Category: CANA News

The Central Bank of Barbados (CBB) Tuesday said that interbank transfers will be temporarily unavailable on Friday as its transitions to BiMPay, Barbados’ new national instant payment system.

The CBB said that the Automated Clearing House (ACH) will go offline at 2:00 p.m (local time) and the Real-Time Processing (RTP) system will become unavailable from 7:00 p.m. to facilitate the transition to BiMPay. The CBB said that the formal switch to BiMPay will take place at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, June 12 and that interbank transfers will resume on BiMPay from 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 13.

‘While the ACH and RTP will go offline …customers who need to complete transactions should consult their financial institution to confirm its specific cutoff time. ATM, point-of-sale, and intrabank transactions will continue as normal throughout the transition period.

‘The service interruption will affect interbank transfers across financial institutions currently processed through the ACH and RTP systems. The temporary interruption is necessary to support a safe and orderly migration from the existing payment rails to BiMPay,’ the CBB said.

It said that BiMPay will replace the existing ACH and RTP rails with a national instant payment system that processes payments in real time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

‘Once the transition is complete, interbank transfers will be processed in seconds across participating institutions,’ the CBB said, adding that BiMPay is fully interoperable, meaning customers will be able to send and receive funds across participating financial institutions, regardless of where the payer or payee banks.

‘Users will also be able to use simple identifiers, known as aliases, such as a mobile number or email address, instead of complex and potentially sensitive banking details,’it said, adding that all six of Barbados’ commercial banks and the three largest credit unions, Barbados Public Workers’ Cooperative Credit Union, City of Bridgetown Co-operative Credit Union, and Affinity Plus Credit Union, are participants in BiMPay from launch.

‘For individuals, BiMPay means immediate access to transferred funds at any hour, including weekends and public holidays. For small and micro businesses, the system supports faster payment receipt and improved cash flow. BiMPay also supports wallet-based access, request-to-pay, and QR-code-based payment acceptance through participating financial institutions,’ the CBB noted.

More than a decade after it warned that the Caribbean had some of the highest homicide rates in the world, particularly in countries as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Belize, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has released a new report highlighting a disconnect between security policies and the structural causes of violence.

The UNDP, Monday launched its report ‘Democracies Under Pressure: Reimagining the Futures of Democracy and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean’ in the Dominican Republic in which it also noted that violence against women is a critical concern throughout the region. The 323 page report notes that the Caribbean faces an epidemic of crime and violence, driven by organized crime and drug trafficking. In 2022, 12 of the 20 countries with the highest homicide rates globally were Caribbean States.

The report notes that in that same year, the homicide rate in the Turks and Caicos Islands reached 77.6 per 100,000 inhabitants, doubling the previous year’s figure, while St. Lucia recorded 42.3, surpassing its previous record, and Trinidad and Tobago reached 39.4, representing an increase of more than 22 per cent compared to the previous year.

It said that a significant share of this violence is linked to gang-related disputes, and although data availability is uneven, it is estimated that between 20 per cent and 40 per cent of intentional homicides are associated with organized violence, well above the global average. Most of the victims are young men between the ages of 18 and 30, living in conditions of poverty and marginalization.

The report notes that while Jamaica and Haiti have long faced a crisis of crime and violence, the spread of violence across the region has severely affected the well-being of Caribbean populations and threatens to cripple already fragile and weakened economies and institutions.

It said despite declines recorded in 2023 and 2024 compared to 2022, the increase in violence in Jamaica can be explained by the combination of three factors, namely the spread of gangs recruited from among poor suburban youth, the rise of drug trafficking and the growth of arms smuggling in the region.

‘The nature, size, capacity and dynamics of gangs and criminal groups in the region vary substantially: a few, the most highly organized, are involved in transnational drug, arms or human trafficking networks that pass through North and South America, Europe or Asia; others, equally sophisticated but smaller, operate locally, either in competition or in alliance with State actors to secure territorial control that allows them to expand their criminal activities as links in broader crime chains.’

The UNDP report notes that the gang phenomenon, beyond its impact on homicide and crime figures, has become a challenge to state sovereignty, the rule of law and the very functioning of democracies and electoral processes in the region

It said efforts have been made to stem the tide of crime in the region. The two most populous Caribbean countries, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, have declared ‘states of public emergency’ in response to rising gang violence and organized crime.

In addition, anti-gang laws have also been enacted in the region to combat crime and violence, especially organized crime. However, many security institutions, including the police, lack the capacity and forensic resources to eradicate crime and continue to be hampered by outdated legislation and inefficient justice systems.

The report notes that low levels of trust in the police forces and the government further aggravate eradication efforts.

‘Beyond being a security issue, there is evidence that some political and economic elites rely on gang services to, among other things, influence electoral outcomes in strategic districts, in exchange for benefits such as privileged access to public contracts or judicial impunity.’

The report states that in face of these challenges, the share of people willing to sacrifice democracy for security reflects growing public disillusionment with outcomes in crime control and criminal justice.

‘In that sense, citizens appear to be signalling that if gangs and other criminal actors cannot be effectively controlled through democratic means, it may be time to consider more forceful approaches, even if they carry greater risks.’

The report notes that in 222, the direct costs of crime amounted to 3.44 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, roughly equivalent to 78 per cent of the public budget for education and twice the budget for social assistance

It said in Jamaica, it is estimated to incur annual labour productivity losses exceeding US$38 million due to the killing and incarceration of men. In Trinidad and Tobago, the cost of violence was estimated at 4.07 per cent of GDP in 2022, approximately one billion US dollars, and by 2024, the total cost of crime increased to an estimated five billion US dollars.

‘Overall, the costs of crime are likely even higher, as high crime rates constrain economic growth, reduce both foreign and local investment, drive migration and widen inequalities.

The UNDP said that beyond these direct costs, violence generates effects with profound economic, social, and democratic implications.

In the Caribbean, the expansion of gangs and criminal organizations has given rise to forms of parallel governance, in which non-state actors control territories, regulate access to basic goods and services, and perform functions typically associated with the state, as seen in parts of Jamaica and Haiti.

‘This territorial capture not only erodes State authority, but also restricts mobility, fragments the social capital, and distorts the functioning of markets and communities. In these contexts, economic activity becomes subordinated to systems of coercion, extortion, and social control, limiting productive opportunities and reinforcing patterns of exclusion.

‘Moreover, these structures affect democratic functioning, as criminal leaders often establish links with political actors, influencing – and in some cases controlling- electoral processes and local decision-making.’

The report also notes that violence also creates short-term incentives for adopting punitive approaches, such as deploying military forces for internal security tasks or implementing ‘tough-on-crime’ policies.

‘While these measures may provide temporary control, they tend to delay the implementation of comprehensive, multisectoral responses that address the structural causes of the problem. This generates a feedback loop between immediate social demands and political responses, in which governments prioritize visible short-term results-often associated with electoral gains-over sustainable long-term strategies,’ the report added.

ExxonMobil Tuesday said it had accumulated US$489.5 million as negotiations continue with the Guyana government on a decommissioning fund for the safe removal of equipment and sealing of depleted wells.

‘Talks are underway between ExxonMobil, Guyana Limited, as well as the government, on what the terms and conditions of that fund might look like,’ ExxonMobil Guyana’s Vice President and Business Services Manager, John Colling, told a news conference.

The US$489.5 million has been listed as ‘asset retirement obligation’ in the 2025 financial statement that was submitted to Guyana’s Corporate Registry. The money covers the balances for the period 2023, 2024 and 2025. Colling told reporters that there was no timeline for completing the negotiations but described the talks as ‘very productive’ and that the oil and energy company wanted an agreement on the decommissioning fund that would be investor-friendly.

‘Ultimately what we’re looking for is a fund that is consistent with the Petroleum Act as well as international best practices that ultimately provides the financial assurance required by the government of Guyana and is also industry best practice to encourage future investors to continue to do business here in Guyana,’ he said

Colling said consistent with his company’s 45 per cent stake in the Stabroek Block, the American company would contribute that amount to decommissioning costs. China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has a 25 per cent stake and Chevron (formerly Hess’ stake 30 per cent.

Meanwhile, the two parties have still not reached an agreement on a Sole Expert to resolve the dispute over the US$214 million in questionable expenses claimed by the oil giant.

An audit conducted by IHS Markit, which was acquired by S and P Global, had found that of the US$1.67 billion in claims made by the oil company for operational expenses in the Stabroek Block for the period 1999-2017.

The Sole Expert is expected to determine whether the US$214 million in questionable expenses as flagged by IHS Markit were legitimate.

But after more than a year of agreeing to the process as provided for in the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), the government, at the level of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), and ExxonMobil, have not reached an agreement despite nominations from both sides.

‘I can assure you that ExxonMobil Guyana Limited as well as the government is diligently working to find a sole expert which is acceptable to both parties,’ he told reporters, adding that the two sides are still locked in discussions regarding the selection of the Sole Expert.

‘What I can tell you is that as sole experts are considered they must meet a number of qualifications that are acceptable to both parties, and certainly objectivity is one of them. So, that is one of the criteria that we are discussing with the government as well as experience, relevant experience which is another key factor,’ the ExxonMobil Guyana Vice President said.

Colling, however, declined to disclose how many nominees Exxon has put forward to date, adding that should the two sides fail to reach an agreement on the Sole Expert, one would be appointed by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

‘The process is outlined very clearly in the petroleum agreement. So the parties in this case, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and the Government have looked at different sole experts for potential selection. If we are unable to arrive at a mutual selection that can be referred to the ICC to make the selection, which very well maybe the next step in the process,’ Colling said.

Exxon has long maintained that it intends to recover the entire US$1.678 billion in costs for exportation work done between 1999 and 2017.

A 23-year-old man has been remanded into custody until July 20 this year, after he appeared in court Tuesday charged with the murder of seven year-old primary school student, Adriel Aftab Mohamed.

Mohamed, a student of Zeelugt Primary School, was killed during the deadly attack that occurred at his home during the early hours last Friday. Police said his 71-year-old disabled grandmother has been hospitalised suffering from injuries received during the incident. On Tuesday, Shaeed Mohammed, called ‘Max’, appeared before Magistrate Alisha George at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, charged with his murder. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge. The matter was adjourned to July 20, 2026, for a report on statements.

Mohammed was arrested on Saturday and Deputy Commissioner and Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum had disclosed that detectives secured digital evidence linking the suspect to the crime scene at the time of the attack.

A post-mortem examination conducted on Monday found that the child died as a result of an incised wound to the neck. Investigators also observed evidence of both sharp and blunt force injuries on the boy’s body, injuries consistent with the use of a knife.

Police have since recovered a knife from the crime scene, which investigators said the suspect identified as the weapon used to kill the child and injure his great-grandmother.

West Indies Academy trail Sri Lanka Emerging Players by 83 runs with five wickets remaining after reaching 273 for five at the close of play on the second day of their four-day match at the Mahinda Rajapaksha International Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.

Scores

SRI LANKA EMERGING PLAYERS 356 in 90.2 overs (Anjala Bandara 163, Nisala Abeyratne 48, Asitha Wanninayake 41, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 25, Shakthi Udara 13; Ryan Bandoo 3-45, Johann Layne 3-68, Jediah Blades 2-83).

WEST INDIES ACADEMY 273-5 in 72 overs (Rivaldo Clarke 72 not out, Mavendra Dindyal 60, Shaqkere Parris 55, Damel Evelyn 35, Amari Goodridge 14 not out, Mbeki Joseph 13; Shakthi Udara 3-85).

Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz wasted several good opportunities to score and were held to a goalless draw by Panama in the second of two international friendlies here at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez Gutiérrez Stadium on Tuesday.

Jamaica won the opening friendly 1-0 on Friday at the same venue and should have gone into the halftime break up by at least two goals. The visitors were awarded a penalty after Natasha Thomas, one of five changes to the starting team from the first game, was tripped as she dribbled across the 18-yard box in the 26th minute.

However, veteran Deneisha Blackwood’s penalty shot cannoned into the crossbar.

Jamaica almost went ahead 10 minutes later, but Panama’s goalkeeper Yenith Bailey just got her hands to the ball to deny a header from Thomas.

The Reggae Girlz also had another chance to win the game at the death, but Konya Plummer’s point-blank shot was well saved by Bailey, who blocked it for a corner.

The result ensured Jamaica extended their unbeaten run against Panama to four games.

The Archbishop of Castries, Gabriel Malzaire, has been appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Catholic Diocese in Grenada, after Pope Leo XIV officially accepted the resignation of the Trinidadian-born Bishop of St. George’s, Clyde Harvey.

Harvey offered his resignation as it is mandatory for Bishops in the Catholic Church to do so once attaining the age of 75. Archbishop Malzaire will remain in the position until a new bishop is named.

Bishop Harvey had submitted his resignation on November 9, 2023, in keeping with the requirements of canon law, which calls on bishops to offer their resignation upon reaching the age of 75.

At the time, the late Pope Francis did not accept the resignation and instead requested that he continue serving as bishop until January 31, 2026. On June 9, 2026, Pope Leo XIV formally accepted Bishop Harvey’s resignation.

Bishop Harvey’s tenure will be remembered also for the high-profile dispute with Father Gerard Paul, who had publicly called the Gaza war a ‘wholesale slaughter’ and criticised the Catholic Church in Grenada for remaining silent on the issue during clergy retreats and public masses.

In April 2024, Bishop Harvey issued an indefinite suspension to Father Paul, citing persistent contentious remarks and failure to follow church rules. By mid-April, a team of mediators, including former attorney general Dr. Francis Alexis, brokered a truce.

Archbishop Malzaire is expected to visit Grenada shortly and will preside at the monthly devotion at the Marian Shrine in Battle Hill on Sunday, June 14, at 3 p.m.

The process to appoint a new bishop for the Diocese of St. George’s will now begin under the direction of the Vatican.

The St. Lucia government has extended to the end of December next year, an amnesty to settle outstanding tax liabilities while benefiting from a full waiver of interest and penalties on eligible taxes.

Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre, speaking at the weekly pre-Cabinet press briefing, described the measure as one of the most generous tax relief initiatives ever offered by any administration here.

‘What is important to note is that all interest and penalties due on taxes up to December 2025 will be waived,’ Pierre said.

The current amnesty, which was scheduled to expire in May 2026, provides taxpayers with a 100 per cent waiver of penalties and interest on outstanding tax obligations for earlier tax periods. Government officials have previously stated that the programme applies to all categories of taxes, including Value Added Tax (VAT), income tax, property tax and other statutory obligations.

Pierre told the reporters that the extended amnesty will continue to cover all forms of taxation, including VAT collected by businesses on behalf of the government but not yet remitted.

‘VAT collected by businesses ought to be paid immediately to the government. We understand sometimes there are going to be issues, so we will be waiving these interests and penalties.’

Pierre noted that his administration has pursued similar tax-relief measures since budget 2023 as part of a broader strategy to encourage compliance while easing financial pressures on businesses and individuals.

Cabinet also approved the continuation of several consumer-relief initiatives aimed at shielding households from higher living costs.

Among the measures being extended are the zero-rating and VAT exemptions on a range of grocery items, a policy first introduced as part of the government’s response to global inflation and rising food import costs. Government said the concessions were intended to reduce the cost of dozens of essential food products for consumers.

Pierre said the decision comes as international developments continue to place upward pressure on prices, particularly through higher energy costs that affect transportation, food production and imports.

The government will also continue VAT concessions on selected building materials for an additional two years. The measure, first implemented in 2023, removed VAT from a range of construction inputs, including lumber, cement, steel, and galvanised, with the stated objective of lowering construction costs and stimulating economic activity.

In addition, the administration will maintain the waiver of service charges on food items.

Pierre said the combined measures are intended to cushion consumers from external economic shocks while supporting continued growth in St. Lucia’s construction sector, which has been among the strongest-performing segments of the economy in recent years.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, says nearly 600 children under the age of 16 had been referred to the Child Care and Protection Agency between 2020 and 2025 after they became pregnant.

Dr. Prasad told the National Assembly that the records of the agency showed that during the period 2020 to 2025, a total of 584 pregnant girls who were all under the age of 16 were referred to the Child Care and Protection Agency.

Dr. Persad was responding to a series of questions filed by the leader of the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), Amanda Walton, who spoke of a high number of teenage pregnancies recorded during the past five years, saying that it paints a troubling picture of the state of affairs of young girls in Guyana.

‘The figure is actually deeply, deeply concerning because you’re talking about almost 600 children under the age of 16 becoming pregnant over a five-year period. And these are not simply statistics. Each number represents a child whose circumstances require serious scrutiny from a child protection, health, education, and law enforcement perspective,’ Walton said.

‘So what this figure suggests is that adolescent pregnancy among very young girls remains a significant issue that demands sustained national attention. It really underscores why it is important that our systems not only respond to these cases but measure outcomes.

‘We need to know what happens to these girls after they enter the system. Are they safe? Are they remaining in school? Are they receiving support? Are these interventions making a difference? And those are the questions that the data should help us to answer.’

Walton also questioned the Human Services Minister on the number of girls under the age of 16 who had given birth and had been referred to the agency.

But Dr. Persaud said that data was not available, explaining that while the Child Care and Protection Agency’s system captures reports of underage pregnancy, the data is not further disaggregated to highlight the number of girls who would have subsequently given birth.

She said in her written response that the agency is unable to provide a separate figure for girls under the age of 16 who give birth during the specified period, 2020 to 2025.

Dr. Persaud said that such matters are treated as child protection concerns and are assessed to determine the presence of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, with appropriate interventions implemented in each case.

Walton also questioned the Human Services Minister on whether there was a mandatory referral protocol in place between the Ministry of Health and the Child Care and Protection Agency when a child under the age of 16 is confirmed pregnant.

But the Parliament was told that there is an established inter-agency practise that sees cases involving minors who are pregnant being referred to the CPA.

Dr. Persaud said private health care providers as well as the Ministry of Health notify the agency when a pregnancy involving a child under the age of 16 is identified, as such cases may indicate sexual abuse under the law.

But she noted that there is no single stand-alone policy titled Mandatory Referral Protocols, assuring the National Assembly that the referral process is guided by the Protection of Children Act, in particular Sections 4 and 6, and the Sexual Offences Act, which establishes that sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 constitutes a criminal offence, thereby necessitating reporting and investigation.

Parliament was also told that are established inter-agency procedures that are followed by the health, social services and law enforcement sectors.

Dr. Persaud said the Ministry continues to strengthen formal coordination mechanisms to ensure (4:48) consistency, timelines and accountability in the referral and response process, and is in the process of developing policies which were not in place previously.

But Walton urged that the new protocols and procedures must be put in writing, noting that the fact that there is a legal obligation and an established practise is welcome and is very important.

‘I think, however, good systems should not depend solely on institutional memory or informal practise. Clear written protocols will help to promote consistency, accountability, training and oversight. What I had hoped to get from the Minister is that there are these protocols, they are contained in these manuals, so that we are sure that the system doesn’t collapse if somebody exits, because they are the repository of all of the institutional information.

‘That was not forthcoming from the Minister,’ Walton said, adding ‘the law provides a general framework.

‘You have to, however, drill down to processes, practises and guidance for your officers as to how this report is done, the manner in which this report is compiled, etc. So I had hoped for a far more fulsome answer from the Minister, but I will be pressing more, because her answers have raised actually more questions than answers.

Half centuries from captain Rivaldo Clarke, Mavendra Dindyal and Shaqkere Parris have given the West Indies Academy a slight advantage over Sri Lanka’s Emerging Players at the halfway mark of the first unofficial ‘Test’ here on Tuesday.

Clarke ended the day unbeaten on 72, Dindyal scored 60 and Parris stroked 55, as the visitors finished the day on 273 for five in reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 356.

The Windies were given a decent start by openers Mbeki Joseph and Damel Evelyn, with the pair adding 42 runs inside six overs.

Pacer Nisala Abeyratne eventually broke the stand when he held on to a return catch to dismiss Joseph for 13. Dindyal joined Evelyn at the crease and the two maintained the momentum during a 40-run partnership. When off spinner Chamod Battage had Evelyn caught behind for an aggressive 35 off 29 balls, it led to a minor collapse which saw the Windies slip from 82 for one to 134 for four.

Left-arm spinner Shakthi Udara was the main architect, trapping Kevlon Anderson lbw for two, before having Dindyal caught and bowled for a well-played 60 off 79 balls that contained six fours and one six.

However, Clarke and Parris came to their side’s rescue with a crucial partnership of 115 runs for the fifth wicket that put them back on track.

The Windies looked to be cruising on 249 for five, when Udara struck again to remove Parris shortly after he reached his half century. In all he faced 115 balls and hit three fours.

Amari Goodridge ensured there would be no further losses, as he finished the day on 14 not out, while Clarke has so far faced 132 balls and struck seven fours and one six in his innings.

Udara has been the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with 3-85.

Earlier, resuming the day on 302 for eight, Sri Lanka added 54 valuable runs for the last two wickets.

Overnight batters Anjala Bandara and Nisala Abeyratne extended their partnership to 142 runs before the latter was run out two runs short of a well-deserved half century.

Last man Battage contributed just one run in his partnership of 21 for the last wicket with Bandara, who was trapped lbw by Ryan Bandoo for 163 off 217 balls, with 19 boundaries to bring the innings to a close.

Bandoo ended with 3-45, Johann Layne took 3-68 and Jediah Blades 2-83.