griffith 3-29, Parmeshwar Ram 2-32).