Category: CANA News

Guyana continues to be one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and a new report shows the country is improving at managing what it owes.

This is according to the latest Caribbean Economics Quarterly from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Although Guyana has borrowed money to build roads, schools, and other infrastructure, the amount of government income going toward paying off debt has declined substantially.

Before oil production started, debt payments used to eat up about 7 cents of every dollar the government collected. Now, that figure has dropped to about 5 cents.

Guyana remains a low-debt case, driven by continued strong resource revenues, making it an outlier within the sample.

By contrast, The Bahamas, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago entered 2025 with debt burdens materially higher than in 2019,’ the IDB report said.

The job market has also improved significantly. According to the report, back in 2021, about 1 in every 7 working-age Guyanese was unemployed.

By 2024, that number had dropped to fewer than 1 in 14. ‘Guyana’s unemployment rate fell from 14.5 per cent in the third quarter of 2021 to 6.8 per cent during the same period in 2024,’ the IDB report stated.

Guyana’s population has grown too, from around 700,000 people a decade ago to about 900,000 today.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s economy grew by an incredible 19.3 percent in 2025, after growing even faster, 43.8 percent. the year before.

While oil remains the biggest driver, other parts of the economy are picking up steam too. Growth outside the oil sector rose to 15 percent in 2025, up from 13 percent the year before, which is a sign that other industries are also benefiting from the country’s oil wealth.

Experts at the International Monetary Fund expect the growth to continue in a big way, with the economy projected to expand by 16.2 per cent in 2026, 19.7 per cent in 2027 and 22.1 per cent in 2028.

After that, growth is expected to slow down to more sustainable levels, 12.8 per cent in 2029, 11.5 per cent in 2030, and just 1.1 per cent in 2031, as oil production stabilises.

The Trinbago Knight Riders reached 180 for six in 20 overs after being sent in by the Jamaica Kingsmen in the 20th match of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League at the Queen’s Park Oval here on Saturday.

TRINBAGO KNIGHT RIDERS 180-6 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 60 not out, Sunil Narine 53, Colin Munro 52; Vitel Lawes 3-29, Hunain Shah 2-27).

Chairman of the Cricket West Indies Masters Association, Raj Singh has revealed that preparations for the upcoming International Masters Cricket (IMC) Over-40s World Cup are going smoothly.

Speaking earlier this week on the Mason and Guest radio programme, Singh said everything was coming together nicely for the 16-team tournament, which will bowl off in Guyana from October 17 to November 1.

‘We [are] working on every aspect of things to run off this historic tournament in Guyana. The preparations are well underway, and we are ready to welcome the world to beautiful, undiscovered Guyana.

‘This will be a spectacle in Guyana. The teams are indeed ready to compete and create history at this Over-40s global event. We have put things in place to have a successful tournament, and I am very confident of that,’ Singh said.

West Indies have been drawn in Group A with defending champions South Africa, Canada, Namibia, Wales, Australia, Columbia and Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Group B comprises New Zealand, Scotland, USA, India, Pakistan, England, Rest of the World XI and a Rest of the Caribbean XI.

Matches are scheduled to be played at the National Stadium, Anna Regina, Joe Jagmohan Hampton Court, Albion, Lusignan, Bourda, Enmore, Linden, DCC and Police.

Acute malnutrition among children in Haiti has increased since 2023, according to preliminary findings of the 2026 SMART National Nutrition Survey released on Friday.

The survey found that the prevalence of global acute malnutrition among children aged six to 59 months rose from 5.1 per cent in 2023 to 7.4 per cent in 2026. Global acute malnutrition includes moderate and severe wasting, as well as nutritional oedema.

The family of Vincentian-born Granville Leonard Straker, pioneering Caribbean music producer, entrepreneur and founder of the Brooklyn, New York-headquartered, legendary Straker’s Records, died on Thursday and the age of 86.

Born on Sept. 12, 1939 to the late Irena Straker and Clement Straker, the family said Granville Straker became ‘one of the most consequential figures in the production, preservation and international distribution of calypso and Soca music.’

It said Straker’s entrepreneurial involvement in Caribbean music began before the creation of his record label.

Beginning in Brooklyn in the 1960s and expanding during the 1970s, t Straker established record retail outlets serving the growing Caribbean community, including his landmark Straker’s Records at 242 Utica Avenue in Brooklyn and on Nostrand Avenue, also in Brooklyn, with additional retail presence in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.

‘These outlets, together with his production and distribution network, helped connect Caribbean artists, recordings and audiences across the region and throughout the Diaspora,’ the family said.

In 1971, Straker founded Straker’s Records in Brooklyn, ‘creating a platform for Caribbean artists at a pivotal moment in the growth of New York’s West Indian community.

Over about three decades, Straker’s record label released an estimated 600 to 700 albums, more than 1,000 12-inch records and several thousand singles.

The roster included generations of celebrated artists such as Calypso Rose, The Mighty Shadow, Black Stalin, Chalkdust, Lord Nelson, Lord Melody, Mighty Duke, Explainer, Winston Soso, Singing Francine and Machel Montano.

Straker’s impact was recognized throughout the Caribbean music community.

The family said Straker was much more than a record-label owner, stating that he served at various times as a producer, promoter, talent scout, distributor, businessman and cultural visionary, traveling throughout the Caribbean in search of emerging talent and giving artists access to professional recording and international distribution.

‘His Brooklyn businesses became gathering places for Caribbean immigrants seeking the music and culture of home.’

At its height, Straker’s operation included multiple Brooklyn record stores, while Straker’s Records and Stereo became ‘synonymous with Caribbean music retail in New York.’

Straker’s work also helped connect the Caribbean with communities in New York, Toronto, London and elsewhere, ‘and contributed to establishing Brooklyn as a major center of Caribbean music production and distribution.’

However, the family said Straker was ‘much more than a pioneering figure in music.

‘He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, relative, mentor and friend whose determination, entrepreneurial spirit and devotion to Caribbean culture shaped generations around him.’

Police are investigating the deaths of three foreign nationals, including two Indonesian nationals killed during an early morning vehicular accident on the Timehri Public Road, East Bank Demerara.

Police said that four other foreign nationals were also injured in the early Friday morning accident when a motor lorry and two minibuses collided .

They said that the lorry, driven by a 36-year-old national reportedly swerved at a fast rate of speed and collided with a minibus. The lorry then collided with another minibus, which was travelling behind the first minibus.

The police said that Indonesian nationals Edy Ansyori Sukri and Ikomang Tedy Arsa Bantara Putra, were both pronounced dead at the scene and that the four other foreign nationals have been taken to the Diamond Regional Hospital, where they remain under medical care.

The police said that the drivers of all three vehicles were subjected to breathalyser tests, which showed no trace of alcohol in their systems, but that the drivers remain in police custody as investigations continue.

Meanwhile, the body of a 23-year-old Cuban national has been found dead beneath two 40-foot containers at a Muneshwers storage compound on East Bank Demerara.

The dead man has been identified as Alex Jesus Gonzales Beria.

Police said the incident is believed to have occurred on Wednesday and that they were notified on Thursday.

Preliminary investigations indicate that a construction company contracted by Muneshwers was conducting landfilling works at the compound, where Gonzales Beria was employed.

Police said a 43-year-old Filipino national, who works as a machine operator at the compound, told investigators that he used an empty-container handler to position the two containers on the western side of the compound on Wednesday and that he did not recall seeing anyone in the area when the containers were being placed.

But on Thursday, employees discovered Gonzales Beria, lying motionless in a pool of blood with multiple visible injuries to his body, beneath the containers and raised an alarm.

Police said several staff members have been questioned and are assisting with the investigation.

Haiti Friday said that the massacre that occurred in Kenscoff, a mountainous commune south-east of Port-au-Prince last weekend, underscored the need for the international community to put in place measures to enforce an arms embargo on the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

In addition, Haiti said that the attack last Sunday also calls for the full and rapid deployment of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) a UN-backed multinational security mission to be deployed in Haiti to dismantle violent gangs and protect civilians.

GSF personnel from various contributing countries began operations on June 1 this year with the deployment of 5,500 expected by October 2026.

The assault claimed the lives of at least 47 persons, including three boys and two girls. It also left dozens abducted and many others injured, and caused further displacement and suffering. Homes were also set ablaze, and local population seeking refuge from the violence was attacked, including at a church, where gang members executed people and killed others as they attempted to escape.

As the international community condemned the massacre at an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council called requested by Panama, the United States and Colombia, Haiti’s ambassador Eric Pierre said his country condemns ‘in the strongest possible terms these acts of extreme barbarism’ that followed the deadly gang attack on August 23-24.

The tennis world is heading back to Jamaica. After Hurricane Melissa forced the cancellation of last year’s planned debut, the inaugural Jamaica Cup has been rescheduled for Nov. 11-16 at the iconic Half Moon resort in Montego Bay.

Organizers promise a six-day celebration of world-class tennis, Caribbean culture, and community resilience that will feature professional players competing alongside collegiate talent from Howard University and Concordia University Texas.

‘We made a commitment that we would be an active part of their recovery,’ said Michael Akin, president and CEO of LINK Strategic Partners, the event’s presenting sponsor.

‘I am proud to work with our partners at KM Sports Entertainment and Half Moon Resort to announce that the inaugural Jamaica Cup is back.’

The tournament will showcase professional athletes in high-level competition, with exhibition matches and fan engagement opportunities woven throughout the schedule.

A Pro-Am event will give participants the chance to share the court with touring pros and collegiate standouts, while a VIP Player Party offers an exclusive dining experience with the stars.

Tournament Director Ben Goldsmith emphasised the event’s dual mission: ‘The Jamaica Cup is more than a tournament; it’s an opportunity to showcase Jamaica as a premier destination for world-class tennis while engaging our local community. We’re thrilled to bring together international pros, collegiate talent, and homegrown players for an event that highlights the beauty, talent, and spirit of Jamaica.’

Half Moon Managing Director Shernette Crichton hailed the partnership as a natural fit for the legendary resort. ‘We are honoured to host the inaugural Jamaica Cup and welcome athletes, fans, and guests from around the world to Montego Bay,’ she said. ‘This event reflects our commitment to showcasing the very best of Jamaica through exceptional hospitality, world-class experiences, and meaningful community engagement.’

Organisers have pledged extensive community outreach initiatives, aiming to inspire the next generation of Jamaican tennis players while contributing to the island’s post-hurricane recovery efforts.

Several children, including a one year old child born in the United States were among the latest batch of Haitians deported from the United States on Thursday to the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

Haitian authorities confirmed that the child arrived here on the ICE Air Global X charter flight A6196, carrying 57 Haitians, including several other children born in the United States when the second flight in a week landed in Cap-Haitien.

Deportation flights to Haiti had been occurring on average once a month, but the Trump administration has ramped up its programme following the US Supreme Court’s decision authorising the government to end Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

More than 300,000 Haitians were enrolled in this humanitarian programme, which allowed them to live and work legally in the United States due to the situation in their country. Haitian immigrant rights organizations and other stakeholders argue that Haiti remains far too dangerous for mass returns, while the DHS maintains that the situation has improved sufficiently to allow Haitians to return.

Of Haiti’s nearly 12 million inhabitants, more than half are in need of humanitarian assistance due to escalating gang violence and worsening poverty. Furthermore, nearly 1.5 million people have been displaced by gangs, as many as during the 2010 earthquake, which prompted the Obama administration to grant the TPS.

Earlier this week, The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, known by its French acronym, BINUH, said at least 1,408 people were killed and 656 injured from April through June this year. It said this was about 14 per cent fewer casualties than during the first three months of the year, a modest decline masking starkly different realities across the country. By May, nearly 1.47 million people were internally displaced across Haiti, more than half of them children

Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Miami, Thomas Wenski is urging President Donald Trump to reconsider his decision to deport the Haitians saying last Sunday’s massarce in Kenskoff, overlooking the capital Port au Prince, that left at least 47 dead, including 22 inside a church, underscores the security situation in the country.

‘This shows that the country is not safe, that Haiti is still a house on fire. This should cause our administration to rethink its decision to send back into Haiti over 300,000 Haitians’ he said, urging a rethink of the TPS revocation.

He said that Haitians are being returned to a country where crime, kidnapping, terrorism, and limited access to healthcare had become the norm.

‘Haiti is a tragedy, and what we’re doing is compounding it by trying to send these people back,’ he said, adding ‘even if you send a couple of planes a week, it’ll take several years before you are successful in deporting all those people.

‘And what happens in the meantime is that they’ve lost their work permits, and they’ve lost their driver’s licenses for the most part. So if they can’t work, they can’t pay their rent, they can’t buy food. Relatives in Haiti who depend upon remittances …will also be deprived of critical funds needed to educate children in the Caribbean nation,’ he added

One week after his younger brother died in a vehicular accident, the Frederick family has been plunged into mourning on Friday following the death of 28-year-old Meshack Frederick, who was killed when the vehicle he was in crashed into a wall in Vieux Fort, south of here.

The St. Lucia Fire Service *SLFS) reported that Meshack was found trapped underneath the vehicle after it crashed into a wall during the early hours of Friday morning.

The SLFS said that when emergency staff arrived at the scene, they found the car on its side with Meshack trapped underneath. Two other men, who said they were also in the car, were found by the roadside.

Firefighters pulled Meshack out from under the car. He was unresponsive and showed no signs of life. He was rished to hospital, but police later confirmed that he had been pronounced dead at the hospital.

His death came one week after his 27-year-old brother, Dane Frederick died after the motor scooter he was riding crashed in a backhoe on the Micoud Highway, south of here.

Police said their initial investigation showed the scooter was heading south when it left the road and hit the parked backhoe.

His 22-year-old passenger, who was also taken to the St Jude Hospital in Vieux Fort, is reprted to be in a sta