Category: CANA News

The High Court has dismissed an ‘abuse of process’ filed on behalf of two United States nationals charged with the 2023 murder of Canadian philanthropist Daniel Langlois and his 58-year-old longtime partner, Dominique Marchand. The Court upheld the submissions of the prosecutor Sherma Dyrample, and set a trial date for June 26, this year.

Attorneys Ravi Rajkumar of Trinidad and Tobago and St. Lucian Alberton Richelieu had petitioned the court on behalf of their clients, Jonathan Lehrer and Robert Snider Jr. Arguing that the state had ‘abused the process’ and as a result, their clients would not get a fair trial.

In April this year, the defence had argued that they had filed documents of ‘abuse of process’ on behalf of the men and that it was improper to have the charges read to them before.

However, Dyrample, objected, explaining to the court that the indictment as filed was properly before the court and that there was no reason why they should not be read to them to have them enter a plea.

The judge agreed with the prosecution and ruled that the indictment ought to be read to them and have them enter a plea of ‘guilty or not guilty.’

On April 15, 2026, the two accused men were officially arraigned and pleaded not guilty to murdering Langlois and Marchand, whose bodies were found incinerated in a car near Gallion, south of here, where they owned a hotel.

Langlois and Marchand had been reported missing for several days. The murder of the Canadians came amidst a long-standing property access dispute over a public road. Lehrer owned the 53-acre Bois Cortlette Inc Estate situated next to Langlois’s sustainable resort, Coulibri Ridge.

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.

United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has arrived in Haiti on Tuesday, urging the international community to ‘stop looking away’ and stand with the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

‘I have just arrived in Port-au-Prince on a solidarity visit with the people of Haiti. The humanitarian situation here is desperate, but there are faint glimmers of hope,’ Guterres posted on his Instagram page. ‘My message to the international community: Stop looking away. We must stand with Haiti,’ he added.

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

He arrived here by helicopter from the Dominican Republic and is expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé who is confident that efforts Haiti could be staging elections later this year.

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.

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.

Turk called on authorities to tackle the rampant crime situation in Haiti with a population of 12 million people and one of the poorest country in the America.

Sri Lanka Emerging Players lead West Indies Academy by 199 runs with six wickets remaining at the close of play on the second day of the second unofficial ‘Test’ at the Mahinda Rajapaksha International Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.

WEST INDIES ACADEMY 231.

SRI LANKA EMERGING PLAYERS 430-4 in 97 overs (Pulindu Perera 145, Ravindu Rasantha 60, Asitha Wanninayake 60, Anjala Bandara 48 not out, Sahan Kosala 38, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 33 not out; Zishan Motara 2-101).

A Trinidad and Tobago national has been arrested after police said that he tried to leave the country without paying for his month-long stay at a hotel in Belize City.

Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith said that Dale Rampersad, 47, has been remanded into custody after he was d3tained at the airport without settling is bill of nearly BDZ$11,000 (One BDZ$=US$0.49 cents). She said on May 29 this year, police formally arrested and charged Rampersad ‘for the offence of making off without payment as a consequence of a report made by a manager of Golden Bay Limited that he had booked their room for a period of a month.

‘And from the initial date that he would have booked, he used a credit card, but that credit card gave trouble. And after numerous attempts and communication, that still failed.’

The police said that he left the hotel on May 29 and that information was communicated to the police officials at the airport, where he was intercepted ‘and subsequently charged for making off without payment, taken before the court, and he is currently remanded at the Belize Central Prison’.

President of Cricket West Indies (CWI), Dr Kishore Shallow and Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange met recently to discuss a range of initiatives aimed at strengthening cricket in Jamaica and contributing to the growth of cricket in the region.

The discussions focused on enhancing collaboration between CWI, the Government of Jamaica, and the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), with particular emphasis on grassroots development, coaching education, pitch preparation, international hosting opportunities, and the long-term growth of the game across the island.

Grange underscored the importance of a united approach to rebuilding West Indies cricket, noting that governments, territorial boards, and CWI all have a critical role to play.

She also highlighted the need to invest in youth development by introducing more children to the game from an early age and creating stronger pathways for talent identification and progression.

Among the key areas discussed were strengthening partnerships to support schools cricket programmes, coach development initiatives, and improved pitch preparation standards throughout Jamaica. The meeting also explored opportunities surrounding cricket’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and the potential for Jamaican participation on that historic stage.

The parties further discussed efforts to facilitate the return of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to Jamaica and reaffirmed a shared commitment to ensuring that Sabina Park remains a desirable host venue for international cricket, including bilateral series featuring the West Indies.

Dr. Shallow welcomed the discussions, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders.

‘Cricket has always been a powerful unifying force throughout the Caribbean, and the evolution of West Indies cricket to adapt to the ongoing developments in world cricket requires strong partnerships at every level.

‘I am encouraged by the commitment demonstrated by Minister Grange and the Government of Jamaica to the development of the game. Together, we can strengthen grassroots programmes, improve our cricketing infrastructure, create greater opportunities for our young people, and ensure that Jamaica continues to play a leading role in the future of West Indies cricket,’ Shallow said.

‘We are particularly excited about the possibilities that lie ahead, from international hosting opportunities to cricket’s return to the Olympic stage in Los Angeles in 2028.’

The meeting forms part of CWI’s’ ongoing engagement with regional governments and stakeholders as the organisation continues its efforts to strengthen the game’s foundations and position West Indies cricket for long-term success.

Shallow will also lead a delegation to engage the CARICOM Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Cricket, chaired by the President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Wednesday.

The main opposition One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) says Bermudians deserve clear answers and the right to have their voices heard through a referendum before any final decision is taken on the island seeking full membership of he Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping.

‘Let me be clear. This is not about rejecting the Caribbean. It is well known that many Bermudian families, including my own, share cultural, sporting, historical, and community ties across the region,’ said Dwayne Robinson, the Shadow Minister of Home and Community Affairs. In a statement he said that these ties matter, and they should be respected, nurtured, taught about in our schools, and strengthened.

‘Cultural connection is not the same as full membership of CARICOM. The question before Bermuda is practical. What does it cost? How will our Government navigate the current geo-political climate within the Caribbean region? What new benefits would Bermudians receive that we do not already have as an Associate Member?

‘Do Bermudians support full membership of CARICOM in 2026? To date, the Government has been unclear, while we are waiting for definitive answers,’ Robinson said, adding that the OBA ‘believes Bermuda’s current Associate Membership is the most suitable for us’.

He said it allows the British Overseas Territory ‘to maintain regional relationships while protecting our unique economic, constitutional, immigration, and labour realities’.

Home Affairs Minister, Alexa N. H. Lightbourne, said that on May 31, this year, 31 May, her ministry closed its consultation on CARICOM.

‘Bermuda, you shared your views, filled Centennial Hall, St James Church Hall, and Penno’s Wharf. Many participated in the survey at togetherforcaricom.gov.bm. You asked about the cost, the timing, and whether membership means open borders.

‘Every concern raised is on the record, and they will be answered as part of the White Paper. It will also carry the consultation summaries, the United Kingdom’s feedback, and the outcomes of meetings held with the CARICOM Secretariat,’ she said.

Lightbourne said that ‘for most of us, CARICOM is not the issue keeping us awake at night. The cost of living, the price of groceries, healthcare expenses and finding affordable housing are where many are focused.

‘That reality is what brings us to the conversation about CARICOM. Not because CARICOM is a solution to every problem, but because responsible leadership requires us to examine every opportunity, every partnership and every tool that might help us build a stronger future for Bermudians.’

‘Let me share a picture I have carried since this consultation began. One afternoon I sat on a beach in St George’s and watched a ferry cross the harbour just as a cruise ship came up the channel. But beside that ship, she looked like what she is: a boat made for a world that ends at the reef line.

‘She never contemplates her own size. She has no reason to, until something larger crosses her bow. Bermuda has sailed her own waters for so long that we have started mistaking the reef line for the horizon. All around us, the region moves at scale: on trade, on climate, on food, on security. This consultation was the crossing,’ Lightbourne said, asking ‘so, what must we do?

‘We are standing at a fork in the road, and we can take one of two paths. One path says Bermuda should continue relying solely on the tools and relationships we have today.

‘The other says we should carefully examine whether stronger regional partnerships could create new opportunities, strengthen our resilience and better protect Bermudian interests. That does not mean abandoning who we are,’ the Home Affairs Minister added.

Robinson noted that the government touting a ‘stronger voice for Bermuda as a reason for becoming full members of CARICOM does not match our current constitutional reality.

‘Bermuda would face many restrictions as a full CARICOM member because we are still an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. As such, it constitutionally has the authority over our foreign affairs, defense, and internal security. We would be forced to abstain on many votes within CARICOM but still pay for full membership.’

He said that unless the ruling Progressive Labour Party (PLP) intends to change that, and if this is indeed the case, Premier David Burt ‘should be honest with the people of Bermuda.

‘As it stands right now, we would just be increasing our expenditure for another level of limited participation. These facts cannot be brushed aside with slogans.’

He said the government must also explain the cost, adding that the ‘minister has already backpedaled on the estimate printed in the Government’s own Green Paper.

‘Bermudians are already facing pressure from housing, healthcare, groceries, transport, education, and the wider cost of living. If the government wants Bermuda to take on new obligations, it must show the public what we will receive in return in clear, measurable terms.

‘This is not fear mongering. It is responsible scrutiny, as it affects the lives of everyday Bermudians,’ Robinson said, adding ‘it is not anti-Caribbean to ensure Bermudians are getting a good deal.

‘It is not anti-Caribbean to ask for a cost-benefit analysis. It is not anti-Caribbean to ask whether Bermuda’s immigration, labour, financial services, and constitutional positions may change if we take this decision.

‘Respecting the Caribbean and demanding answers from our own Government are not contradictions. The OBA is simply asking for clarity before commitment and the right for Bermudians to make this critical choice for themselves.’

Lightbourne said that Bermudians have never been afraid to examine new ideas when they believe those ideas can strengthen the country.

‘That is why, sixty-three years ago, Bermudians who believed this island belongs to all of us founded a party and put their purpose in its name. Progressive. Labour. Progress is in our name because progress is the assignment,’ she said, adding ‘beyond this place of doubt and delay, the future is ours to author. We are the masters of our fate. We are the captains of our soul’.

The Trinidad-based Phoenix Park Gas Processors Limited (PPGPL) has been identified as the first-ranked firm for the Operations and Maintenance (O and M) of the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) Phase 1 Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant, according to a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister.

It said that PPGPL and its local partner, GuyGas Inc. had been selected following a ‘competitive public procurement and evaluation process’ and that ‘Cabinet has given its no-objection to the commencement of negotiations with the firms, with the objective of agreeing to an O and M arrangement for the NGL operations’. The Office of the Prime Minister sad five proposals were received and assessed by an Evaluation Committee against administrative, technical, and financial criteria.

‘The proposal led by PPGPL, with GuyGas Inc. as local partner, ranked first overall, achieving the leading technical assessment together with the most advantageous cost-benefit commercial offer.’

The statement said that PPGPL, a regional natural gas liquids operator with established experience, will serve as the lead O and M operator, while GuyGas Inc. participates as the local partner, supporting local content and the transfer of skills and capacity to Guyanese workers.

The NGL Plant forms part of the integrated Gas-to-Energy facility near Georgetown, which brings associated gas ashore from the Stabroek Block to produce cleaner, lower-cost energy for Guyana, alongside the recovery of propane, butane, and pentanes-plus for domestic and export markets.

The statement said that engaging an experienced operator is intended to ensure the plant is run safely, reliably, and efficiently from start-up, which is targeted for the first quarter of 2027.

The Office of the Prime Minister also confirmed that the German publicly-traded energy corporation, Siemens Energy, has been selected as the O and M operator for the 300-megawatt combined-cycle power plant and the balance of plant (BOP) and auxiliary facilities. It said Siemens Energy will hold overall responsibility for coordinating operations and maintenance across the integrated facility, with the NGL Plant operations integrating into that framework.

‘A central objective of the engagement is the development of Guyanese personnel. The arrangement is structured to maximize Guyanese employment at the facility and to provide for a deliberate transition through which the maximum number of Guyanese will progressively operate and maintain the plant over time, supported by structured training, mentorship, and the transfer of skills from the experienced operator to the local workforce.’

The statement said that prior to signing, the arrangement will be subject to further technical and legal due diligence reviews, including by the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Attorney General’s Chambers, to confirm that the commercial terms, benchmarks, and arrangements are reasonable and consistent with best practice and with comparable arrangements in the sector.

‘The Office of the Prime Minister hereby clarifies that this O and M engagement relates only to the operations and maintenance of the Phase 1 Natural Gas Liquids Plant. It does not include the supply and bottling of LPG, the sale and marketing of remaining NGLs, or the development of other NGL storage and offloading facilities, which are being advanced through separate processes.’

The Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Tuesday launched the 14th Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM 14) with Guyana’s Prime Minister, Mark Phillips, saying that the region is continuously contending with climate volatility and economic shocks.

He told the ceremonial launch that in addition, Caribbean states are also dealing with infrastructure vulnerabilities, public health threats, supply chain disruptions, and rapidly evolving technological and security risks. ‘These pressures, most times, overlap and compound, testing governments’ capacity to respond within ever shorter windows of time,’ Phillips said, adding this is why he has chosen to speak about resilience as statecraft.

‘For much of our history, disaster management was treated as a function that only activated after an event occurred. That understanding is no longer adequate to the world we govern.

‘Resilience now sits at the centre of how a country is run and touches various aspects of our economy, infrastructure, security, and long-term development,’ he said.

CDEMA said that CDM 14, which is scheduled to take place here from December 7-12, will be held under the theme ‘CDM Road to Resilience – Checkpoint 2026: Resilient Sectors, Sustainable Communities, Safer States,’ and that the launch event will formally introduce the strategic direction, partnership framework, and regional priorities shaping CDM 14.

Phillips told the audience that included senior government officials, international development agencies, donor partners, financial institutions, private sector stakeholders to govern well in the changing environment ‘is to govern at the speed of risk, anticipating threats before they mature, investing ahead of need, coordinating across borders, and acting with resolve when the moment demands it.

‘The windows in which decisions must be taken are narrowing, and the cost of acting late rises with every passing season,’ he said, adding that resilience becomes a matter of competitiveness as much as protection.

‘A country that can keep its ports and its power running through a shock, and its public services available to those who depend on them, is one that investors trust, and that its people can rely on.

‘Equally, infrastructure built to withstand the hazards of a region retains its values over time. Early warning systems that reach every community lower the human and economic costs of an event.’

Phillips said that the steady adoption of new technology from satellite data to improve forecasting gives governments more time to act before a threat becomes a crisis.

He said Guyana understands the weight of this responsibility, noting ‘our economy is expanding, and our energy sector is growing.

‘Our standing within the region has risen alongside that growth. Much of our population and economic life, however, is centred along the coast, where the effects of a serious hazard would be felt most acutely

‘As we build new infrastructure and expand our energy capacity, the task of protecting those assets and the communities around them grows every year. For us, resilience and development are intertwined because neither can be secured without the other,’ Phillips said.

He insisted that no country secures resilience on its own and no single budget can finance it.

‘This is where partnership becomes essential, and it is why this morning’s programme places financing at its centre. Capital for resilience does its greatest work when it is well prepared in advance of disaster. Regional risk pooling and prearranged finance allow a country to respond and recover quickly, sparing its people the long delays that follow when resources have to be assembled from scratch.’

Phillips said that the presence of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility – Segregated Portfolio Company (CCRIF-SPC) speaks to that principle, ‘and private investors must be drawn more fully into the work alongside them.

‘Therefore, it is my firm belief that the dialogue this programme opens on risk, capital, and Caribbean resilience is among the most consequential we can pursue. Ladies and gentlemen, partnership of this kind extends well beyond finance. The strength of our regional response rests on shared standards and joint exercises, as well as a steady exchange of knowledge between agencies that face common hazards.’

He said the Caribbean has long understood ‘that our security is shared’ and that ‘when one of our states is weakened, the region is weakened with it.’

Phillips said that the coordinating role of CDEMA and its partnership with the Civil Defence Commission in hosting CDM14 gives that understanding practical form.

‘Guyana assumes the duty of host, mindful of its responsibility to the wider Caribbean community. Guyana does not approach this role lightly. Our growing importance within the region carries with it an obligation to contribute to our own preparedness and to the strength of the wider Caribbean alike,’ Phillips added.

Earlier, CEDMA’s executive director, Elizabeth Riley, said that investment decisions will be critical to safeguarding development gains.

She said these realities provide the context for CDM 14, and that the emphasis on resilient sectors is intentional.

‘For 25 years, the Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy has placed sector leadership and empowerment at the centre of resilience building. Since 2007, we’ve worked alongside education, agriculture, tourism, health, and civil society partners to strengthen sector resilience.

‘The CDM Strategy to 2030 deepens that approach through expanded sector engagement with energy, water, the private sector, and a stronger focus on finance, economic development, and disaster risk financing.

‘So CDM 14 will provide a wide-ranging examination of sector resilience. It is an opportunity to assess progress, identify remaining gaps, and align around practical actions that accelerate recovery outcomes. It will also explore how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, can strengthen decision-making, risk analysis, and preparedness while ensuring that planning remains grounded in strategic foresight and long-term thinking.’

Riley said more importantly, resilience must remain people-centred, adding ‘our objective is not more sophisticated systems.

‘It is safer communities, protected livelihoods, continuity of essential services, and expanded opportunities for current and future generations.’

The St. Lucia government Tuesday welcomed the island’s ranking of countries globally for political rights and civil liberties.

A government statement said that St. Lucia received a score of 91 out of 100 in Freedom House’s 2026 Freedom in the World assessment, which measures political rights and civil liberties, including the electoral process, political participation, freedom of expression, the rule of law and individual rights. It said that the score places the island among the highest-scoring countries in the Caribbean and globally. Among the countries highlighted in the ranking were Finland (100), Barbados (94), Dominica (92), St. Vincent received a score of 90 and the United States (81).

In its publication under the heading ‘Americas,’ the US-based Freedom House, said that major threats to freedom in the Americas during 2025 included criminal violence and mounting restrictions on civic space.

It said that although the region features some of the freest countries in the world, only six countries earned score improvements for the year, while12 registered score declines.

El Salvador recorded the region’s largest score decline for the second consecutive year, due in part to the abolition of presidential term limits, while ‘persistent strife in Haiti further delayed long-overdue elections and restricted the mobility of citizens, resulting in additional declines in Haiti’s score’.

Elsewhere in the region, officials in Suriname implemented recent election reforms that established a one-person, one-vote system and allowed smaller parties to gain representation, and citizens in Jamaica faced less harassment and intimidation during the 2025 general elections than in some previous years’ balloting, Freedom House added.