Category: CANA News

The state-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL) Wednesday said it will introduce daily non-stop flights between Toronto and Georgetown, effective July 1, this year providing customers with greater flexibility and convenience .

‘Guyana remains one of the airline’s most important and fastest-growing markets. The introduction of daily Toronto to Georgetown flights reflects our commitment to meeting customer demand and strengthening connectivity between Guyana and North America,’ said the airline’s acting chief executive officer, Varma Khillawan. ‘Whether travelling for business, leisure, education or to reconnect with family and friends, customers will now benefit from greater flexibility and convenience throughout the summer season and beyond,’ Khillawan added.

CAL said that the expanded schedule comes at a time when travel demand between Canada and Guyana continues to grow, driven by strong business, leisure and family travel. It said that the daily service will offer increased capacity and more travel options for customers while supporting tourism, trade and economic activity between the two countries.

‘The enhanced service also supports Guyana’s continued economic expansion and growing international profile, while facilitating travel for members of the Guyanese diaspora residing in Canada,’ CAL said in a statement.

‘As the region’s leading carrier, Caribbean Airlines continues to invest in its network and fleet to provide reliable service and seamless connections across the Caribbean, North America and South America,’ it added.

The Grenada government Wednesday defended its policy if seeking to deepen diplomatic and other relations with the African continent, condemning those whom it said were not in favour of establishing relations with ‘people from the mother continent’.

Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development Minister Joseph Andall, told a news conference that he was disappointed at the concerning Grenada’s visa policy. ‘Some of them quite outlandish. Some of them reflective, I would say, of a self-hatred, a learned self-hatred on the part of some black people. I’m going to be blunt about that.

‘When we hear people who look like us impute that people from the mother continent should be barred from coming into Grenada, we can only shake our head in pity at the ignorance of such people,’ Andall told reporters.

Andall said that the objective of Grenada’s foreign policy initiative is to encourage movement of people, movement of goods and services.

‘We’re a tiny country and it is in our interest to diversify our partnerships, to reach out not only to Africa but to other parts of the world. While some parts of the world look more inward and become more insular, we have to consider that as a tiny country trying to go it alone or trying to exclude others from partnerships is not in our interest’.

‘So on the question of air links, this has been an ongoing conversation, not just between Grenada and West Africa but between the many countries in the Caribbean’.

Andall insists that there’s great potential for tourism, for example’ and that many many individuals, not only in Nigeria but in other parts of Africa, with high net worth.

‘Many of them are looking for places to invest. Many of them are looking for places that will welcome them as tourists. When we had the Afreximbank event last year, we had close to 2,000 visitors from Africa outside of the regular tourism.

‘The boost that that gave, it was a massive shot in the arm for the local tourism industry. Yes, it was a one-off event, but we are constantly seeking to make sure that the contacts between Africa and Grenada are not episodic but are ongoing.’

Andall said that St. George’s is actively looking at ways to ensure that there’s air connectivity between Africa and Grenada ‘because even if you have the visa waiver agreements but you do not have the direct flights, it will be more symbolic than anything else since as it stands currently, to move from the Caribbean to Africa or vice versa, unless you have a chartered flight, you must go through a third country which usually requires visa access, even if you’re going through in transit’.

Andall said that Caribbean businesses are already investing in Africa, saying ‘I was pleasantly surprised when I went to Ghana to see branches of the Trinidadian Bank, the Republic Bank in Africa.

‘So yes, not only is it desirable, it is possible, it is happening, and we have to continue to boost that type of contact, business, trade, investment, tourism, recreation, education, and whatever else is possible.’

Andall said he wanted to make it clear that Grenada’s recent diplomatic thrusts and initiatives form ‘an important component of the country’s foreign policy and international engagement strategy.

‘Through bilateral agreements and reciprocal arrangements, Grenada seeks to facilitate travel, strengthen diplomatic relations, promote tourism and investment, and enhance people-to-people exchanges.’

He said currently, Grenada maintains visa waiver agreements and arrangements with 100 countries worldwide and while this may ‘sound like a lot, but when you consider that the United Nations has about 193 members, it shows that we still have a long way to go’.

Andall said that these agreements permit holders of Grenadian passports and citizens to travel for specified periods without the requirement to obtain a visa in advance, subject to the immigration laws and conditions of each country. (

‘Grenada’s visa waiver arrangements span several regions, including the Caribbean Community, or CARICOM, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Africa, and other regions such as the Pacific.’.

Andall said that the benefits of the visa waiver agreements include facilitating easier international travel for business, tourism, education, and cultural exchange purposes, strengthening bilateral and diplomatic relations with partner countries, enhancing trade and investment opportunities, promoting tourism arrivals and economic activity as well as supporting international cooperation and mobility

‘The government of Grenada remains steadfast in advancing a foreign policy agenda that supports national development priorities, strengthens international partnerships, and safeguards the security and integrity of Grenadian travel documents.’

He said in alignment with Grenada’s sustainable development goals and the national aspirations, the government recognises that enhanced global connectivity and strategic international engagement are essential pillars for economic transformation, investment promotion, tourism development, trade expansion, and opportunities for Grenadian citizens.

‘Accordingly, any visa waiver arrangement entered by Grenada with others is carefully negotiated in accordance with international law, the principles of reciprocity, and the overarching national interest while maintaining robust security standards and protecting the value of the Grenadian passport.’

Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro has called on friends and relatives to ‘be attentive to the wellbeing of those around them,’ after a police constable died from a self inflicted wound on Tuesday.

‘Sudden changes in behaviour, withdrawal, expressions of distress, or signs that someone is not coping should never be ignored. A simple check in, a conversation, or an offer of support may help save a life,’ Guevarro said. Media reports said that PC Yohanis Joseph died at the Sangre Grande police station shortly after reporting for duty and collecting his service-issued firearm.

Police said that another officer assigned to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), who was also on duty at the station, sustained an injury to his foot during the incident and has been treated at hospital.

In a statement, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) said it is ‘deeply saddened by the unfortunate circumstances that resulted in the death of one of our officers’ and that the matter is now engaging the full attention of investigators in the Eastern Division.

It extended ‘heartfelt condolences to the officer’s family, colleagues, and loved ones as they navigate this painful and unexpected loss’ adding that ‘this tragic event is a solemn reminder that many among us; officers and civilians alike, may be carrying heavy, unseen burdens.

‘Anyone can feel overwhelmed, and no one should face those moments in isolation. We encourage individuals who may be struggling with personal, emotional, or situational pressures to reach out to someone they trust or seek professional support,’ the TTPS said, adding that ‘asking for help is an act of strength, not weakness’.

National Security and Peace Minister Dr. Horace Chang Wednesday confirmed that Jamaica is in negoiations with the United States to accept no more than 25 non-criminal third-country nationals and refugees.

Chang told the weekly post Cabinet newsconference that Jamaica is not receiving any deportees from the United States, except Jamaicans.

‘Can I repeat that? We are not accepting, we have no agreement, no understanding to accept deportees from the United States.We accept every month 100 Jamaican deportees and we have the expertise and the staff to manage their entry into Jamaica.’

Chang told reporters that this arrangement is negotiated by professionals so that they those Jamaicans being sent home ‘can come in in a structured, organised manner and be resettled in Jamaica, their homeland.

‘The cost of that is all Jamaican. We are receiving, and we have no agreement to, our understanding is to receive convicts from the United States.’

Tevin Imlach of Guyana has been appointed captain of the West Indies Select XI for the upcoming four-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka, set to bowl off from June 18-21 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

The 13-man squad features a strong Guyanese contingent, with Imlach joined by fellow countrymen Kemol Savory, Nial Smith, and Keemo Paul, ensuring the fixture carries a distinct Guyanese flavour.

The match serves as a critical dress rehearsal for the two-match Test series between West Indies and Sri Lanka, offering fringe players and Test aspirants a valuable platform to press their claims in a red-ball setting.

Head Coach Daren Sammy underscored the significance of the fixture, stating: ‘The four-day warm-up game before the series provides the chance for some of our Test hopefuls to play in high-intensity action and create the avenue for more competition within the squad ahead of the upcoming and future series.’

Full WI Select XI Squad:

Tevin Imlach (Captain), Joshua Bishop, Jonathan Drakes, Karima Gore, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kirk McKenzie, Keemo Paul, Kemol Savory, Ojay Shields, Nial Smith, Gilon Tyson, Kevin Wickham.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched the ANIMA-AA Kit, a practical tool designed to support health care workers in identifying, responding to, and supporting children and adolescents affected by violence.

PAHO said that the initiative aims to strengthen frontline health services across the Americas, including the Caribbean, where violence remains a widespread and urgent public health challenge. The UN agency said violence is highly prevalent in the region, and sexual violence is of particular concern, as it disproportionately affects girls. Among adolescents aged 15 to 19, one in five 5 experience physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner.

According to PAHO/WHO estimates one in six 6 girls are subjected to sexual violence before the age of 18, based on UNICEF data.

Child marriage, affecting one in five girls, further increases the risk of violence and adolescent pregnancy. Taken together, these figures highlight the scale of the problem and its significant impact on physical, mental, social and reproductive health.

PAHO said that the ANIMA-AA Kit was developed with the support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) in response to a persistent gap: health workers are often the first point of contact for survivors, yet they frequently lack the training and practical tools needed to provide timely, appropriate and empathetic care.

The toolkit provides concise, accessible, and easy-to-use guidance tailored to everyday clinical practice, with a particular focus on girls, who face heightened risks and greater barriers to being heard and accessing services.

‘Health services can be a turning point in the lives of children and adolescents experiencing violence,’ said Britta Baer, advisor on violence and injury prevention at PAHO.

‘A compassionate, timely, and non-judgmental response can mean the difference between continued harm and the beginning of protection and recovery.’

The ANIMA-AA model promotes first-line support as an essential health service and organizes it into seven practical steps: attentive listening, non-judgmental validation, identifying and responding to needs, improving safety, offering support, creating child-friendly environments, and supporting caregivers – that is, those responsible for the child who are not perpetrators of violence and who may also need guidance and support.

Despite the high prevalence of violence, relatively few cases are identified within health services, pointing to a critical opportunity to improve early detection and response.

PAHO said that although thousands of cases of sexual abuse are reported each year in some countries, these figures remain well below estimated prevalence levels, reflecting limitations in the capacity of health systems to respond. Without timely identification and response, violence often continues and escalates, leading to more severe and lasting consequences.

The development of the ANIMA-AA Toolkit reflects a participatory process involving direct input from adolescents and young people across the region.

The Belize-based Caribbean Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) has announced the appointment of Peter A. Murray as the new Regional Project Coordinator of the US$48 million project.

It said that the St. Lucian-born Murray, who formerly served as the CRFM’s advisor, Fisheries Management and Development, will oversee the ‘Promoting National Blue Economy Priorities Through Marine Spatial Planning in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Plus Region’ (BE-CLME + Project). Murray has played an active technical role for several decades on BE-related matters across the Caribbean, in addition to monitoring control and surveillance, illegal unreported and unregulated fishing and the broader spectrum of trans-national crime, gender, and fisheries nutrition, health and sanitary issues.

CRFM said that he comes highly qualified with 45 years of experience in fisheries as well as a Master of Philosophy degree in Biology and a Diploma in International Environmental Law. He has been the senior-most Fisheries Biologist at St. Lucia’s Department of Fisheries; senior Programme Officer at the OECS Secretariat, and Programme Manager at the CRFM Secretariat.

Murray succeeds Dr. Dayne Buddo and will now have lead responsibility for overseeing BE-CLME+ project activities.

‘As such, he will work towards ensuring alignment with strategic goals, timely delivery of planned activities and fostering collaboration among stakeholders and partners. His extensive experience and knowledge will be very helpful in advancing the objectives of the project, which is focused on marine spatial planning, marine managed areas, seafood value chain development.’

The CRFM said the project will ultimately advance the sustainable use and management of marine living resources, biodiversity conservation, stakeholder engagement and capacity-building throughout the region, and enhancing resilience to climate change and ocean acidification.

Barbados’ top tennis player Darian King has been honoured with the prestigious ITF Davis Cup Commitment Award for his dedication to representing his country at the premier international team event in men’s tennis.

The 34-year-old received the award during the 2026 Davis Cup Americas III competition in Costa Rica last weekend. The award is presented by the International Tennis Federation and recognises players who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication and commitment to representing their country in the Davis Cup tournament for an extended period.

King, whose highest ranking was 106 back in 2017 when he qualified for the US Open, made his first appearance for Barbados in the Davis Cup back in 2009.

He has represented Barbados at the Davis Cup on 31 occasions, compiling an impressive record that includes 44 singles victories, and more than 70 overall Davis Cup wins and is one of the most successful Davis Cup players in his country’s history.

King was one of the main reasons Barbados gained promotion to the Americas Zone Group 1 back in 2014 with an upset win over Mexico.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres Tuesday ended a one day visit to Haiti confident that the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) 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. ‘The biggest wave is indifference, that of a world that has looked elsewhere for too long. Because there is a direct link between the absence of the international community and the absence of security for the Haitian people.

‘But the situation can be reversed. Some neighbourhoods in the city centre of Port-au-Prince have been recaptured. The Council of Ministers is meeting again at the National Palace after more than three years. And it is not just a symbol, it is the sign of the progressive return of the State,’ Guterres told reporters.

Guterres, who last travelled to the troubled Caribbean country in July 2023, meet with men, women and children whose lives have been affected by the violence.

On Monday, 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.

Addressing the opening of the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, Turk told delegates from the 47-country council that nearly 100 others have been kidnapped in the country.

‘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.

Guterres told reporters that he met with members of the GSF and that ‘its deployment offers a real chance to reverse violence and restore the authority of the State.

‘We have no right to waste this chance. This force is not an operation of the United Nations, but it benefits from our full logistical and operational support through our support office in Haiti.’

Guterres thanked that governments of Haiti and the Dominican Republic ‘for their decisive cooperation to make this operation possible,’ adding ‘ I also want to salute the police, the Haitian police and soldiers who hold the line, day after day, often at the risk of their lives.

‘These forces must receive the training, equipment and coordination necessary for their mission in the strict respect of human rights. Because human rights and the fight against impunity are not an obstacle to security, they are the condition and the foundation of the confidence of the population. ‘

He said that for these achievements to last, it will be necessary to disarm, dismantle and reintegrate the gang members under Haitian leadership.

‘A working justice will be needed, and it will be necessary to stop the illicit arms flow that feeds this violence, because these weapons are not made in Haiti. But security alone will not be enough It must go hand in hand with political progress.’

Guterres said that he held ‘frank exchanges’ with Prime Minister Fils-Aimé, as well as with representatives of the various sectors of Haitian society.

‘My message was clear. The Haitian people have learned too much. The opportunity that exists today may not be represented. I count on Haitian leaders to seize it. We must accelerate the political process and restore confidence.

‘It is up to Haitians and Haitians alone that it is up to them to lead the way. And the process must produce results,’ Guterres said, adding that stages of inclusive transition and credible elections are the legitimate way to restore the constitutional order and democratic institutions.

The last time Haitians voted someone into power was in 2016. Since then, armed gangs have seized control of almost the entire capital, Port-au-Prince, as well as large swathes of rural areas of Haiti.

Guterres told reporters that the United States remains fully engaged and that there is a a parallel effort between restoring security and creating conditions for truly transparent elections.

‘Under the leadership of my special representative, Mr. Carlos Ruiz Macio, and through the BINU, we will continue to facilitate dialogue and support Haitian solutions. The transition is moving forward. A dynamic is there. And my call to the international community is therefore simple. Finally, assume your responsibilities.

‘First, strengthen security support with a rapid and complete deployment of force by adapting resources to the progress made on the ground. Secondly, support the political transition and the revival of the country, the school, health, employment, to offer young Haitians an alternative to gangs and a future of dignity.

‘Thirdly, finance humanitarian aid in a predictable way and to the extent necessary and above all, listen to the Haitian people’

Guterres said he was leaving Haiti with a message of hope and that ‘for the first time in years, we see the end of the tunnel, because Haiti does not end its trials.

‘It is an immense and creative youth, an engaged diaspora, a culture that shines far beyond its borders. Haiti has everything to rise again.’

He said more than two centuries ago, a people accomplished what the world thought impossible and broke the chains and freed itself.

‘This people will know, I am convinced, to free itself from the grip of gangs and regain its security, its institutions, its future. Our role is not to act in your place. Our role is to be on your side. And we will be there until the end,’ Guterres added.

‘So my appeal to the world is simple. Step up. Fund humanitarian response and progressive recovery. Support Haitian institutions and the gang suppression force. The transition is moving. Everyone, the international community and Haiti leaders alike, must do their part to turn this momentum into concrete results. And together, stand with the Haitian people for peace, for security and for dignity,’ Guterres said.

Opposition legislator, Keith Scotland has dared Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to remove herself from the protection of Parliament and repeat the allegations she made involving a multi-million dollar court matter.

Persad-Bissessar told legislators on Monday that a report has been made to the Fraud Squad to investigate the Senior Counsel to determine if criminal charges should be laid for conspiracy to defraud, malfeasance and corruption. She told Parliament that the matter involved Scotland and his chambers in a legal matter concerning the recovery of nearly TT$2.4 million (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) in unpaid electricity bills owed to the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T and TEC) by Flavorite Foods Ltd, whose chairman was the former treasurer of the main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM), Andre Monteil.

Persad-Bissessar said that Scotland and his firm falsely represented that legal action had been pursued against Flavorite when court records showed otherwise. She said as a result, the matter became statute-barred, leading to the loss of millions of dollars owed to taxpayers.

Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar said she had also instructed Minister of Public Utilities Barry Padarath to request that T and TEC institute legal proceedings against Scotland and his chambers for fraudulent misrepresentation, professional negligence and breach of contract.

She said she had also directed that consideration be given to filing a formal complaint before the Disciplinary Committee of the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago for breaches of the Code of Conduct under the Legal Profession Act.

Persad-Bissessar said T and TEC recently instructed attorneys to file a claim against Flavorite Foods Ltd to recover outstanding electricity arrears totalling $2,392,220.11.

But speaking to reporters, Scotland called on Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, a Senior Counsel, to make her claims against him outside the protection of parliamentary privilege, describing her statements as ‘very egregious attacks’ on his professional character.

Scotland, who has since denied any wrongdoing in the handling of the T and TEC matter said, ‘The Prime Minister, in the Parliament chamber under the shield of parliamentary privilege, made some very egregious attacks on my professional character.

‘The action is not statute-barred because in 2024, the claim on behalf of T and TEC was refiled and we have a stamped request for entry of judgement in default of appearance,’ he said, adding that the files were subsequently taken back by the client and what occurred afterwards ‘is no concern of ours’.

‘Under these circumstances, I invite the Prime Minister to make these claims outside of Parliament,’ Scotland said.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Dr. Keith Rowley has dismissed a statement made by Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar in Parliament that he, along with his wife and other senior former government ministers were on a T and TEC list that they should not be disconnected for outstanding arrears.

Persad-Bissessar said when the ‘protected list’ came to the attention of the government ‘we were not satisfied with the explanation as to how this could have happened’.

She said that ‘protected list, I’m advised, meant that T and TEC must not, should not, disconnect persons who were lucky enough to be on that list, even though they did not pay their bills. That was what the secret protected list was,’ she said, listing a number of numbers whom she said had benefitted from the initiative.

But in a statement posted on his Facebook page, Rowley said ‘I am unaware of being on any list at T and TEC.

‘I pay all my electricity bills as and when they become due at properties in Trinidad and Tobago. That holds good for my wife as well. I have never requested nor was offered any protection from T and TEC billing operations.’

He said he was disappointed that instead of ‘looking after the serious business of managing the country’s affairs , I have already advised you that what we have is a hateful, dictatorial…. who wishes to be feared like her mentor,’ a reference to the United States president Donald Trump.