Category: CANA News

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has summoned a national security meeting on Monday amid an increase in gun related crimes, including Sunday’s shooting of Chinese investor, Yida Zhang, the owner of the YIDA Special Economic Zone.

Browne said that the meeting will be attended by Public Safety Minister, Sir Steadroy Benjamin, the heads of the Police and Defence Forces, Customs, Immigration and Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy.

‘We want to address this matter in a serious way as we cannot afford to have criminals disrupt the lives of ordinary citizens, nor must we allow them to tarnish Antigua and Barbuda’s reputation as a safe destination to travel and to do business,’ said Sir Steadroy.

In addition Information and Communication Technologies Minister, Melford Nicholas, will also attend the meeting, as the government looks to expedite the installation of additional surveillance cameras in public spaces.

Police said that Zhang was shot after a gunman entered the property. Zhang is reported to be in a stable condition at hospital. The authorities have not determined a motive or established how the attacker gained access to the heavily guarded compound.

But the attack is the latest in a series of shootings in recent weeks several of which have been brazenly carried out in broad daylight, including a double shooting near West Bus Station last Thursday.

Police Commissioner Everton Jeffers has recently warned criminals that the police will be ‘coming for you.’

The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) says it has joined the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAAF) in providing a one million US dollar conntribution to the recovery and reconstruction of Venezuela, following the earthquake that killed several people last month.

CAF established the Fund for the Recovery and Reconstruction of Venezuela two days after the earthquake had hit the South American country on June 24. It is intended to mobilise and coordinate international support for emergency response, rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction activities identified as priorities by the government of Venezuela.

‘In the immediate aftermath of this tragedy, the Caribbean Development Bank determined that we had to respond. Venezuela is a longstanding member of our institution and a country that has consistently and meaningfully supported the people and nations of the Caribbean over many decades,’ said CDB president, Daniel Best.

‘At this moment of profound loss and hardship, it is important that we stand in solidarity with the Government and people of Venezuela and provide support as they begin the challenging process of rebuilding,’ he said, noting that the CDB’s collaboration with CAF demonstrates how multilateral institutions can work together innovatively to respond effectively to humanitarian crises and support long-term recovery.

‘Equally important, this initiative provides an opportunity for the Bank to support a regional non-borrowing member in its time of greatest need, reaffirming that regional solidarity extends beyond traditional financing relationships.’

CAF’s executive president, Sergio Díaz-Granado, said ‘we deeply welcome and thank the Caribbean Development Bank for this historic one million US dollar contribution to our Recovery and Reconstruction Fund.

‘This contribution will directly support priority recovery efforts, and we hope it inspires other partners to join this collective endeavour. Our commitment is to ensure that every dollar entrusted to this Fund translates into tangible relief and lasting reconstruction for the Venezuelan people,’ said Díaz-Granados.

CDB’s Governor for Venezuela, Ambassador Raúl Octavio Li Causi Perez said, expressed his country’s ‘sincere appreciation… for this extraordinary demonstration of solidarity with the people of Venezuela.

‘This contribution reaffirms that regional cooperation and integration are at their strongest when they respond to moments of greatest need. Venezuela deeply values this expression of confidence and support, which will contribute to the recovery and reconstruction of the affected communities.

‘We receive it with gratitude and with the conviction that, together with our Caribbean partners and institutions such as the Caribbean Development Bank and CAF, we will continue advancing a shared agenda founded on solidarity, resilience, and sustainable regional development,’ he added.

Tianna Springer created history over the weekend when she secured a bronze medal in the women’s 400 metres at the World Under-20 Championships to capture Guyana’s first medal at the event in 14 years.

Springer, who entered the final as one of the favourites after winning both her heat and semi-final races, clocked 51.76 seconds to finish behind eventual winner Anastazja Kus of Poland, who sped to victory in a national Under-20 record of 51.06 seconds, while American Ataja Stephanie-Vazquez took silver in 51.36 seconds.

It is Guyana’s first medal at the championships since Kadecia Baird claimed silver in Barcelona, Spain, in 2012.

Guyana’s hopes of winning another medal faded when Malachi Austin finished sixth in the men’s 400 metres in a time of 46.03 seconds.

That race was won by America’s Jayden Deleon in a championship record time of 44.47 seconds, with his countryman Quincy Wilson second in a season’s best time of 44.62. Leendert Koekemoer captured the bronze medal in 44.96.

Zion Davis of the Bahamas was fifth in 46.00 seconds.

Despite not qualifying for the final of the women’s 800 metres, 15-year-old Olivia Solomon set another national U20 record in the event, finishing in 2:06.15 to finish fifth in her semi-final.

The chief executive officer of the US-based Pinnacle Steel and Vanadium Company, Edwin Bennet, says the refurbishment of the former ArcelorMittal steel facility, is aimed at transforming Trinidad and Tobago into a major producer of vanadium.

‘Our vision for this facility is that it will be one of the most technologically advanced, lowest cost, and environmentally friendly steel mills in the world, putting Trinidad on the map not only as a steel producer, as a critical minerals producer, but as on the forefront, the leading edge of steel production technology,’ he told the ribbon cutting ceremony that was also attended by United States Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau.

He said that the initial investment in the Ibis Steel Company at Point Lisas in central Trinidad, on the site of the former ArcelorMittal plant, which closed in 2016 is planned at US$250 million.

‘We think we’ll create 350 jobs during the restart of the facility and when we’re in production 500 full-time jobs and after an expansion in the future we plan to spend another US$500 million and double the number of jobs so to 1,000.

‘So that will take a long time, but we have, I think, a lot that we’re bringing to the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and we’re excited to spend the next several years investing and creating those opportunities,’ he added.

He said his company intends to produce at the plant here, vanadium, a critical metal much in demand in the United States and the EU for the aerospace industry, for batteries, and for the steel industry.

‘Our vision is to produce the equivalent of 50 per cent of American consumption of vanadium, in other words 100 per cent of the quantity of vanadium that the United States imports,’ he told the ceremony adding that the vanadium industry is dominated by China and Russia, accounting for more than 80 per cent of all vanadium produced by these two countries.

‘So we look at this as a critical asset for western critical mineral supply chains, putting Trinidad on the map as a key player in the western re-industrialisation and western creation of critical mineral supply chains outside of China.

‘So we bring that vision to this facility which is a unique facility that has the capability to do that and we’re excited to be able to bring the technology and the expertise to lever the equipment here and the people of Trinidad and Tobago to work together to build something that is, as I said before, new, exceeds the capabilities that were ever conceived of for this facility in the past.’

Bennet said that his company has set ‘ambitious targets not only in terms of what we can do but what we’re going to bring to the table for the people of Trinidad’ adding ‘we’re very excited to open the gates with you today and officially kick off the refurbishment of the facility’.

He said the company is planning first production by the end of 2027.

Planning and Cooperation Minister, Sandra Paulemon, says the staging of elections in Haiti remains a major priority for the government as efforts continue to ensure complete coherence in the implementation of the electoral calendar.

Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has scheduled the first round of long-awaited presidential and legislative elections, alongside a constitutional referendum, for December 13, this year. It marks the first time Haitians will be casting ballots since 2016 when President Jovenel Moise was elected. Moise was later assassinated on July 7,2021.

The preliminary results are expected to be published December 19, with final results for the first round scheduled for January 9, 2027. A second round of presidential and legislative elections, along with local elections, is scheduled for February 21, 2027 with final results for the second round of presidential and legislative elections scheduled for March 7, with final local election results expected March 12.

The electoral campaign for the first round is scheduled to begin October 5 and run through December 12. The campaign for the second round is scheduled for January 10 through February 20, 2027.

On Monday, the CEP said it had approved 15 of the 18 political groupings registered for the elections with the other three parties given until Tuesday to regularize their status.

The registration process for political groups is continuing this week in accordance with Haiti’s electoral calendar that also calls for voter registration to continue through October 13, while candidate registration is scheduled to begin August 20 and run through Oct. 2.

Paulemon held meetings with the Steering Committee for the Electoral Process Support Project that includes CEP president, Jacques Desrosiers, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), Carlos Ruiz Massieu, as well as Xavier Michon, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Haiti,and representatives from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS-Haiti) and the Organization of American States (OAS).

Paulemon in her remarks reiterated that organising the elections is the priority of the Alix Didier Fils-Aimé government, adding that all public institutions have been mobilised around a common roadmap to ensure complete coherence in the implementation of the electoral calendar.

She said that the success of the elections cannot depend solely on technical and financial resources, recalling that last February, key stakeholders signed the National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections, which unites several stakeholders including state institutions, political parties, civil society, the private sector, religious organizations and the the media.

Paulemon said that an entire generation of young Haitians has grown up without having experienced national elections or the democratic debates and that the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country has not yet truly entered into the electoral mode.

‘We want to hear special election programmes on radio and television, see information panels and posters in the streets, awareness campaigns in neighbourhoods, young people discussing democratic issues, families exchanging information about their right to vote, citizen organizations mobilizing, and public institutions conveying a unified message of hope.

‘We want every Haitian to feel that the elections are truly approaching and that democracy is gradually regaining its place in national life,’ she said, encouraging the CEP to resolutely move the country into a genuine electoral mode.

‘It’s not just about respecting a schedule, but about creating a national dynamic capable of restoring confidence, fostering citizen participation, and reviving democratic hope. The elections must be visible, audible, and present in the daily lives of citizens, so that everyone feels fully involved in this historic event.’

Paulemon in reaffirming the government’s financial commitment, said that US$120 million has been allocated for organizing the elections, assuring also that all necessary measures would be taken to ensure these resources are mobilized immediately, without being subject to the usual administrative delays.

‘Our commitment is clear: the electoral calendar will not be slowed down by State budgetary procedures,’ she said, adding that the ‘government has decided to give priority to imports of electoral materials at ports and customs, to fully mobilise the National Identification Office (ONI) in order to expedite the issuance of identification cards, to ensure ongoing coordination between the security authorities and the Electoral Council, and to facilitate, with local authorities, the deployment of polling stations and materials throughout the country.’

The Planning and External Cooperation Minister said that her ministry will continue its coordinating role calling on both the CEP and the UNDP to immediately release the necessary resources for the implementation of the national electoral information and awareness campaign.

‘We want awareness messages to begin being broadcast on all radio stations, television channels, and digital platforms in the coming days. We want to see billboards and banners in our cities, messages on public transportation, and campaigns on social media, so that every citizen knows that Haiti is committed to the path of elections,’ said Paulemonin .

Grenada police say their investigations into a fatal boating accident resulting in the deaths of two people over the last weekend are continuing and that ‘further information will be provided as it becomes available’.

In a brief statement, the Royal Grenada Police Force said that the incident occurred at Grand Anse Beach on the islan’s southwest coast on Saturday ‘resulting in the deaths of two individuals’.

The police statement did not provide any further information neither did it identify those killed.

But eyewitnesses say that the two women jumped together from a vessel and came into contact with the propeller with one dying at the scene and the other at the General Hospital.

The British Virgin Islands is developing a new water policy outlining assistance and subsidies for farmers as it moves ahead with plans to improve water storage at the Paraquita Bay Agricultural Station. Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley said the policy is expected to be completed soon and is intended to address longstanding water challenges affecting the agriculture sector.

‘The Ministry of the Premier’s Office should produce for us very soon a water policy for our farmers that will help to clarify what types of assistance and subsidies our farmers get as it pertains to water,’ Wheatley said.

The Premier made the disclosure during a recent news conference while responding to questions about the impact of drought and water shortages on residents and farmers.

He said the government is also advancing plans to construct reservoirs at the Paraquita Bay Agricultural Station, with the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) overseeing the project.

‘I got a good update on the reservoirs we’re seeking to build at the Paraquita Bay Station, agricultural station, which will provide water for our farmers,’ Wheatley said.

He said the RDA is moving ahead with the project, which the government hopes will be completed next year.

Efforts to establish a reliable water supply for farmers at Paraquita Bay have been underway for several years amid complaints about unreliable supplies and the high cost of purchasing water.

In May 2025, the RDA signed a US$224,639.60 contract for the design and construction management of the Farmers’ Reservoir. The project includes engineering design and oversight of water mains and other infrastructure to support irrigation and livestock.

Five farmers also received 1,000-gallon water tanks in March under an Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States-supported programme aimed at improving rainwater harvesting, irrigation and water reserves for livestock.

Wheatley said the government is providing assistance to farmers while work on the reservoir project continues.

‘In the meantime, we’re doing our best to provide water to our farmers,’ he said, acknowledging the challenges facing the sector.

The Premier said the territory’s broader water problems are also being addressed through investments in pipelines, reservoirs and distribution infrastructure, with water designated as a critical national priority.

Former Arizona television news anchor and Republican politician Kari Lake will have to wait until at least September for a possible Senate vote on her nomination as the next United States Ambassador to Jamaica. Lake’s nomination was listed for Senate consideration last Friday, but lawmakers did not vote on it before leaving for recess. The nomination remains pending and has not been rejected.

The Senate is not expected to resume sittings until September 14.

President Donald Trump nominated Lake in May to serve as Washington’s chief diplomatic representative in Jamaica. If confirmed, she would take up the post at the US Embassy in Kingston.

During her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in June, Lake pledged to work with the Jamaican government to tackle transnational criminal organizations, narcotics trafficking and lottery scams targeting Americans.

She also drew criticism from Beijing after saying the United States needed to counter China’s growing economic influence in Jamaica, particularly its investments in ports, infrastructure and other critical sectors, which she argued could have long-term strategic and security implications.

China rejected the criticism and defended its 53-year relationship with Jamaica, pointing to more than US$2.1 billion in investments and other assistance to the country.

The Chinese Embassy in Kingston said Beijing would continue to pursue a relationship with Jamaica and the wider Latin American and Caribbean region based on equality, mutual benefit and common development.

Lake also underscored Jamaica’s economic importance to the United States, noting that bilateral trade surpassed US$3 billion in 2025 and that Americans accounted for more than 70 percent of visitors to the Caribbean island.

China, meanwhile, said its bilateral trade with Jamaica exceeded US$1.4 billion in 2025.

Caribbean-American New York State Assemblywoman Monique Chandler-Waterman says she is standing firmly with Caribbean and other immigrant communities amid intensified immigration enforcement by the Trump administration. Chandler-Waterman, the daughter of Jamaican and Barbadian immigrants who represents Brooklyn’s 58th Assembly District, said Caribbean immigrants have made significant contributions to the United States.

‘As we navigate these uncertain times, particularly as immigration enforcement intensifies, one thing remains clear, our Caribbean community is a vital part of the strength, culture, resilience and identity of this country,’ she said in a message to constituents.

‘Their contributions have helped shape our neighborhoods, our economy, and the rich diversity that defines New York.’

Her comments come amid growing concern among Haitian immigrants following the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti and Syria on July 27.

Chandler-Waterman said more than 40,000 Haitians in New York, among more than 330,000 people nationwide, face the loss of legal protections and work authorization.

‘Our communities remain on heightened alert following the US Supreme Court’s June 2026 decision allowing the federal government to end TPS for Haiti and Syria,’ she said.

The lawmaker said community organizations, legal service providers, faith leaders, advocates and government agencies have mobilized to assist affected families.

‘Together with my colleagues and local leaders, we remain committed to ensuring our families have access to reliable information, legal resources and community support,’ she said.

Chandler-Waterman said she is also participating in efforts to encourage US senators to support S. 4814, legislation she said would provide protections for Haitian TPS holders.

Her office is also supporting ‘Know Your Rights’ training sessions to help immigrants understand their legal rights during encounters with immigration authorities and connect them with immigration attorneys and legal clinics.

Free legal services are also being offered at her Brooklyn district office in partnership with the New York Legal Assistance Group.

Chandler-Waterman said the immigration concerns have emerged as New York’s Haitian community continues to celebrate its contributions to the city.

She pointed to the recent recognition of Edwin Raymond as New York City’s first Haitian sheriff and a City resolution marking Konpa Day in recognition of Haiti’s iconic musical genre and its cultural influence.

‘Even in the midst of these challenges, our Caribbean community has continued to demonstrate remarkable resilience and unity,’ Chandler-Waterman said.

Sunil Narine and Terrance Hinds befuddled the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots batsmen on their way to bowling the Trinbago Knight Riders to a 19-run victory via the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern method here on Saturday.

Player-of-the-Match Narine delivered a spectacular spell of spin bowling to end with 3-7 from his four overs, while Hinds grabbed 3-33 with his pace, to limit the Patriots to a below par 109 for nine in their 20 overs at the Arnos Vale Ground after they were sent in to bat.

The Knight Riders were then coasting to victory at 94 for two after 15 overs when heavy showers forced the match to be called off with them well ahead on the DLS. But the win was set by TKR’s bowlers, who completely dominated the Patriots’ batters.

Andre Fletcher got the Patriots off to an impressive start by blasting Akeal Hosein for a massive six in the opening over, but was then dismissed by an unplayable delivery from Narine in the next over that he could only edge to slip.

Narine then struck two balls later, trapping Kyle Mayers lbw for a duck to leave the Patriots eight for two.

It became 16 for three when Narine picked up the wicket of Athanaze, also for a duck, the left-hander edging a turning delivery straight into the hands of slip.

Johnson Charles tried his best in his pedestrian knock of 21 off 25 balls before Jyd Goolie had him caught behind to make the score 40 for four.

Hinds came to the party by dismissing captain Jason Holder and Navin Bidaisee in successive deliveries in the 11th over, as the Patriots crumbled to 47 for six.

It took the efforts of Kevin Wickham, who topscored with 38 off 44 balls, along with Ashmead Nedd, who made 18 and Obed McCoy, who scored an unbeaten 13, to get the Patriots into three figures.

Pacer Dominic Drakes claimed the wickets of Wickham and Saurabh Netravalkar for a duck, on his way to finishing with 2-20 from his four overs.

Despite losing the wickets of openers Alex Hales for nine and Colin Munro for 17 to slip to 34 for two in the sixth over, the Knight Riders never looked in danger.

Joshua Da Silva and Matthew Breetzke repaired the damage during a partnership of 54 for the third wicket that all but secured victory for their team.

Da Silva eventually retired hurt after scoring 18 off 22 balls, but Breetzke, who finished unbeaten on a run-a-ball 35, along with Goolie ensured there would be no further losses before the rains came.