Category: CANA News

Antigua and Barbuda has welcomed the historic adoption of the Declaration on Improving Mental Health in the Americas noting that climate-related disasters, economic vulnerability, social disruption and the enduring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have intensified the need for stronger mental health systems throughout the region.

The declaration was adopted at the ongoing 56th Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), with the Antigua and Barbuda ambassador, Sir Ronald Sanders, underscoring the importance of mental health as a pillar of human well-being, social cohesion and sustainable development. Sir Ronald noted that, at the request of Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Antigua and Barbuda had initiated the discussion on mental health at the previous General Assembly that was held in St. John’s.

He told delegates Tuesday that the initiative was driven by the conviction that mental health is fundamental to the resilience and progress of societies across the hemisphere with the Caribbean island stressing that these pressures are shared across the region and require a collective response through hemispheric cooperation.

He said that mental health must be understood not only as a health concern, but also as a development, education, labour and human rights issue. In that regard, the newly adopted Declaration is being viewed as an important commitment by member states to deepen cooperation, share best practices, expand access to quality mental health services, and advance people-centred policies focused on prevention, care and recovery.

Antigua and Barbuda further welcomed the Declaration’s recognition of the needs of persons and groups in situations of vulnerability, and its affirmation of inclusive approaches to mental health policy.

Sir Ronald said that for too long mental health has remained one of the most neglected public health challenges in the hemisphere and the Declaration represents a collective affirmation that mental health is integral to human dignity, social well-being and sustainable development, and an investment in healthier and more resilient societies throughout the Americas.

General manager of the Guyana National Stadium, Asad Ibrahim has given the assurance that the venue will be in pristine condition for next month’s One Day International series against New Zealand.

The National Stadium in Providence will host the first three matches of the five-match series, with the remaining two games set to be played at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

In an interview with Chronicle Sport, Ibrahim said the final touches were being applied ahead of the opening match on July 11. Rehabilitation work has already started on the stands, the Media Centre, the umpire’s room, and the official scorers’ room, while the public washrooms have already been refurbished

‘Regarding the preparation for the upcoming New Zealand tour, our infield preparation is on schedule, and all is going well. The rainy weather is good for us at the moment; no hindrance. The rain is a blessing and keeps the grass green. The ground, indeed, is in great shape, and we don’t have any issue concerning the preparation.

‘We had an inspection from CWI head curator St Lucia’s Ken Crafton, and the report back to us was excellent. We have until the end of the month to start real pitch preparation, and the weather should hold by then,’ Ibrahim said.

‘The Providence Stadium is always in a state of readiness; we are embarking on enhancing the stadium, in terms of washroom facility and ground readiness etc., and the fans can expect a better experience with the enhanced facility.’

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a new 36-month precautionary Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) for Barbados providing critical insurance in the event shocks generate balance of payments needs, while continuing to help anchor macroeconomic stability and support reform implementation under the homegrown Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan 2026 (BERT 2026).

The IMF said that the US$257 million SBA allows the authorities immediate access to US$64 million.

The Washington-based financial institution said that having made significant progress in implementing its first two BERT plans, supported by previous IMF arrangements, Barbados enters the new SBA in a stronger macroeconomic position.

It said that the outlook remains stable but subject to significant downside risks, amid high global policy uncertainty, elevated commodity prices, and vulnerability to natural disasters.

General manager of the Guyana National Stadium, Asad Ibrahim has given the assurance that the venue will be in pristine condition for next month’s One Day International series against New Zealand.

The National Stadium in Providence will host the first three matches of the five-match series, with the remaining two games set to be played at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

In an interview with Chronicle Sport, Ibrahim said the final touches were being applied ahead of the opening match on July 11. Rehabilitation work has already started on the stands, the Media Centre, the umpire’s room, and the official scorers’ room, while the public washrooms have already been refurbished

‘Regarding the preparation for the upcoming New Zealand tour, our infield preparation is on schedule, and all is going well. The rainy weather is good for us at the moment; no hindrance. The rain is a blessing and keeps the grass green. The ground, indeed, is in great shape, and we don’t have any issue concerning the preparation.

‘We had an inspection from CWI head curator St Lucia’s Ken Crafton, and the report back to us was excellent. We have until the end of the month to start real pitch preparation, and the weather should hold by then,’ Ibrahim said.

‘The Providence Stadium is always in a state of readiness; we are embarking on enhancing the stadium, in terms of washroom facility and ground readiness etc., and the fans can expect a better experience with the enhanced facility.’

The Guyana government says it expects more than four international delegations to visit the country soon and none of them is involved in the oil and gas sectors.

President Irfaan Ali said that the investors are interested in the tourism, food production, manufacturing and value creation industries as he linked the country’s growing investor profile to years of planning.

‘The world is discovering a Guyana that is completely different,’ he said, outlining how Guyana intends to position itself in the regional economy. He said Guyana will not settle for being a buyer of finished goods, but will compete as a producer and price-setter.

Ali said he wants more of the goods sold in Guyana to be produced locally and is encouraging regional manufacturers to establish operations in the country, pointing to the government’s agri-processing incentives, which he said are unmatched elsewhere in the region.

Ali said that that Region Nine is being positioned as a major agro-processing hub to supply markets in northern Brazil, while emerging opportunities in Haiti and Cuba could provide additional export destinations for investors who move early.

‘We cannot go forward without value creation and manufacturing in this country,’ he added.

Guyana’s recoverable oil and gas reserves are estimated at over 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent, with the broader upstream market projected to reach massive, multi-billion-dollar cumulative investments by 2031. Driven by an ExxonMobil-led consortium, the sector is transforming the country into one of the fastest-growing economies globally

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin, has held talks with Haiti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Raina Forbin, ‘for a constructive exchange on the situation in Haiti and the path forward.

‘Our discussion reaffirmed the importance of sustained, coordinated, and practical support for the Haitian people at this critical moment. Haiti’s transition must succeed as a bridge toward restored security, renewed institutional confidence, constitutional order, and the holding of credible, inclusive, and peaceful elections,’ Ramdin said of the talks held ahead of the opening of the 56th Regular Session of the OAS General Assembly on Tuesday. Ramdin reiterated that the OAS ‘remains committed to supporting Haitian-led efforts to stabilize the country, strengthen democratic institutions, and create the conditions necessary for the Haitian people to freely choose their leaders.

‘This requires security progress, political responsibility, humanitarian attention, institutional strengthening, and a clear commitment by all stakeholders,’ Ramdin said, adding that he had ‘expressed his support for the ‘stability and success of the current transition until elections can be held.

‘At the same time, I emphasized that the transition must remain focused and results-oriented,’ Ramdin said, adding that in this regard, he is looking forward to visiting Haiti in the coming weeks ‘to continue consultations with national authorities, political and social actors, regional partners, and the international community.

‘The OAS will continue to work closely with Haiti, CARICOM, the United Nations, and other partners to help align efforts and support concrete progress,’ Ramdin added.

The proposed visit would follow that of the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, who paid a one day visit last week confident that the country’s transition ‘is moving forward.

‘A dynamic is there. And my call to the international community is therefore simple. Finally, assume your responsibilities,’ Guterres said, urging all stakeholders to stand together with the Haitian people for ‘peace, for security and for dignity’.

Guterres, who held talks with Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, told a news conference that the biggest wave is not the violence of the gangs operating in the country.

Earlier this month, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said that 2, 300 people have been killed in Haiti due to gang violence since the start of this year.

‘In Haiti, gang violence has resulted in at least 2,300 deaths, 1,100 injuries and 99 kidnappings since the start of the year. The Gang Suppression Force (GSF) is urgently needed and needs to operate in line with international human rights law,’ Turk said.

Late last year, the UN Security Council gave the green ight for the GSF, a multinational police and military force to combat escalating gang violence in Haiti. With a mandated troop size of up to 5,500, it replaces the previously under-resourced Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission.

Meanwhile, Forbin and Ramdin joined Delphine Pronk, Deputy Director General for the Americas at the European External Action Service (EEAS), and Carlos Hoyos, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama, at the launch of an EU-OAS initiative for the construction of five Forward Operating Bases ( FOBs ) in Port-au-Prince, to combat armed violence.

This project, jointly organised by the EU and the OAS around the theme ‘Safer societies: EU-OAS cooperation to combat firearms trafficking’, aims to strengthen the operational capacities of the Haitian National Police (PNH).

The project is funded by the European Union’s Foreign Policy Instrument (FPI) with Euro10 million (One Euro=US$1.29 cents) anshe said aligns perfectly with national security priorities and emohasising that the project will contribute to increasing the presence of security forces in high-risk areas and consolidating recaptured territories.

In a pre-recorded message, the Director General of the Haitian National Police, Vladimir Paraison, presented the evolution of the security situation as well as the progress made by the national security forces in their efforts to restore security and regain control of the territories affected by gang violence.

Ramdin, reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to supporting Haiti in its efforts toward stabilization and institutional strengthening.

‘At a time when Haiti is facing profound and complex challenges, this partnership between the OAS and the European Union is an important step in the right direction. It demonstrates the confidence placed in Haitian institutions and in the resilience of the Haitian people, as well as our shared determination to support a safer, more stable, and hopeful future for Haiti.

‘Let us move forward together to contribute to the restoration of security, the strengthening of institutions, and the creation of the foundations for lasting peace and stability,’ he added.

In her address, Pronk, underscored the European Union’s commitment to making a concrete contribution to the creation of a safe and secure operational environment at this crucial time for Haiti, particularly through the establishment of these five Forward Operating Bases.

Caribbean ministers with responsibility for disaster management will meet here later this month to discuss matters shaping the region’s disaster resilience agenda.

The Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) said that the 16th Regular Meeting of the Council of Ministers will take place on June 26 and will also be attended by senior government officials from across the CDEMA’s 20 participating states.

The meeting will review progress, endorse strategic priorities, and provide policy direction for the continued advancement of Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) across the region.

‘The Council meeting provides a critical opportunity for our Ministers and senior officials to take strategic decisions that will strengthen regional solidarity, enhance preparedness, and ensure that our people are better protected before, during and after disasters. The outcomes of the deliberations will help position the region to meet today’s challenges while building resilience for generations to come,’ said CDEMA executive director, Elizabeth Riley.

CDEMA said that included on the meeting agenda will be progress in the implementation of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems; updates on the Caribbean Resilient Recovery Facility; the advancement of CDEMA’s Regional Training Centre and upcoming preparations for the 14th Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management being held in Georgetown, Guyana from 7-12 December, 2026.

The Council is expected to endorse a series of recommendations aimed at strengthening national and regional disaster management systems, enhancing accountability and governance, improving resource mobilization, and reinforcing mechanisms that support coordinated action among Participating States.

The Central Bank of Barbados (CBB) Tuesday said that it is working with various stakeholders to conduct a ‘penny test’ as part of the process to identify and address the incorrectly formatted account information that led to some workers not receiving their salaries on time.

Last weekend, the CBB said it was aware of concerns from some employees who have not received their salaries on time and who have associated those delays with the newly launched national instant payment platform, BiMPay. ‘The Bank wishes to clarify that the issue does not relate to a failure of the BiMPay payment rail. In the cases brought to the Bank’s attention, the delays relate to account information submitted in a format that does not meet the validation requirements for processing through BiMPay,’ the CBB said in a statement.

BiMPay is Barbados’ national instant payment system and since interbank transfers resumed on BiMPay on June 13, the CBB said BiMPay payment rail has successfully processed 126,000 transactions totalling BDS$210 million (One BDS$=US$0.50 cents).

In its latest statement, the CBB said that as part of the process to identify and address the incorrectly formatted account information some commercial banks and credit unions are working with government and private sector employers to conduct a ‘penny test.’

‘The test involves an entity depositing one cent into the accounts that receive these payments, to confirm that the account information on file is correctly formatted. A successful transfer indicates that the information is in the required format. Where a transfer is rejected, the information is corrected and validated,’ the CBB said.

It said customers of commercial banks and members of credit unions who see a one-cent deposit on their accounts should therefore not be alarmed.

‘Not all entities are conducting the penny test because some employers and financial institutions addressed any formatting issues before the transition to the BiMPay payment rail. ‘For that reason, not seeing a one-cent deposit does not mean there is an error in an accountholder’s information. Customers do not need to take any action. Where information needs to be corrected, the accountholder’s bank or credit union will contact them directly,’ the CBB added.

It said that the penny tests were previously performed on selected pension payments and government interest payments, and that similar validation will be carried out on upcoming pension and Government interest payments

‘The Central Bank of Barbados remains committed to working with financial institutions, the private sector, Government, and other organisations to ensure that affected workers receive their salaries as quickly as possible, and to minimise the risk of further workers being affected.’

The CBB also reiterated that individuals and businesses earning less than BDS$10,000 daily do not pay to use BiMPay.

Senior Magistrate Deborah Quintin has set September 18 as the trial date for the corporate secretary of the non-governmental organisation, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS), Gary Aboud, charged with breaching the COVID-19 Public Health Regulations during a protest in Port-of-Spain nearly five years ago. Aboud is accused of participating in a gathering that exceeded the number of people permitted under emergency public health regulations in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The charges arise from a protest held on November 30, 2021, at Woodford Square in the capital, Port-of-Spain, with police saying that nearly 100 people were present.

The police said that no permission had been granted for the event and Aboud was among 31 people charged including the leader of the Islamic Front, Umar Abdullah.

The protest was held during a period when strict limits were placed on public gatherings under COVID-19 emergency regulations, with demonstrators voicing opposition to pandemic restrictions and other government policies.

West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews is counting on her batters to break out of their slump and produce the goods when they face England in their crucial top-of-the-table clash in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on Wednesday at Lord’s.

The winner will automatically qualify for the semifinals, while the loser will need to win their fifth and final remaining preliminary game to secure their spot in the last four.

Despite their unbeaten start to the tournament, the 2016 champions have failed to fire with the bat in their first three matches. Their highest total so far has been the 163 for three they made in 19.5 overs against New Zealand Women in their opening match.

And Shemaine Campbelle, who scored a match-winning, unbeaten 90 in that contest, is the only batter to have scored a half century for the regional side to date.

Meanwhile, England have been mighty with the bat and are the only team to post two 200-plus totals in this World Cup.

The Windies will however, be boosted by the fact that Aaliyah Alleyne and Matthews are among the top three wicket-takers in the competition.

While acknowledging her team’s batting struggles in an interview following their five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Sunday, Matthews said she expected them to come good sooner rather later.

‘I certainly feel like our batters will have the opportunity to peak at the right time and what’s really important is that we are winning matches right now,’ she said.

Matthews said the team’s confidence was extremely high after victories against the defending champions New Zealand, Scotland and Sri Lanka.

She said knowing that they were one win away from qualifying for the semifinals was also an added incentive.

‘It puts us in a really good place. Going into the next match against England we have high confidence.

‘We certainly feel that if we can win one more game here it gets us into the semifinals, so a lot of confidence going into the next two matches, but still we want to take it one game at a time,’ Matthews said.