Category: CANA News

Pan Trinbago has paid tribute to Robert Greenidge, the renowned steelpan legend, arranger, composer, producer, recording artist, and cultural ambassador, who died in the United States on Monday.

‘We honour his life, his legacy, and his immeasurable impact on the steelpan fraternity. His music and influence will continue to resonate across panyards and stages globally,’ Pan Trinbago said in a statement, extending ‘sincere sympathy to his family, friends, and all who were touched by his remarkable journey. Greenidge, 76, who passed away in the United States, had been ailing for a while after suffering a stroke. He was born in Success Village, Laventille, on the outskirts if the capital, and by the age of eight he was playing pan with The Savoys Steel Orchestra under the tutorship of his uncle and renowned pannist, Carl Greenidge. He later joined Desperadoes under the leadership of Rudolph Charles and the direct musical guidance of Emmanuel ‘Corbeau Jack’ Riley.

During the 1970s, he performed pan solos on American television, appearing on such top shows as the Jackson Five Special, with King Erickson in A Man Called Sloan, on Saturday Night Live and on The Solid Gold Show. He has also featured on soundtracks for the movies ‘Champs’ and ‘Brothers’ and recorded many jingles for television.

One of the treasured highlights of his career was an appearance in the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland where he played alongside such famous jazz musicians as Stan Getz and Jimmy Smith.

His most successful undertaking, Just The Two Of Us, was recorded with Grover Washington and produced by Ralph McDonald.

The National Trade Union Centre (NATUC) says it does not support the decision of the Trinidad and Tobago government to extend the current state of emergency (SoE) that comes to an end on June 17.

‘Emergency rule must never become normalised. What is presented as temporary must not be allowed to evolve into a standing feature of governance. A nation cannot claim to defend law and order while silencing the lawful voices of its people,’ the umbrella grouping, which represents approximately 80,000 workers across various industries, said in a statement. On Sunday, the Office of the Attorney General issued a statement in which it said that following a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), chaired by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, a decision was taken to extend the SoE by three months.

The statement said that Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar’s government will go to Parliament on Wednesday tabling a resolution to extend the SoE for three months. The government enjoys a 28-13 majority in the Parliament.

The main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) has already indicated that it will not support the measure when it is brought to Parliament and intends challenging its constitutionality in the courts.

In March, the government defended the imposition of the SoE less than two months after a more than year long similar measure had been lifted.

In its statement, NATUC while acknowledging the administration’s primary obligation to safeguard public security, said that prolonged interventions threaten to dismantle essential civil liberties.

It warned that that emergency rule must not become a permanent fixture of national governance or be used to systematically curtail public speech and legislative transparency.

It expressed particular alarm regarding the restrictive impact of these executive powers on the rights of trade unions, civil society groups, and individual citizens to assemble, protest, and voice dissent.

NATUC said that access to historical public grounds surrounding Whitehall, the Red House, and various ministry buildings remains central to local civic expression.

It is calling on members of Parliament, independent senators, religious bodies, and civil organizations to strictly scrutinize the upcoming legislative request. It is also demanding that the government provide ‘clear, transparent data’ regarding the objective effectiveness of the SOE framework to date, questioning whether the measures are actively reducing crime or merely suppressing civic freedoms.

‘National security cannot be built on the weakening of democracy,’ NATUC said, adding that public safety and constitutional rights coexist transparently without sacrificing fundamental civil liberties.

The Tobago arm of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce says another extension of the SOE does not augur well for the island’s tourism thrust.

The private sector chairman, Curtis Williams, said that the real test for the country is after the SOE ends.

‘The real test is whether the reduction in crime can be maintained after the SOE ends. Businesses are looking for sustainable safety and not a temporary leave,’ he added.

Meanwhile, criminologist Dr. Randy Seepersad is cautioning the government on using states of emergency as a crime-fighting initiative.

Seepersad, speaking on a television programme here on Monday, said while there is no doubt the recent SOEs bore fruit in terms of a decline in murders and other serious crimes, such an anti-crime measure should not be normalised as it can lose its effectiveness.

He said more needs to be done to arrest the issue of gangs operating in the country and that domestic related murders must also be taken into consideration.

‘First, let me be clear that while the SoE is indeed related to a reduction in crime, I think we have long established that it certainly does not get at root causes, so we need something beyond the SoE.

‘It does not tackle all aspects of the crime situation. Murders in incidents of domestic violence. An SoE will not be able to curb those kinds of murders because they have a whole different set of root causes,’ he said.

Anjala Bandara’s superb, unbeaten century led an impressive fightback by Sri Lanka Emerging Players against the West Indies Academy on the opening day of their first unofficial ‘Test’ here on Monday.

Bandara ended the day on 126 not out and was the main reason the home side finished the day in a comfortable position of 302 for eight from 77 overs after electing to bat first at the Mahinda Rajapaksha International Cricket Stadium.

It was a remarkable turnaround for Sri Lanka, who at one stage looked set to be bowled out cheaply after finding themselves 133 for seven.

But Bandara, together with Shakthi Udara and Nisala Abeyratne frustrated the Academy bowlers to carry their side to a competitive total heading into the second day. Sri Lanka were in trouble from early on, with Johann Layne accounting for the wickets of opener Ravindu Rasantha and Sahan Kosala, while Amari Goodridge dismissed Pulindu Perera to leave them 26 for three.

Asitha Wanninayake and Sharujan Shanmuganathan repaired the damage during a 69-run partnership for the fourth wicket, but once Layne struck again to remove the latter for 25, Sri Lanka suffered a middle order collapse.

They then lost the wickets of Wanninayake for 41, before off spinner Ryan Bandoo removed captain Dinura Kalupahana for five and Tharinda Nirmal for just three, to see Sri Lanka slip to 133 for seven.

However, Bandara joined forces with Udara to add 60 runs for the eighth wicket to carry Sri Lanka close to the 200-mark.

Pacer Jediah Blades broke the stand by bowling Udara for a patient 13 off 41 balls to give the Academy hope of bowling out Sri Lanka cheaply with the score 193 for eight.

But Bandara and Abeyratne shared an unbroken stand of 109 runs for the ninth wicket to completely transform the contest.

Bandara has so far faced 165 balls and struck 13 fours, while Abeyratne is 38 not out off 69 balls inclusive of seven boundaries.

Layne has been the Academy’s best bowler with 3-58, while Bandoo (2-45) and Blades (2-64), have claimed two wickets apiece.

The Jamaica Empress has been revealed as the fourth team to compete in this year’s Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL).

The franchise will join three-time defending champions Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders in the competition that will be played in Barbados from September 5 to 17.

All eight matches will be played at the iconic Kensington Oval.

According to a release from the WCPL, next year’s tournament could see even more teams competing. ‘Looking ahead to 2027, the WCPL is preparing to take the next step in its evolution with plans to welcome teams from outside the Caribbean and establish the tournament as a truly global competition,’ the release stated.

Defending champions Barbados Tridents will be looking to win their fourth title in a row, after sweeping up a hat-trick of triumphs in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Trinbago Knight Riders won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2022.

The Tridents will begin their title defense on September 5 against the Knight Riders, with the Empress set to make their debut the next day against the Amazon Warriors.

Chief executive officer of the WCPL, Pete Russell said he was eagerly looking forward to this year’s tournament.

‘The WCPL is about much more than what happens on the field. We are creating a platform where women can be celebrated, communities can come together, and young girls can see clear pathways to success in sport and beyond,’ Russell said.

Hayley Matthews, captain of the Barbados Tridents, lauded the tournament, saying it provided much-needed opportunities for women.

‘I’ve seen firsthand the impact of WCPL on women across the region. It’s powerful and far-reaching. It illuminates the potential in every girl, giving them not just visibility, but something to believe in and a dream to chase,’ said Matthews, who missed last year’s tournament due to injury.

WCPL 2026 Fixtures

September 5 – Barbados Tridents vs Trinbago Knight Riders

September 6 – Jamaica Empress vs Guyana Amazon Warriors

September 10 – Trinbago Knight Riders vs Jamaica Empress

September 12 – Trinbago Knight Riders vs Guyana Amazon Warriors

September 12 – Barbados Tridents vs Jamaica Empress

September 13 – Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Barbados Tridents

September 16 – Playoff – 2nd vs 3rd

September 17 – Final

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) has called on the United Nations (UN) Special Committee on Decolonization (C24) to take meaningful steps in fulfilling its mandate to support the decolonization of the 17 remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories (NSGTs).

BVI Special Envoy Benito Wheatley, urged the Special Committee to employ its good offices to assist the administering powers and their 17 remaining colonies to peacefully advance the decolonization process through either integration, free association or independence. The administering powers include France, New Zealand, United Kingdom and United State, while the 17 remaining NSGTs include American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, BVI, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, French Polynesia, Gibraltar, Guam, Montserrat, New Caledonia, 2 Pitcairn, Saint Helena, Tokelau, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands (USVI) and Western Sahara.

Wheatley told the Committee that it should redouble its efforts to facilitate the numerous requests by NSGTs for visiting missions to assess the progress of decolonization on the ground.

‘The Special Committee on Decolonization can make a difference in advancing decolonization by employing the major tools at its disposal, which include good offices and visiting missions.

‘Both provide useful engagement and dialogue for both the administering power and the Governments and peoples of those Non-Self-Governing Territories seeking a full measure of self-government,’ he added.

The Special Envoy also updated seminar participants on the situation of the BVI whose government is seeking full internal self-government in upcoming constitutional negotiations with the United Kingdom, as well as a referendum in 2031 to fully decolonize the islands based on the three UN sanctioned options for sovereignty

Wheatley thanked the Special Committee for the visiting mission dispatched to the BVI in 2024 and for its support strong support for continued democratic governance on the islands, but added that if the 17 NSGTs saw no meaningful progress on their decolonization by the end of the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism in 2030, that the Special Committee would risk becoming irrelevant.

A new report is warning that the future quality of Caribbean democracies will depend on the region’s ability to integrate economic resilience, climate change adaptation, and social cohesion into an institutional framework capable of protecting human development in an increasingly uncertain global environment.

At the same time, the report has also noted that Caribbean democracies face a convergence of structural pressures that simultaneously strain their economic stability, social cohesion and capacities.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Monday launched its report ‘Democracies Under Pressure: Reimagining the Futures of Democracy and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean’.

It said Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is today the most democratic region among developing regions and the third worldwide and that more than four out of five citizens live under regimes elected through elections.

The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) is reiterating a call for the Antigua and Barbuda Service (ABS) be incorporated as a state-owned entity with an independent board of directors governing its policies, operations and programming noting this ‘could help mitigate some of the challenges regarding accessibility, fairness and bias’.

The COG, which monitored the April 30 general election in which Prime Minister Gaston Browne led his ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) to a convincing 15-2 victory, has released its final report.

In it, the COG said that in 2023, it had recommended the incorporation of ABS as a state-owned entity, adding it is also now recommending a ‘need to depoliticise the media landscape. ‘…it must be free, fair and inclusive. There is an urgent requirement to strengthen the regulatory framework in this regard,’ the COG said, recommending ‘that consideration be given to reviving the media association, as this could provide a useful platform for co-ordination, professional development and the reinforcement of ethical standards across the sector.

‘As recommended by the 2018 and 2023 COGs in their reports, an independent and adequately funded media council or monitoring body should be established to provide oversight and enforcement of Section 36(1) of the ROPA (Representation of the People’s Act) (Amendment) 2001 and Section 62(3) of the ROPA (Amendment) 2002’.

The COG said it is recommending that ABS and other media be ‘encouraged to continue efforts to ensure balanced coverage and fair access for all political parties to strengthen editorial independence and public trust.’

According to the COG final report, a copy of which has been sent to the Antigua and Barbuda government, the media generally met its obligation to provide credible information in the weeks leading up to the April 30 general election ‘helping voters make informed decisions.

‘However, the highly polarised environment raised concerns about fairness and editorial independence, with the opposition complaining of bias and unfair treatment by the state-owned ABS.’

The COG said that the country has a dynamic media environment, with nearly 20 radio stations. It also has television, e-papers and online sites.

But some stakeholders the COG met with complained that ‘the candidates and their campaigns did not always get fair access to the media, and diverse and balanced viewpoints were not always reflected given the political affiliation and ideological alignment of the various media entities

‘ABS told the COG that once the writs of election were issued, it provided rate cards to the political parties and scheduled candidate interviews for ABS TV’s ‘Know Your Candidate’ programme.’

The report noted that all ABLP candidates took advantage of the opportunity to be interviewed. ‘However, after two UPP candidates were interviewed, the opposition party refused to participate further in the interviews, citing complaints from its candidates and supporters about the bias and combativeness displayed by the programme’s host and the negative slant of the news reports following their appearance.’

The report said that ‘ABS strongly rejected the allegations, stating that the host operated with a high degree of professionalism’.

The report noted that one week after nomination day, and 10 days ahead of the elections, the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) published general elections media guidelines pursuant to the ROPA.

It said that these rules prohibit radio and television stations from preventing any political party or candidate nominated to run in the general elections from broadcasting information necessary to promote their campaigns.

The rules also prevent print media from blocking the publication of any print material to promote a campaign and require owners of electronic and print media to provide equitable allocation of time and space in a nondiscriminatory manner.

The guidelines also stipulate that media entities cannot charge more than the ordinary advertising rates for promoting political content. Violation of these rules would come with a penalty of EC$10,000 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) upon conviction or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year.

But the report noted that the opposition had informed the COG that ‘it did not advertise on ABS entities because it had no confirmation that the ABLP was being made to pay for the advertising it was doing, and there was no guarantee of fairness.

‘The opposition party used other media channels for advertising, including The Observer, and pushed its messages out via social media,’ the report said, adding that the ‘UPP complained of a lack of balance in news coverage, and some private media personnel told the Group that denial of access to government officials was heightened during the election season, making it more difficult to balance their stories.

‘Private media also shared with the COG that there were some private media practitioners who were afraid of being victimised.’

But the report quoted ABS as saying that ‘it remained committed to providing balanced reporting and aimed to get opposition responses to stories where warranted, but noted a general distrust by those aligned with the opposition.

‘State-owned and private media entities played important roles in voter education, amplifying information provided by ABEC. Some private media practitioners expressed concerns about having to pay to access historical data from the Electoral Commission

‘The COG took note of the absence of any printed newspapers in Antigua and Barbuda, which traditionally had been a vital source of communication for elderly electors and those who do not use social media channels.’

The report also indicated that ‘there is no precedent for an election-specific code of conduct for the media, either private or government owned. Neither is there a single codified media code of ethics.

‘As noted, freedom of expression – including that of the press – is guaranteed in the Constitution and journalists are protected from arbitrary interference. These rights are qualified, meaning the state can impose restrictions in the interest of public order national security, reputation protection and the less-defined, morality.

‘ Journalists and media outlets are expected through individual articles of legislation to balance freedom of journalistic expression with public accountability and to refrain from harm or defamation through their publications,’ the report added.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, will travel to Haiti next Tuesday for a solidarity visit, UN Deputy Spokesman, Farhan Haq, announced Monday.

He said that Guterres will meet men, women and children whose lives have been affected by violence and ‘will see firsthand the humanitarian and security challenges facing the country, as well as efforts by national authorities and the international community to restore stability and support the Haitian people’. Haq said that while in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country, the Secretary-General will assess the support given by the United Nations to Haiti in facing its multidimensional crisis, including the logistical and operational support to the Gang Suppression Force, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2793.

Heavily armed gangs control up to 85 per cent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, severely restricting access to basic necessities and committing acts of extreme violence, including a recent surge in gender-based violence and sexual assault.

The UN Security Council has authorised an expanded force, transitioning the previous Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission into a ‘Gang Suppression Force’ (GSF) of up to 5,500 uniformed personnel. This force aims to neutralize gangs and secure critical infrastructure like schools, hospitals, and ports.

Over 1.45 million people are internally displaced across the country, with 6.4 million Haitians requiring urgent humanitarian assistance

Guterres is also expected to meet with the Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé as the country prepares for election widely expected before yearend..

Haq said that the Secretary-General will travel to Haiti via the Dominican Republic and while in Santo Domingo, he is expected to meet with national authorities before returning to New York on June 17.

Youngsters Jewel Andrew and Ackeem Auguste, along with all-rounder Shamar Springer have been drafted into the West Indies squad for the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka, which bowls off on Thursday.

The trio represent the only changes to the 15-member squad that took part in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India earlier this year. They replace Johnson Charles, Quentin Sampson and Jayden Seales.

The 19-year-old Andrew had a commendable showing at the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup in January, where he scored two half centuries and was dismissed in the 40s on two occasions. He was part of an under-strength West Indies team that lost 2-1 to Nepal last year in their three-match T20I series and has long been earmarked as one of the region’s most promising and exciting batters.

The Antiguan has however, failed to impress so far in the senior side, having scored just 78 runs in five T20Is at an average of 15.60.

Meanwhile, Auguste, 22, has scored 164 runs in nine T20Is at an average of 23.42. He was part of the Windies’ T20I squad that toured New Zealand late in 2025.

Springer could consider himself unlucky not to have been included in the World Cup squad after taking a hat-trick against Afghanistan in his last match for the Windies back in January.

The 28-year-old has a healthy average of 35.50 in T20Is with 71 runs in six matches. He has also taken eight wickets at an economy rate of 8.07.

Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who recently returned to the ODI squad following a 10-month layoff, has been rested as part of workload management plans and will continue his training and preparation ahead of the two-match test series being held in Antigua.

Fellow pacer Shamar Joseph, who returned home ahead of the third ODI against the Sri Lankans due to personal reasons, is expected to return ahead of the series on June 9.

Head coach Daren Sammy believes the series offers an excellent opportunity for the players to entertain home supporters while showcasing an exciting brand of cricket.

‘This series is an important one for us as it’s our first since the World Cup in India, where the team played with passion, fight and the togetherness that West Indies cricket is built on.

‘Our focus now is to build on those foundations, continue growing as a team and make our fans proud with the way we compete against Sri Lanka,’ Sammy said.

WEST INDIES T20I SQUAD: Shai Hope (captain), Jewel Andrew, Ackeem Auguste, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer.

Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony says the French Caribbean island of Martinique is willing to provide Guyana with radioactive nuclear drugs to treat certain cancers.

‘The discussions that we had a couple months ago – they are actually willing to send some of these things to the doctors here so that they can use it on patients here so isotopes that are especially geared to reduce certain types of cancers,’ Anthony told a ceremony co-sponsored by the Lotus Cancer Initiative Inc and the Ministry of Health on Sunday to celebrate several cancer survivors who had received treatment in Martinique. Two prostate cancer survivors and several breast and cervical cancer survivors related their experiences from the time of diagnosis to treatment and care.

Among them were Alyson Chester and Desiree Edghill, who spoke of the role played by the Guyana government in assisting them.

Chester, who lives in St Lucia, said ‘the treatment is real good. In St. Lucia, I would have had to pay for every blood test that I had to do. Everything that you have to do concerning your treatment, you had to pay.

She also credited the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s (GPHC) Oncology Department with providing a high quality of care.

‘You are so lucky with that oncology department there because they look after you and the nurses there, everybody, they’re so good and kind to you so even though you’re going through that journey; You don’t feel alone because there’s always people there and they’re very encouraging,’ she said.

One of the prostate cancer survivors, Aubrey Knight, appealed to men over 40 years old to take a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, assuring that there are new tests to diagnose prostate cancer.

‘It’s not the finger anymore, you know, so don’t be afraid. I was afraid of the finger too, right…It had you funny when the doctor got to insert his finger into you…but it’s just a blood test now and you will know your PSA, what it says,’ Knight said.

Anthony called on all men to stop being stubborn and take the PSA test instead of waiting for the last moment, even as he acknowledged that ‘we are seeing more and more men through the programmes that we are running at least coming to get their PSAs.

‘That’s something we need to encourage because men, one of the big problems that we’ve got, they don’t come to clinic and they only come when you’re really sick with something or the other and you can’t move and somebody’s going to drag you and bring you to the clinic or the hospital. That has been the problem so there’s a stubbornness with men that we have to overcome,’ he said.

Anthony said that Guyana was increasing the number of mammography centres countrywide to test for breast cancer, and forging ahead aggressively with increasing the coverage with human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines to about 69 per cent.

He said Guyana was aiming for 100 per cent coverage to eventually eliminate cervical cancer.

He said Guyana’s public health system was also conducting biopsies free of cost, eliminating the need for people to pay as much as US$100.

The Health Minister also said Guyana was developing external relations with the Texas, United States-based UT MD Anderson, whose mission is to eliminate cancer through patient care, research and prevention, the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO), National Cancer Institute of India and a paediatric cancer centre in Colombia.

‘We have to continue to work as we build and grow our system and get the right expertise,’ he said.

Chief Executive Officer of Lotus Cancer Initiative Inc, Dr Shivani Samlall, said her organisation’s mission is to improve cancer outcomes through education, prevention, early detection, advocacy, and support.

‘We aim to raise awareness, promote screening, empower communities with knowledge, and provide assistance to those navigating cancer care,’ said Dr Samlall, an obstetrician-gynecologist.