Category: CANA News

Guyana and Jamaica have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation in tourism and hospitality, with plans to promote investment, improve air connectivity and expand collaboration between the two destinations.

The agreement was signed by Guyana’s Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, and Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, during the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2026 at the Atlantic Suites by Hyatt.

The signing was attended by Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism Permanent Secretary Jennifer Griffith, Guyana Tourism Authority Director Kamrul Baksh and Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer Dona Regis-Prosper.

Guyana’s Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues, and Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett signing the MOU. (Photo: DPI) The MOU provides a framework for the countries to share knowledge and expertise, strengthen engagement among tourism stakeholders and encourage travel between the destinations. It also identifies opportunities for cooperation in tourism investment, air connectivity, education and training, sustainable tourism development and resilience.

Rodrigues said the agreement would allow both countries to share expertise and explore opportunities for closer collaboration.

‘This partnership allows us to learn from each other’s experiences, build stronger connections between our tourism stakeholders and create opportunities that benefit our people and the wider Caribbean,’ she said.

Bartlett described Guyana as an emerging destination and said closer ties could contribute to Caribbean tourism integration and multi-destination tourism.

He also called for greater emphasis on ensuring that tourism delivers more value to local economies and contributes to the prosperity of Caribbean people.

‘Guyana is adding much more to the Caribbean tourism experience, with its forests, hidden valleys and rich natural heritage. We want to build the capacity of our people to respond to the demands of prosperity and ensure that we retain greater value from tourism for our people,’ Bartlett said.

The agreement comes as Guyana seeks to expand its tourism sector, strengthen international partnerships and position itself as a competitive and sustainable destination.

The two countries are expected to use the cooperation framework to exchange experiences, develop partnerships and support a more resilient and inclusive regional tourism industry.

Cabinet has approved the development of a national policy on menopause and andropause, aimed at improving access to care and support for women and men during midlife and ageing.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton described the initiative as part of the Government’s life-stage approach to health and wellness, intended to ensure that adults experiencing these natural stages of ageing receive appropriate support. He said the policy is also intended to position Jamaica as a regional leader in delivering high-quality services for people experiencing menopause and andropause.

A multisectoral policy steering committee will be established to provide technical guidance and oversight to the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

The committee will include subject matter experts and key stakeholders, including representatives of the regional health authorities, the ministries responsible for culture, gender, entertainment and sport; labour and social security; and finance and the public service, as well as The University of the West Indies.

Tufton said a public education programme would also support the policy.

He noted that international health organisations, including the World Health Organisation and the Pan American Health Organisation, have increasingly highlighted the importance of addressing menopause and related health concerns.

The minister said the initiative reflects the Government’s commitment to improving wellness throughout life and ensuring that women and men receive appropriate support as they age.

Tufton said further details on the policy and its implementation would be provided as the steering committee advances its work.

The Mighty Sparrow, the legendary calypsonian whose music helped take the art form to audiences around the world, will receive a national farewell in Trinidad and Tobago on October 16.

The Government has announced that it is organising a state-assisted funeral and celebration of life in collaboration with Sparrow’s family to honour his life, musical legacy and contribution to Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural heritage and Caribbean music.

Sparrow, whose given name was Slinger Francisco, was repatriated from New York to Trinidad and Tobago on October 6. His son, Cyril Sancho Francisco, accompanied by Culture Minister Michelle Benjamin and ministry officials, received him at Piarco International Airport.

Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has reaffirmed Saint Lucia’s support for Taiwan’s full membership in the United Nations as the island’s diplomatic partner marks its 115th National Day.

In a message congratulating the Government and people of Taiwan on the occasion, Pierre recalled his address to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September, during which he stated: ‘In the same spirit of transformation and consistent with our commitment to the right of all people to self-determination, Saint Lucia supports Taiwan’s full membership in the United Nations.’

Pierre said Saint Lucia’s position reflected its respect for self-determination, peaceful dialogue and international cooperation.

The prime minister also praised Taiwan’s contribution to Saint Lucia’s development, citing cooperation in healthcare, agriculture, youth entrepreneurship and public infrastructure.

In healthcare, Taiwan’s technical assistance has supported efforts to prevent and detect chronic diseases, including diabetes and hypertension, according to the statement.

In agriculture, the partnership has focused on improving crop production, training farmers, promoting climate-smart practices and strengthening food security.

Taiwan has also supported the Government’s Youth Economy Agency through entrepreneurship training, skills development and programmes aimed at helping young people establish and expand businesses.

Assistance through the Constituency Development Programme and other initiatives has also improved public infrastructure and facilities across Saint Lucia.

Pierre thanked Taiwan for its continued support and described the relationship as one that has created opportunities for Saint Lucians and contributed to national development.

Taiwan observes its National Day, commonly known as Double Ten Day, on October 10.

Pierre extended his best wishes to Taiwan’s leadership and people for continued peace, prosperity, and progress, and expressed hope for further cooperation between the two countries.

Jamaica, Haiti and Curacao have risen in the recently released CONCACAF Men’s National Team Rankings to be among the top 10 teams.

The three sides all improved following commendable performances in the ongoing CONCACAF Nations League tournament.

Mexico still occupies the top spot following the Nations League and international friendlies during the September/October window.

After a series of friendlies for both sides, Mexico (2,097) remains in first place in the overall rankings, followed closely by the United States (1,877) in second place. Canada (1,821), Panama (1,655), and Costa Rica (1,534) retained their spots at third, fourth, and fifth respectively to close out an unchanged top five.

Jamaica (1,530), who have moved up one spot to sixth, remains as the highest-ranked Caribbean team after booking a spot in the upcoming League A quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, Haiti (1,516) moved one place to seventh, with Curaçao (1,398), who also advanced to the Nations League Quarterfinals in League A, also moving up one spot into the top 10.

Honduras (1464) slipped two places to eighth, while Guatemala (1446) remained in ninth position.

Barbados was the biggest mover this past window, climbing up seven positions in the overall rankings to 28th after an impressive undefeated 3-1-0 record to win Group B and qualify for the Nations League B Championship.

Caribbean-American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke on Friday demanded that agents of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency leave New York City after an ICE agent shot an undocumented Dominican Republic national in the Marble Hill section of Manhattan.

Law enforcement authorities said the unidentified agent shot Oscar Belgal, 28, in the neck on Thursday afternoon as ICE agents sought to detain him, with his five-year-old son in the back of his car.

‘For nearly two long and painful years, Americans have watched in helpless horror as our neighbours continue to be stolen from their homes and shot in the street by agents of the Trump administration,’ Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants who represents Brooklyn’s 9th Congressional District, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

‘Last night’s attempted murder of a New Yorker in front of his five-year-old son was far from the first disgraceful incident of its kind, but it must be the last,’ added Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). ‘We demand that ICE leave our city immediately, and we are too disgusted to accept any delay.’

Clarke said she had fought against the allocation of hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer funds to ICE, arguing that the agency’s actions under President Donald Trump were predictable.

‘In fact, these depravities are the only promise Donald Trump has kept, serving as more red meat for his MAGA followers,’ she said.

‘Every incident is just another dreadful reminder of the resources that could have been spent positioning our society towards a brighter future – not pulling the darkest chapters of our past back to the present.’

Clarke described ICE as ‘nothing more than a vigilante weapon for the white nationalists to tear away at our multiracial democracy’.

‘It is a rogue agency, built by and for broken men,’ she said. ‘The only path forward is to rip that power away entirely, before ICE has any opportunity to further its relentless escalation of violence and despair in America.’

She called on US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin, whose department oversees ICE, to ‘immediately remove ICE from sanctuary cities like New York City and all others his agents have invaded’.

‘The choice is his; however, the power is ours,’ Clarke said, urging people to vote in the November 3 midterm elections.

The CBC also condemned the shooting in a statement on Friday, arguing that the growing presence of immigration enforcement officers in communities was not about public safety or enforcing the law.

‘It is about stoking fear in Black and brown communities,’ the caucus said. ‘It is about sending a message to our communities that our lives, safety, and security do not matter.’

The CBC said the incident, in which Belgal was shot and handcuffed in the street with his five-year-old child in the car, was deeply disturbing and should not become normalised.

‘We cannot and will not turn a blind eye to this abuse of power by the Trump administration,’ it said, calling for the officers involved to be held accountable.

The caucus also demanded that Mullin end vehicle stops in civil immigration enforcement and that arrest quotas, which it said had contributed to racial profiling and unnecessary, often violent encounters, be abolished.

The CBC said it would continue working with civil rights groups to remove ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers from the streets. It added that Democrats would seek to hold the administration accountable if they regained the majority in Congress.

In a joint statement, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, whose father is from Trinidad and Tobago, condemned the shooting and expressed concern about the conduct of immigration officers.

‘We pray for the victim and for his young family,’ they said.

The borough presidents said Belgal had been taken from hospital by ICE officers hours after the shooting and reportedly transferred to a detention facility outside New York State.

They also criticised what they described as officers operating with impunity, including allegedly disguising themselves in plain clothes and carrying military-style assault rifles on city streets.

They called for an independent and transparent investigation and the release of body-camera footage.

‘New York is a city of immigrants – and despite Donald Trump’s best efforts, we will never back down from standing up for our immigrant neighbours,’ they said. ‘It is long past time for ICE to get out of New York City.’

Faiza N. Ali, commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, also condemned the shooting.

‘Seven shots. In broad daylight. On a residential street, as children were coming home from school. ICE agents opened fire on a New Yorker with his five-year-old child in the backseat. This is outrageous. It is unacceptable. And it should never happen in our city,’ Ali said on Friday.

She said no parent should have to fear that picking up a child from school could end with the child witnessing the parent being shot.

‘No family should have to live with the fear that going to work, walking down the street or simply going about their lives could mean being detained, separated or harmed by the very agents who claim to keep us safe,’ Ali added. ‘But that is the reality ICE is imposing on our communities.’

Ali said the shooting showed that ICE’s actions were making immigrant communities less safe and called for an end to the agency’s enforcement operations in New York City.

‘We demand accountability for this shooting. And we demand an end to ICE enforcement in New York City,’ she said, pledging to use every available means to protect residents regardless of their birthplace or immigration status.

New York Attorney General Letitia James also called for a full and transparent investigation.

‘New Yorkers are grappling with horror and outrage,’ James said. ‘They deserve nothing less than a full and transparent investigation conducted without fear or favour.’

She added that she had full faith in Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark.

On Thursday, Caribbean immigration advocates in New York also expressed outrage over the shooting.

Jamaica has stepped up preparedness and monitoring in response to international developments involving Ebola, while continuing efforts to maintain high measles vaccination coverage, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie says.

Speaking at a recent post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Bisasor-McKenzie said the Ministry of Health and Wellness had reviewed clinical management protocols, isolation facilities and other emergency response arrangements to ensure the country was prepared to respond to a potential threat.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie. (Photo: JIS)

She said the ministry had been monitoring the international situation since Ebola was declared a public health emergency of international concern, drawing on preparedness measures and lessons from the major outbreak in 2015.

The ministry is also monitoring developments in Kenya, where a new case had been reported, as part of its ongoing surveillance activities, the CMO said.

On measles, Bisasor-McKenzie reported that Jamaica had maintained vaccination coverage above 95 per cent across all antigens, despite disruptions to immunisation programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said Jamaica had sustained comparatively high coverage while several other countries recorded declines in vaccination rates.

Coverage for the first and second doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine increased from approximately 89 per cent to 93 per cent last year, she added.

According to Bisasor-McKenzie, the improved coverage places Jamaica in a favourable position to limit the risk of local measles transmission if cases are imported.

She said the ministry continues to monitor reports of fever and rash through its routine disease surveillance system, with testing carried out where necessary to investigate suspected cases.

The CMO said continued monitoring of international disease developments, preparedness planning, surveillance and immunisation remained important to protecting the Jamaican population.

Security officials from several Caribbean countries are meeting here exchanging knowledge and developing effective approaches to prevent, investigate, and respond to cybercrime across borders.

The event, organised by Colombia, has brought together security officials from Curaçao, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Aruba, Suriname, and Jamaica.

‘Technology has become inseparable from virtually every dimension of modern life. The same technology that creates opportunity and accelerates development can also be exploited by the criminal actors to conceal their identity, target victims, steal information, move illicit proceeds, recruit accomplices, and coordinate criminal activities across the future,’ said Belize Police Commissioner Dr. Richard Rosado.

Captain Jose Alejandro Reyes Duque said that there are several topics that have been prepared for this exchange of knowledge.

‘One of the emerging technologies is cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence, and ransomware, which is the kidnapping of information, one of the most aggressive forms of attack in the world today.

‘We have identified that in many countries, this type of modalities or crimes are very common and use the same techniques regardless of the country,’ he added.

Rosado said that one of the main things that the conference is looking forward to, apart from building capacity, is sharing best practises and developing networks.

Retired Rear Admiral,Elton Bennett said ‘we also have seven different countries participating in this activity, which will definitely be good opportunities for us to engage with them as well’.

The policy advisor in cybersecurity in Suriname, Franklyn Maanster said that cybercriminals are always a step ahead, ‘so that’s why this kind of workshop, it lets us see our weaknesses and also our strengths’.

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé says he has instructed members of the Cabinet and officials of the public administration ‘to demonstrate neutrality and impartiality and to provide their full support to the smooth running of the electoral process’ as Haiti prepares for a December 13 election.

General elections, repeatedly delayed since 2019, are scheduled for December 13, marking the first time Haitians will be casting ballots since 2016 when President Jovenel Moise was elected. Moise was later assassinated on July 7,2021Fils-Aimé said that ‘the credibility of the electoral process rests on citizens’ trust in the neutrality of public institutions and in the equal treatment of all candidates, political parties, groups, and coalitions of political parties’.

He said that it is therefore necessary to reassure the population, political parties, and civil society actors of the government’s neutrality in the electoral process.

A resolution reaffirming the government’s commitment to neutrality in the electoral process was adopted at the last meeting of the Council of Ministers.

According to the resolution, the government acknowledged having regard to the electoral decree of June 2, 2026, and amended one month later that there is ‘the need to establish leadership based on trust, balance, and neutrality at the Executive level’ noting that ‘these are essential conditions for the prompt organization of inclusive and transparent elections to install elected authorities’.

The resolution also notes that it is the government’s responsibility to take all necessary measures to create a safe and stable environment conducive to the conduct of elections and that in keeping with the relevant orders ‘no public official, civil servant, employee of the national public administration, member of the Government, or senior official may use State equipment and resources to engage in electoral propaganda activities in favour of one or more candidates, political parties, groups, or coalitions of political parties, under penalty of sanctions’.

The government is also warning that any one breaching the principle of neutrality during the electoral process shall face the penalties provided for by the laws and regulations in force.

Meanwhile, Haitian have revised the electoral rules for the third time in four months amid fears that the December 13 poll date will not be met.

According to the revised electoral decree, which was published in the official Gazette on Thursday, establishes the framework for organizing elections for president, legislative and local officials along with a constitutional referendum.

The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has been pushing for the deadline for online candidate registration and submission of required documents to October 31, postponing the official start of campaigning.

It said that a new updated electoral calendar would soon be published, and although the revised decree continues to bar individuals sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council from running for president, Parliament and local elections, it does not automatically disqualify those who have been sanctioned solely by individual foreign governments, including the United States and Canada, or by the European Union.

Belize Thursday held a national dialogue on ending violence against children as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country prepares to participate in the Second Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, scheduled to be held in the Philippines, November 18-19.

The dialogue which brought together several national, regional and international stakeholders, agreed that violence against children remains one of the most pervasive violations of children’s rights globally.

‘It undermines children’s health, education, protection, and overall well-being, with consequences that can last a lifetime. Every child has the right to grow up free from violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation,’ according to the statement issued following the dialogue.

It said that the national dialogue represented an important opportunity for Belize to review progress made since joining governments from around the world at the first Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Colombia, in 2024.

According to the statement, Belize had pledged to accelerate efforts to end violence against children and since then the country has been advancing a multisectoral approach to translate these commitments into action through national policies, programmes, and partnerships aligned with the INSPIRE strategies for ending violence against children.

The statement said that the contributions of the various stakeholders will help ensure that future commitments are informed by the realities children face and reflect solutions that respond to their needs.

Human Development, Family Support and Gender Affairs Minister, Thea Garcia-Ramirez, told the dialogue that the real measure of the country’s success will not be what is said at an international conference.

‘It will be what changes for children in Belize upon return. It will be whether a child is safer in their home. Whether a child feels protected and supported at school. Whether a child who experiences violence can access the services they need.

‘Whether the systems we have built actually respond when a child reaches out for help. And whether we, as adults and as institutions, listen when children tell us what they need. Every child in Belize has the right to grow up safe, protected, and heard,’ Garcia-Ramirez added.

The advisor, Health Systems and Service with the Pan America Health Organization and the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), Dr. Roberto Bohrt, said that while no single sector can prevent and respond to violence against children and adolescents in isolation, the UN organization in its technical cooperation role to Belize, understands the fundamental role that the health sector should play within a multisectoral response.

He said that health services provide a key point of contact with children, adolescents, and their families and can contribute to the early identification of violence and risk factors, provide comprehensive care and support to survivors, and facilitate timely referrals to protection services and response mechanisms in other sectors.

Bohrt said that the health sector also has a central role in primary prevention by incorporating preventive interventions into programmes and services designed to promote the health and well-being of children and adolescents, and can generate and use data to understand the magnitude and characteristics of violence, identify groups and situations at greater risk.

UNICEF’s representative for Belize, Sajid Ali, reaffirmed his organization’s commitment to promoting dialogue and collaboration to end violence against children while underscoring the importance of placing children at the center of solutions.

‘Ending violence against children requires collective action across all sectors of society, and children must be at the center of these conversations,’ he said, highlighting the need for a coordinated, child-centered approach to creating safer families, schools, communities, and online spaces for every child in Belize.