Category: CANA News

Sri Lanka Emerging Players trail West Indies Academy by 194 runs with 10 wickets remaining at the close of play on the opening day of the second unofficial ‘Test’ at the Mahinda Rajapaksha International Cricket Stadium here on Monday.

WEST INDIES ACADEMY 231 in 67.5 overs (Shaqkere Parris 99, Rivaldo Clarke 57, Nathan Edward 28; Chamod Battage 4-51, Nisala Abeyratne 2-38, Shakthi Udara 2-61).

SRI LANKA EMERGING PLAYERS 37-0 in seven overs (Pulindu Perera 13 not out).

The executive directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have noted that the economy of St. Vincent and the Grenadines faces a challenging economic environment.

In a statement following the Article IV Consultation for the island they said the economy has shown resilience in the face of repeated shocks, but vulnerabilities remain significant. ‘Repeated external shocks have widened fiscal deficits, placed public debt on an unsustainable path, and increased external imbalances, while the war in the Middle East has worsened the near term outlook.

‘Against this background, Directors welcomed the authorities’ commitment to tackling high and rising debt. They encouraged them to swiftly translate this commitment into concrete and feasible measures to reduce debt, while complementing them with growth-promoting structural reforms,’ the statement noted.

It said that most directors called for ‘urgent, upfront, and sustained fiscal consolidation’ to restore debt sustainability; while a few directors would favour a more gradual adjustment to mitigate the social and economic impact.

The directors agreed that the fiscal adjustment should rely primarily on expenditure rationalization, while protecting the vulnerable and safeguarding health and education spending.

On the revenue side, preserving and broadening the tax base, enhancing tax administration, and carefully designing the planned Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme will also be important.

Under the CBI programme, St. Vincent and the Grenadines will provide citizenship to foreign investors in return for making a substantial investment in the island’s socio-economic development.

Noting the recent emergency package to mitigate the impact from the war in the Middle East, the directors stressed that any support measures should remain timebound, well-targeted, and calibrated.

Directors supported the authorities’ plan to update the Fiscal Responsibility Framework, which would help anchor fiscal consolidation. Noting that fiscal consolidation alone will not be sufficient to restore debt sustainability, the directors called for a comprehensive strategy that also includes stronger public debt management, growth promoting structural reforms, and support from multilateral and bilateral partners.

Directors stressed the importance of advancing structural reforms to boost growth and employment, improve debt dynamics, and reduce external imbalances. They agreed that the energy transition would lower electricity costs, reduce exposure to volatile energy prices, and strengthen resilience.

They also noted that improving the business environment would further support private sector development. They welcomed the authorities’ commitment to addressing skills mismatches and enhancing data adequacy. Directors stressed the importance of continued capacity building to support the authorities’ efforts.

The IMF recommended stronger oversight of credit unions and reforms to support adequate credit growth by strengthening existing intermediation channels. It also agreed that reducing the sovereign bank nexus through fiscal consolidation would support private credit growth. While supporting the authorities’ financial development goals, the directors encouraged careful consideration of the establishment of a national development bank given the associated fiscal risks.

Earlier, a staff mission to the island had noted that over the past six years, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has been hit by theCOVID-19 pandemic and two major natural disasters and is now facing an oil price shock stemming from the war in the Middle East.

‘Consequently, the fiscal position has deteriorated markedly: deficits have widened and public debt has risen by 45 percentage points of gross domestic product (GDP) since 2019, with roughly half of the increase occurring in the last two years, to 113 per cent of GDP in 2025.

Growth moderated to 3.7 per cent in 2025 as the post-pandemic rebound faded, although tourism and construction remained strong. Inflation continued to ease, averaging 0.9 per cent, reflecting the unwinding of earlier external price shocks and smaller contributions from food, transport, and housing.

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) will celebrate its 45th anniversary on Thursday urging people across the sub-region to be part of the ‘OECS 45 for 45’ which runs until June 30 this year.

The OECS groups the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat and Anguilla. ‘The OECS 45 for 45 Changemaker Initiative is a regional campaign celebrating the OECS’s four and a half decades of regional integration, unity and shared progress through acts of service, volunteerism and community impact,’ the St. Lucia-based OECS Commission said in a statement.

It said it recognises that ‘No One Is Coming to Save Us – Which Is Why We Must Build Ourselves’ and highlights the transformative impact of collective agency and adaptive development.

The anniversary is being observed under the theme, ‘One Vision, One Voice: Navigating Challenges, Shaping Our Future’.

OECS Director General, Dr. Didacs Jules said ‘saving ourselves therefore requires a shift in how we think and how we act, not more projects but stronger systems, not longer plans but adaptive strategy, not reactive compliance but interest anchored engagement.

‘Saving ourselves is not beyond our capacity. It requires clarity of purpose, courage to integrate more deeply, and discipline to build systems that endure. This is not about rejecting the world, it is about engaging it on terms that protect our agency, our dignity, and our future choices,’ said Jules.

The OECS Commission said that the OECS 45 for 45 Changemaker Initiative translates the 45th anniversary theme ‘into tangible action, moving the celebration beyond reflection to meaningful participation, and emphasises that every person has the power to make an impact.

‘Participation is open to everyone, whether participating as an individual, a family, a school, a community group, an organisation, or a business. Citizens across the region and in the diaspora are invited to take action in their own way. Every action, big or small, contributes to building stronger, more connected communities.

According to the OECS Commission, participants may commit to completing time-consuming tasks for 45 minutes or to performing measurable actions such as donating 45 items or parcels or planting 45 trees.

‘Participants in the OECS 45 for 45 Changemaker Initiative will be recognised as OECS 45 for 45 Changemakers. They will receive digital certificates, be featured in the OECS 45 FOR 45 Changemaker Initiative publicity campaigns and featured in the Digital Wall of Service.’

Despite being thrashed 7-1 by Germany in their first-ever World Cup match on Sunday, Curaçao head coach Dick Advocaat does not believe his side should be embarrassed by the scoreline.

Germany opened the scoring courtesy of a strike by Felix Nmecha, but Livano Comenencia’s historic goal in the 21st minute brought the Caribbean side level, sparking wild celebrations.

However, a dream debut was not to be as a double strike from Kai Havertz along with goals by Nico Schlotterbeck, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav ensured Germany completed a comfortable victory. Speaking after the match, Advocaat said his side – the smallest nation to ever qualify for a FIFA World Cup – had nothing to be ashamed about.

‘This is not a disgrace, I think we can still be proud,’ the 78-year-old Advocaat said.

‘This is related with the joy of the people in Curaçao. It may be a matter of my age, but this is when the emotion comes to the surface. I don’t really like it… (but) the joy of the people is fantastic.’

Advocaat said he hoped that the experience gained against Germany will help as it continues in the tournament against Ecuador on Saturday in Kansas City.

‘We still have matches to go and things can still end up differently,’ he said.

Winger Kenji Gorré said the while the team was disappointed with the result, they were proud of their achievement.

‘The goal was absolutely fantastic for all of us, for the nation as well.

‘It’s more history being made. The first goal ever scored on the world stage, it’s just phenomenal and we’re all grateful that we were here to experience it (with) all the people in the stadium,’ Gorré said.

‘Mixed emotions, mixed feelings. On one side you think, ‘Wow, we’ve made history by coming to the World Cup,’ and on the other it’s like, ‘Wow, we wish that we could have got some points.’ But we’re playing against the world’s best and the world’s best punish you at every opportunity they can, and you see that they punished us seven times from mistakes that we made.’

Meanwhile, Germany’s head coach Julian Nagelsmann said he was impressed with the fight shown by Curaçao.

‘The opponent played better than many had expected in Germany. They played with a lot of courage,’ Nagelsmann said.

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines government Monday said that the Dominican Republic-registered aircraft that went missing en route to Tobago over the last weekend, has been found with no loss of lives.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, St. Clair Leacock, told a radio programme that international, regional, and national agencies have located the aircraft. He gave no indication as to the location. A statement from the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Sustainable Development had stated that the twin-engine Beechcraft Baron -identified as a B58T or 58P Pressurized Baron- bearing the registration number HI-1145, had departed Argyle International Airport here at 11:52 am (local time) last Friday with two people on board.

The plane was due to land at the A.N.R. Robinson International Airport in Tobago one hour and five minutes later.

Leacock told radio listeners that since the disappearance of the plane he had been in continuous contact with the Commissioner of Police, as well as regional security bodies including the Barbados-based Regional Security System (RSS) and the Trinidad-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS).

He said that the authorities have names associated with the plane, noting ‘I cannot share all of the information that we have on it’.

Leacock said that revealing specific operational details could compromise the ongoing work of the agencies involved and that the intelligence and security forces are closely monitoring the situation.

He said the authorities are focused ‘not so much (on) the aircraft because aircraft don’t fly itself, (but) the people who fly in that aircraft’ so they can take an appropriate course of action.

Prior to its disappearance, the aircraft was being monitored on the flight tracking website Flightradar24, which showed it operating under visual flight rules (VFR) at an altitude of 4,025 feet and traveling at a speed of 142 knots.

All tracking data abruptly ceased mid-flight over the Southern Caribbean Sea, placing the aircraft somewhere near Grenadian or Venezuelan territorial waters.

The Trinidad and Tobago government Monday warned of a ‘fraudulent’ video circulating on social media showing the Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo endorsing ‘specific individual foreign exchange trading platforms and financial investment schemes’. In a statement, the Ministry of Finance said this ‘video is completely fake, unauthorised and malicious’.

It said Tancoo has ‘never made such pronouncements, nor does he or the Ministry of Finance endorse any private trading agents, cryptocurrency schemes, or specific financial advisors.

‘In this regard, the public is strongly advised to disregard this video and to refrain from sharing or circulating.’

The statement urges the public to ‘remain vigilant against sophisticated digital scams that exploit the names and faces of public officials so as to lure individuals into fraudulent financial arrangements.

It said that all official communications, policy announcements and public advisories from Tancoo or the Ministry of Finance are only communicated through verified government channels and reputable media houses.

Scoreboard of the third and final T20I between West Indies and Sri Lanka at Sabina Park here on Sunday.

SRI LANKA

Pathum Nissanka c Chase b Joseph 26

*+Kusal Mendis c and b Forde 5

Kamil Mishara lbw b Chase 28

Pavan Rathnayake lbw b Joseph 0

Kamindu Mendis c Powell b Hosein 20

Dasun Shanaka b Holder 16

Dunith Wellalage c Forde b Joseph 43

Wanindu Hasaranga run out 21

Maheesh Theekshana b Joseph 4

Dushmantha Chameera c King b Joseph 0

Eshan Malinga not out 1

Extras (lb1, nb1, w3) 5

TOTAL (all out; 20 overs) 169

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-51, 3-51, 4-72, 5-88, 6-111, 7-160, 8-168, 9-168, 10-169.

Bowling: Hosein 4-0-31-1, Forde 4-0-39-1, Holder 4-0-33-1, Joseph 4-0-33-5, Chase 4-0-32-1.

WEST INDIES

Brandon King b Hasaranga 16

*+Shai Hope b Wellalage 0

Shimron Hetmyer c Chameera b Hasaranga 32

Ackeem Auguste b Theekshana 1

Rovman Powell c Hasaranga b Chameera 33

Sherfane Rutherford not out 54

Jasonn Holder not out 21

Extras (lb4, nb1, w8) 13

TOTAL (five wickets; 19.4 overs) 170

Did not bat: Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-52, 3-53, 4-53, 5-134.

Bowling: Wellalage 3-0-23-1, Chameera 4-0-64-1, Malinga 4-0-30-0, Theekshana 4-1-26-1, Hasaranga 4-0-17-2, Shanaka 0.4-0-6-0.

Toss: West Indies elected to field.

Player-of-the-Match: Shamar Joseph.

Player-of-the-Series: Shamar Joseph.

Result: West Indies won by five wickets to win the three-match series 2-1.

Umpires: Leslie Reifer, Deighton Butler.

TV Umpire: Zahid Bassarath.

Reserve Umpire: Chris Taylor.

Match Referee: Richie Richardson.

The advocacy group, Fi We Children Foundation (FWCF) Monday urged the government the Jamaica government to pursue evidence-based policies that balance child protection with children’s rights amid plans by the Andrew Holness government to engage Jamaicans in a national discussion on imposing a ban on social media access for children under the age of 16.

‘The digital world should be designed with children in mind. Children have the right not only to protection from harm but also to participation, information, privacy, and development in online spaces,’ FWCF said in a statement. Last week, Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton, speaking at th post-cabinet news conference said study examining the impact of social media on the Jamaican population is nearing completion and will help inform the conversation.

‘In another two weeks, we’ll be unveiling a study which is almost complete on the impact of social media on our population,’ Tufton said, adding that the government intends to gauge public sentiment on the possibility of restricting social media access for children aged 16 and under.

‘We are doing a national survey, both quantitative and qualitative. I do intend to take the results to Cabinet, along with some recommendations, and that’s a conversation that we hope to promote in communities as part of the discussion,’ he said.

In its statement, the FWCF, while it welcomed Tufton’s statement, said limiting access alone will not be enough to protect children in the digital age.

FWCF said that while efforts to shield children from online exploitation, harmful content and predatory behaviour are important, meaningful online protection requires a more comprehensive approach.

It said safeguarding children online demands robust legislation, accountable technology companies as well as child-centred digital environments and is calling for urgent legislative reform, including amendments to the Child Care and Protection Act (CCPA).

The group said that the amendments must address online harms facing children and is proposing age-appropriate design digital platforms with children’s safety and well-being at their core rather than maximising engagement and addictive scrolling as well as stronger default privacy settings with child accounts automatically operating with the highest levels of privacy, including disabled location sharing and restrictions on unsolicited contact.

The FWCF also wants an end to harmful profiling and that the collection and commercial use of children’s data for behavioural profiling should be restricted as well as algorithms prioritising educational, creative and age-appropriate material while actively filtering harmful content, including self-harm, sexually explicit material and eating disorder content;

The group also wants regulatorsto have the authority to conduct audits, enforce compliance and ensure meaningful remedies where harm occurs.

‘Every child deserves a safer internet – one built for children, not merely one that excludes them,’ FWCF said.

Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo Monday sought to re-assure several trade unions that appropriate provisions will be made in the budget of fiscal 2027 to meet all obligations settle now and when the fiscal package is tabled next year.

‘ I am reliably informed that tabulation and quantification…should be completed over the next few weeks and perhaps months and therefore, appropriate provisions will be made in the budget of fiscal 2027 to meet all obligations settled between now and budget 2027,’ Tancoo told legislators as he tabled the TT$2.93 billion (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents supplementary budget . ‘So I want to tell nurses, teachers and whoever else that are currently at the bargaining table or are awaiting finalisation that relief is coming. Relief is coming. The documentations are being provided now and in fiscal 2027, the relevant appropriations will be made,’ said Tancoo, as the Kamla Persad-Bissessar government increased the national budget this year to TT$62.16 billion.

He said that it is instructive to note that until the government presents a full appropriation bill at the end of this financial year, supplementation is provided under the existing heads of expenditure and appropriate administrative arrangements are put in place to ensure that all government operations proceed seamlessly.

He said that the increase in the expenditure will facilitate payments to various sectors including the Office of the President, the judiciary, the Industrial Court, statutory authorities, service commission, as well as the Tobago House of Assembly, the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Labour among others.

Tancoo said TT$20.76 million is needed by the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs to settle outstanding arrears left to the Caribbean Community (CCARICOM) and to meet the cost of the government’s contribution to the UN peacekeeping operations.

Tancoo said the 2025-26 national budget had been based on an average oil price of US$73.25 per barrel and natural gas of US$4.25 per MMBTU.

‘Our estimation for oil and gas prices to the end of fiscal 2026 is US$85 per barrel and US$4.050 cents per MMBTU respectively,’ he said, adding that with this and other adjustments ‘we anticipate an increase in total revenue of TT$381.7 million with an overall resultant deficit of seven billion dollars.

‘…this supplementary expenditure will be financed through a combination of domestic and external borrowing including engagements with multilateral development partners,’ Tancoo said, adding that ‘this measured approach…will ensure that we can continue delivering on our commitments to the people of Trinidad and Tobago while maintaining fiscal stability.

‘Importantly, revenue measures introduced in October 2025 are also expected to yield their full impact during the latter part of this fiscal year and in future years and will directly contribute to addressing the deficit.’

Tancoo said that these measures coupled with ongoing reforms to strengthen revenue administration and improve compliance will provide additional fiscal space and help reduce the deficit over time.

Tancoo said that confidence is the most powerful currency in any economy, noting that when citizens have confidence they invest in their future.

‘When businesses have confidence they expand and create jobs. When investors have confidence they bring capital, technology and opportunity,’ he said, adding that ‘confidence in Trinidad and Tobago has been rebuilt both at home and abroad as this government continues to take responsible decisions to stabilise the economy, strengthen institutions and create a more attractive environment for investment and growth.

‘In just one year of hard work and tireless efforts by this government, the success of our approach is already evident. In January of this year, international capital markets signalled renewed confidence in Trinidad and Tobago through the government’s highly successful and heavily oversubscribed one billion US dollar nternational bond issuance”.

Tancoo said the following months, the Council of the European Union confirmed the removal of Trinidad and Tobago from the EU’s list of non-cooperative jurisdictions, adding ‘this removal from the EU strengthens Trinidad and Tobago’s international reputation, improves investor confidence and reduces reputational risks and enhances our ability to engage more effectively with international financial institutions’.

He said in March, the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Trinidad and Tobago’s agenda.

‘Accordingly, discussions also included the establishment of a CAF regional office in Port of Spain by 2027, positioning Trinidad and Tobago as an important hub for regional integration and development,’ Tancoo said adding that this follows a similar announcement in April this year by the World Bank.

Tancoo said that the US-based international rating agency, Moody’s elevated Trinidad and Tobago’s outlook from negative to stable while affirming the country’s BA2 rating.

‘This affirmation, this decision, follows closely on IMF’s own 2026 out of four assessments. Moody’s explicitly attributed this improvement to deliberate choices made by this government, proactive debt management, strengthening of the country’s financial buffers, and strong institutional strengthening,’ Tacoo told legislators.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the Jamaica-based Sandals Group is currently in discussions with his government detailing plans to invest a further US$100 million in expansion to include several ‘over-the-water’ bungalows.

Speaking on his weekly radio programme, Prime Minister Browne said that there have been ongoing wide-ranging discussions between the government and a team from Sandals Resort. ‘Sandals has applied to do an expansion by adding over 100 rooms where they will spend over US$100 million that will include16 over the water bungalows. What we have said to them is that they cannot build the bungalows in the middle of the beach,’ Browne told radio listeners.

‘So they will be going southwards towards ‘The Groin’ so that they do not impede the use of the beach by other users,’ he said, indicating also that the discussions included issues surrounding taxes, a source of contention between the government and the hotel in recent years.

‘We have settled on an amount of $6.5 million which the hotel will pay into the government shortly. I believe that they have already placed the amount in eschew. I can now report that this is now a settled matter as it is now up to the attorneys to complete the agreement,’ Browne said.

In November 2024, Prime Minister Browne told the Jamaica-based Sandals Resorts International (SRI) to consider removing its property from his country after he claimed that the luxury hotel brand, Sandals, has adopted a policy of not wanting to pay taxes.

Browne said then that Sandals, which owns the 373-room Sandals Grande Antigua, a six-star, all-inclusive, adults-only resort, owes an estimated EC$30 million (US$11.1 million) in taxes.

He said most of the taxes owed are from the Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax (ABST) which Sandals collected for the government and was holding on to portions of the money.

‘I don’t understand why these ‘so-called’ investors feel that they are the only game in town and are the only stakeholders to benefit. So they try to wring every ounce of revenue out of the business and they don’t want the government to get anything in the form of taxes,’ Browne said then, adding ‘I have been through this already with Sandals and I don’t want to go down that road with them again.’

During the radio programme, Browne told listeners that the current discussions also touched on staff issues at the hotel especially on the issue of staff remuneration.

He said that the hotel has assured him that based on the system that they use, entry level staff can make over EC$4,000 per month when gratuities are added to the EC$2,600 basic pay.

‘That was shocking to me! If indeed entry level staff at Sandals are making that type of money, that is decent and other hotels ought to be emulating Sandals,’ Browne said, recommending that Sandals also establish a crèche to accommodate those members of staff with children so that these individuals are not placed in a dis-advantageous position.

According to the prime minister the resort management has agreed to the suggestion and made a commitment to explore establishing such a facility as soon as possible.