Category: CANA News

Amir Jangoo and captain Roston Chase scored crucial unbeaten knocks as West Indies recovered from a nervy start to take control of the opening Test match against Sri Lanka at the end of the second day’s play here on Friday.

The Windies were precariously placed at 168 for five at one stage at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, after pacers Asitha Fernando and Milan Rathnayake threatened to run through their usually fragile batting lineup.

However, Jangoo and Chase shared an unbroken stand of 103 runs to rescue their side as the Windies recovered to finish the day on 271 for five, needing a further 37 runs to overtake Sri Lanka on first innings.

In a day of topsy turvy action, the home side started in positive fashion, with openers John Campbell and Brandon King giving them a solid start.

The pair carried the Windies past 50 and to the first drinks break with little alarm, but as has become the norm, the stand was broken almost immediately upon resumption when King drove at a wide delivery from Rathnayake and was caught at cover for 31 to leave the score 58 for one.

Campbell and new batsman Kavem Hodge maintained the momentum, carrying the Windies to lunch at 89 for one. But once again another wicket tumbled after the restart, with Campbell holing out to long for 39 in his attempt to hit left-arm spinner Sonal Dinusha out of the ground to make the score 97 for two.

With just five runs added to the total, Hodge was back in the pavilion for 19 after chopping a delivery from Rathnayake onto his stumps.

Amir Jangoo and his compatriot Joshua Da Silva set about rebuilding the innings during a partnership of 52 runs, with Da Silva fortunate to survive a lbw appeal when he was 11 after being given out, with the review showing the ball narrowly missing the stumps.

They looked set to carry the Windies to tea in the ascendancy until Da Silva threw his wicket away by chasing a wide delivery from Fernando and was caught at cover for 20.

Justin Greaves’ stay at the crease was brief, although he could count himself a bit unlucky to be dismissed by a superb catch by wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis off the bowling of Fernando, to see the Windies limp to tea on 168 for five.

The match almost followed the same pattern as the previous two sessions, but a thin inside edge saved Jangoo from being lbw in the first over after tea.

Jangoo moved to 46 and carried the West Indies past the 200-run mark in nervy fashion with a slash that sailed over the slip corridor for four and five balls later he brought up his maiden Test half century off 111 balls by exquisitely driving Rajitha through cover for another boundary.

The duo then navigated a tricky final session of play, with Fernando and Rathnayake testing them with the second new ball in the final four overs of the day.

Jangoo ended on 78 not out off 174 balls with seven fours, while Chase was unbeaten on 42 from 105 balls with two boundaries.

Fernando has so far taken 2-25, while Rathnayaka has claimed 2-45.

The Central Bank of Barbados (CBB) says it has been able to make payments to a significant number of workers who had been affected following the transition to BiMPay.

Last weekend, the CBB said it was aware of concerns from some employees who had not received their salaries on time and who have associated those delays with the newly launched national instant payment platform, BiMPay.

In its latest statement on Friday, the CBB said that of the estimated 27,366 salary payments for central government, the Barbados Revenue Authority, and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 27, 206 have now been paid.

‘In the statutory corporations, the position is broadly similar, with most workers having now received their salaries. The Central Bank sincerely apologises to those workers who have not yet received their salaries. We recognise the financial and personal distress this has caused, and resolving the remaining outstanding payments remains a priority.

‘Since the issue arose, we are in constant communication with the commercial banks to ensure that all outstanding payments to private sector employees are expedited. We have also been working with government agencies, employers, and financial institutions to identify and correct account information that did not meet the required format for processing through BiMPay. Where necessary, valid account information is being obtained so that outstanding payments can be processed without further delay.’

The CBB said that the issue relates mainly to the formatting and validation of account information in payroll files. It said that under the previous batch-based arrangements, some account information issues could be corrected manually during processing.

‘Under BiMPay, payment files must contain valid account information before upload because payments are processed instantly. This is a significant operational change, and all parties are working to complete the remaining corrections,’ the CBB said reminding also that individuals and businesses earning less than BDS$10,000 daily do not pay to use BiMPay

‘BiMPay remains operational and continues to process interbank transactions while the remaining payroll account corrections are being completed. Government pensions are being processed today, June 26, 2026. The Central Bank is working with the relevant government agencies and financial institutions to support timely processing and will provide a further update if necessary.

‘Employees who have not yet received payment are asked to continue to liaise with their HR or Finance departments. Those departments remain in direct contact with the relevant financial institutions and are best placed to confirm and correct individual payroll account details,’ the CBB added.

Former premier, Donaldson Romeo, is calling on legislators to put aside their differences and support a resolution seeking the urgent restoration of safe, reliable, affordable, and continuous day and night medical evacuation services in Montserrat.

‘A united voice from the Legislative Assembly, backed by all of our people at home and abroad, will send a clear message that the safety and wellbeing of Montserratians must remain a national priority and be treated with greater urgency,’ said Romeo, an opposition legislator, ahead of the June 30 sitting of the Montserrat Legislative Assembly. Government has confirmed that night-time medical evacuation services ended in November 2019 after Air Safety Support International (ASSI) concluded that the Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander did not provide an acceptable safety margin in the event of an engine failure during night take-off.

Government has acknowledged that a number of technical, regulatory, operational, aircraft capability, and infrastructure requirements must still be addressed before the service can be restored.

Romeo said this demonstrates that restoring night-time medical evacuation services requires not only relatively straightforward regulatory and infrastructure improvements, but also the selection of a readily available aircraft better suited to operate safely in Montserrat’s unique environment than the Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander.

He said the required measures are relatively low-cost and is standard practice throughout the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies, and other British Overseas Territories.

Romeo, who served as premier of this British Overseas Territory from 2014 to 2019, recalled that 16 days before the eruption of the Soufriere volcano in Montserrat on June, 25, 1997, scientists at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory had warned the Governor and Executive Government Group that Blackburne Airport faced imminent danger and recommended its closure.

At least 19 people were killed when the volcano erupted and a Coroner and Jury concluded that a contributory cause of the deaths of four of the people killed was the continued operation of the airport despite the warnings of imminent danger from the Montserrat Volcano Observatory’s Scientists.

‘Warnings exist to prevent tragedy, not to be remembered after tragedy occurs. The Coroner’s findings remain a sobering reminder of the consequences of failing to act on known risks. Many Montserratians regard those findings as evidence of culpable negligence. Whatever view is taken, the central lesson is clear: known threats to life should be addressed promptly and decisively, especially when funds and other needed resources are readily available,’ Romeo said.

He said that the resolution next week is not about assigning blame, but about protecting lives and restoring confidence in Montserrat’s emergency medical evacuation system.

‘Every 25 June reminds us that the cost of ignoring warnings can be measured in human lives. We owe it to those who died in 1997, to those who may one day need emergency medical evacuation, and to future generations, to ensure that known and foreseeable risks are addressed with urgency, transparency, and determination before another preventable tragedy occurs,’ Romeo added.

Security officials from across the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe Friday initiated plans to establish a specialised police network to track and dismantle transnational environmental crime organisations operating in the region.

The delegates gave the green light at the inaugural meeting of the grouping following an intensive two-day Waste Trafficking Workshop geared towards confronting the rapidly escalating global threats of waste trafficking and pollution crimeThe newly proposed network will establish a structured regional mechanism to improve real-time intelligence sharing, coordinate joint investigations and dismantle criminal networks exploiting the Region’s unique geography and maritime routes.

The international and regional security experts attending the meeting held at the Trinidad-based headquarters of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), warned that environmental crimes, such as wildlife poaching, illegal logging and illicit mining, have evolved far beyond ecological threats, becoming major challenges to national security and regional governance.

Deputy Head of Mission, Delegation of the European Union to Trinidad and Tobago, Evelina Melbarzde, said that these activities directly undermine the rule of law and the stability of local communities.

She said whether dealing with timber, wildlife or waste, these offences rely on the exact same networks, maritime routes and illicit financial flows that sustain other criminal markets

Melbarzde said that EU views the creation of this network as part of a genuine, reciprocal partnership between the two regions, rather than a one-sided initiative.

‘Our aim is not only to support individual activities, but also to build stronger bridges between Caribbean institutions, national law enforcement authorities and their European counterparts. In this way, cooperation with regional partners delivers value in both directions’, she said.

The Environmental Crime Lead at the CARICOM IMPACS, Virun Lutchman, spoke of the vulnerability of the Caribbean region’s geography to exploitation.

He said that transnational syndicates take advantage of vast maritime spaces and porous borders to move illegal goods, frequently combining environmental offences with document fraud, tax evasion and money laundering.

Lutchman stated that because these criminal networks operate across borders, a siloed national response was no longer viable, urging regional law enforcement to move towards a highly integrated model of policing, stressing that the proposed network was essential for closing the operational gaps that criminals currently exploit.

‘No Caribbean country should have to face environmental crime alone. The regional geography, maritime space, biodiversity and strategic trafficking routes create vulnerabilities that call for a coordinated regional response’, he said.

Key expert for Environmental Crime, EL PACCTO 2.0 Alain Lemangnen, reinforced the call for structural unity, noting the defence of the environment is a matter of regional sovereignty. He warned that illegal exploitation directly threatens food security and exposes local populations to heightened risks from natural disasters

Lemangnen asserted that international agencies stand ready to provide specialised operational training but underscored the importance of local execution and long-term commitment to the network’s success.

‘Beyond tools and structures, the long-term success of this initiative will depend on trust, continuity and shared commitment. It is about clearly stating that the Caribbean will not be a lawless zone when it comes to environmental protection’, he added.

He also urged participating States to designate national points of contact, enhance financial investigations and intelligence sharing as well as actively support the formation of permanent, specialised environmental law enforcement units

The network is supported by EL PACCTO 2.0 and CARICOM IMPACS, alongside international partners such as Interpol and the Spanish Civil Guard (SEPRONA). It aims to replicate the operational success of Latin American initiatives, like the Jaguar Network, while tailoring the framework to Caribbean realities.

Legislators and immigration advocates have strongly condemned and are expressing profound outrage over the ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) terminating the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of hundreds of Haitians and Syrians living in the country.

‘Again and again, this MAGA-corrupted Supreme Court has proven there are no lengths it will not go to disgrace itself in fealty and service of Donald Trump,’ Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

She said that Thursday’s ‘despicable ruling to allow the Trump administration to ignore the law and abandon any semblance of human decency by prematurely terminating TPS for Haiti and Syria is devastating on a scale that shocks the conscience’.

Clarke said that more than 350,000 TPS holders have now lost legal status and as a result ‘our communities will soon lose neighbours, loved ones, hardworking employees, and business leader’.

She said America’s moral standing in the world ‘continues to collapse under the weight of this president’s relentless humanitarian betrayal’.

West Indies trail Sri Lanka by 37 runs with five wickets remaining after reaching 271 for five at the close of play on the second day of the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richard Stadium here on Friday.

Scores

SRI LANKA 308.

WEST INDIES 271-5 in 84 overs (Amir Jangoo 78 not out, Roston Chase 42 not out, John Campbell 39, Brandon King 31, Joshua Da Silva 20 Kavem Hodge 16; Asitha Fernando 2-25, Milan Rathnayaka 2-45).

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness is leaving Guyana on Friday after the two countries signed a series of agreements across various sectors that President Irfaan Ali said could lead to a ‘stronger, relentless, resilient and sustainable partnership’. between the two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries.

Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd and his Jamaican counterpart, Kamina Johnson-Smith, signed the agreements that included the protocol amending the agreement on economic, cultural and technical cooperation, the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture, the MoU between the Guyana Defence Force and the Jamaica Defence Force on defence and security cooperation and the the MoU on the development of financial services. Holness told the signing ceremony that there has always been a ‘great fraternity between Jamaica and Guyana’ and that he was also pleased with the ‘excellent arrangements that have been made for this visit.

‘Today we sign various MOUs, but that should not be interpreted as the entirety of the engagement. Those are just what we could formalise within the time. The breadth of our exchanges and the potential of our collaboration and cooperation is extensive,’ Holness said.

‘We have discussed energy, security, tourism, financial services, agriculture, housing, all kinds of things we have discussed, including regional and diplomatic issues. And it is clear that Jamaica and Guyana are very much aligned, and we have a similar outlook on the world, similar understanding of the changing dynamics and the new nature of global politics,’ Holness said.

But he said the two countries also share a ‘very positive outlook on our economic prospects’ and that both are very prospecting’ in terms of our leadership, always looking for opportunities and seeing where we can make the most out of the resources that we have’.

The Jamaican prime minister said that the two leaders ‘particularly share a focus on the efficiency of our public sector,’ praising Ali for the several changes ‘in your administration that would be very much aligned with the growth that your country will naturally have.

‘We in Jamaica, we struggle with the same thing. We are making progress. We are changing our bureaucracy. So it was good to come and see in your country many of the changes in motion, the changes working. And it has been very stimulating, Mr. President, to see the progress being made here.’

Holness said that there are some ideas that he will take away from the visit here ‘to stimulate in Jamaica as well,’ adding ‘this was a very worthwhile and meaningful engagement’.

Ali said that even though the visit was supposed to have been classified as ‘an official’ one, Holness work ethic caused him to question that description.

‘This is just an extremely intense working visit and I just want the people of Jamaica to know of this extraordinary leadership I’ve seen, and a commitment to advancing the cause of the Jamaican private sector, and a commitment of advancing the cause of the Jamaican people, finding ways in which we can advance priorities for both countries.’

Ali said he is confident that the discussions have ‘really laid the basis through which greater trust, greater confidence, greater partnership will emerge.

‘I am very confident about that,’ he said, adding that both men share the ambition of having efficient governance, efficient implementation, and delivering services ‘where our people can enjoy the experience of having those services.

‘Services that allow the citizens to feel as if they are valued. And that is important for both of us, and we are both committing on a pathway with the use of technology to advance this cause.’

Ali gave the assurance that Guyana will deploy a team to work with its counterpart in Jamaica ‘and to have maybe what is missing over the decades, that is greater integration at the technical level also, so that they can learn from each other and understand each other, what they’re doing.

‘In energy, the opportunities are enormous. We have to scope our comparative advantage, your infrastructure and our infrastructure, and to find a way in which we can have a common vehicle through which both of us benefit, but also the region benefit.

‘And we are committed to having a working group examine this closely and to come up with recommendations and options as to how we can collaborate in the energy sector. And there are some exciting ideas that we’re already talking about.

‘In tourism, you have distinguished yourself globally in the orange economy .Everybody, they’re always amazed at the presence of Jamaica, the name Jamaica, and scenes from Jamaica in Hollywood, the depth of the culture, the food,’ Ali said, adding that ‘all of this rests on the people, and the people understanding of what nationalistic thinking is all about, and the pride in country.

‘And I think we can learn from Jamaica. We can learn from you, Prime Minister. As we grow our tourism sector, this is an important pillar and also look at the development of the orange economy,’ he said, adding ‘we will be relying on your experience in this sector to help us to define our orange economy and to shape it to meet the specific needs of Guyana and the market we can serve’.

Ali said that his Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashley Singh has said publicly before that the Jamaican financial system has a lot of maturity that the region can learn and benefit from. ‘That is why we are particularly very pleased that we are able to sign this MoU on financial services, given the fact that we are now proceeding on a junior stock exchange, the expertise of Jamaica, having our insurance company more integrated, our financial systems more integrated, our banking system more integrated, our means of settlement more integrated.

‘This is what that opens up the opportunity and there’s a lot of work in the financial architecture system that will emerge out of these engagements. ‘

Ali also praised Jamaica on having done an excellent job on the issue of security, saying ‘outstanding is an understatement, remarkable is an understatement.

‘What you have done for security and crime in Jamaica is nothing short of a model…and I hope the people of Jamaica understand what you have done. We too are doing an enormous job on crime.

‘But I think there are important opportunities that we have discussed. We are building a world-class academy. Training is important. Cyber security is important. Data sovereignty is important. So when we speak about security, we’re not speaking about it in a narrow traditional sense.

‘We’re exploring security in its entire ecosystem and we look forward to working closely with Jamaica, especially given the financial services that you provide on how we can build out this security architecture that is comprehensive,’ Ali added.

West Indies trail Sri Lanka by 140 runs with five wickets remaining after reaching 168 for five at tea on the second day of the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richard Stadium here on Friday.

Scores

SRI LANKA 308.

WEST INDIES 168-5 in 50,1 overs (John Campbell 39, Amir Jangoo, 37 not out, Brandon King 31, Joshua Da Silva 20 Kavem Hodge 16; Asitha Fernando 2-20, Milan Rathnayaka 2-30).

The Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission (TTSEC) is reiterating a warning to the public to exercise heightened caution amid the continued rise in investment scams, particularly those perpetrated through social media platforms and digital messaging applications.

‘This marks the Commission’s sixth official public alert on this issue, following earlier updates, and underscores the growing threat posed by increasingly sophisticated fraudulent investment schemes targeting innocent individuals,’ the TTSEC said in a statement.

It said despite the Commission’s ongoing public awareness efforts and previous warnings, scammers continue to adapt their tactics, using fake social media profiles, impersonation of legitimate financial institutions and professionals, fraudulent investment advertisements, and deceptive online communications to gain the trust of potential victims.

‘All members of the public are encouraged to remain vigilant, verify investment opportunities before committing any funds, and be especially cautious of offers promoted online that promise guaranteed or unusually high returns.’

TTSEC said that among the red flags, warning signs and evolving scam tactics the public should be aware of, include scammers use social media accounts with stolen or generic photos, minimal information, and vague content to gain trust as well as ‘unrealistic returns’ in which scammers make promises of people being able to earn ‘earn $30,150 on a $2,000 investment in 2 hours’.

It said that these are designed to lure you in with impossible returns, warning people also of responding to an ad or post, in which ‘scammers shift the conversation to private messaging apps, where impersonators posing as ‘investment representatives’ give false assurances’.

‘Legitimate investment firms generally require funds to be deposited into accounts held in the name of the company. If you are instructed to send money to a personal bank account or to an individual claiming to act on behalf of the company, this may be a warning sign of an investment scam or other fraudulent activity.’

TTSEC said that people should also be wary of being promised that initially ‘there are no fees involved and that withdrawals are easy and fast,’ and that ‘after depositing funds, you may be given access to a fabricated investment platform, which shows exaggerated account balances to deceive you into thinking you’ve made significant profits’.

The TTSEC tells members of the public that before investing they should ‘be skeptical of unsolicited investment opportunities, especially on social media or messaging apps’ and ensure that the individual or entity and its promoters are registered with the TTSEC.

‘If the entity is not registered under the Securities Act … you risk losing your entire investment,’ the TTSEC warned.

The United Nation Friday said that the humanitarian situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate, with new displacement recorded across several departments.

‘More than 2,600 people have been displaced in Artibonite department following clashes between armed group last week. That is what the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is telling us,’ UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, told the daily news briefing.

Dujarric said more than three-quarters of the displaced sought refuge in the commune of Marchand Dessalines and that ‘continuing violence in Artibonite is raising serious protection concerns’.

The UN spokesman said that in the West department, renewed armed clashes in Cité Soleil since June 13 have displaced more than 5,000 people and that ‘this adds to the thousands of persons who had been recently displaced multiple times while fleeing the fight in Cité Soleil.

‘Our humanitarian colleagues note that ongoing violence has severely disrupted health services, particularly for women and girls. It has forced Doctors Without Borders to suspend activities at its maternity facility in Cité Soleil on 19 June, which obviously deprives thousands of women to access maternal and reproductive health care in one of the most densely populated areas of the Haitian capital. ‘

Dujarric said these displacement and violence dynamics are occurring in a context of increasing forced returns to Haiti.

According to IOM, more than 117,000 people were returned between January and June of this year and that ’24 per cent of all forcibly returned migrants in 2026 are women and eight per cent are children.

Dujarric said that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) continues to work with ‘our humanitarian partners to assess needs and provide assistance’ and that the US$880 million Humanitarian Appeal for 2026 is currently only 27 per cent funded.