Category: CANA News

The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) says the candidate registration process for the upcoming elections will end on September 9 this year.

The CEP has submitted the schedule to political organizations with the document outlining the online registration process for candidates, which began on August 20.

The CEP said that the September 3 closure will be followed by the submission of required documents until September 9 and that it will review the applications received between September 10 and 17 before publishing the preliminary list of registered candidates on September 17.

Earlier this month, the CEP announced that the first round of long-awaited presidential and legislative elections, alongside a constitutional referendum, for December 13, this year, marking the first time Haitians will be casting ballots since 2016 when President Jovenel Moise was elected. Moise was later assassinated on July 7,2021.

The preliminary results are expected to be published December 19, with final results for the first round scheduled for January 9, 2027. A second round of presidential and legislative elections, along with local elections, is scheduled for February 21, 2027 with final results for the second round of presidential and legislative elections scheduled for March 7, with final local election results expected March 12.

The electoral campaign for the first round is scheduled to begin October 5 and run through December 12. The campaign for the second round is scheduled for January 10 through February 20, 2027.

The CEP said that 17 out of the 18 political groups, representing 228 political parties have received approval to contest the polls.

Meanwhile, Culture Minister, Emmanuel Ménard, accompanied by his Chief of Staff and several colleagues, Monday registered to vote at the National High School in Pétion-Ville.

During the occasion, Ménard announced the implementation of a balanced schedule allowing candidates to present their platforms on state media. He also indicated that a civic education and training programme would be offered to raise voters’ awareness of their rights and responsibilities.

The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) has signed two Memorandums of Cooperation (MoC) with the Japanese government to advance their joint work on health systems, digital health, long-term care, resilient infrastructure, and urban development in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

The two agreements are part of a package that expands resources from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to US$6.5 billion, and is expected to generate co-financing of approximately US$7.5 billion based on the average of the last years, totaling US$14 billion of financing to the region.

It establishes a US$30 million non-reimbursable Japan Resilience Initiative for critical minerals and other areas; creates a new risk-transfer instrument using NEXI loan insurance for IDB loans; and renews the agreement with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to identify co-financing opportunities including in critical minerals, sustainability infrastructure, energy transition, resilient supply chain, food security, and green finance.

Under a new Memorandum of Cooperation, the IDB Group, Japan’s Ministry of Finance, and JICA will deepen collaboration in long-term care, health system strengthening, universal health coverage, and digital health transformation.

Building on Japan’s experience in addressing demographic change and population aging, the partnership seeks to support more accessible, resilient, and sustainable health and care systems across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The agreement will advance IDB cares, the IDB Group’s flagship initiative to accelerate investments and strengthen care systems through improved governance, financing, service quality, workforce development, and the adoption of innovative care technologies, including community- and home-based care models.

It also reinforces cooperation on digital health initiatives, including the Pan-American Highway for Digital Health (PH4H), supporting interoperable health services, telehealth, digital medical records, artificial intelligence applications, cybersecurity, and other patient-centered solutions to expand access to quality healthcare.

The cooperation also creates opportunities to draw on IDB Lab’s experience connecting innovation, technology, and entrepreneurial ecosystems, including by exploring links between Japanese expertise and solutions and emerging health and care needs across the region.

In another Memorandum of Cooperation, the IDB and Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism agreed to expand collaboration to promote high-quality and resilient infrastructure investments in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The agreement establishes a framework to identify collaboration opportunities with strong development impact and advance cooperation in infrastructure sectors critical to sustainable growth.

The partnership, drawing on Japan’s global leadership in disaster preparedness, will support more resilient transport, water and sanitation, housing, and urban infrastructure systems by integrating disaster risk management, environmental considerations, and technological innovation into planning and implementation.

The Guyana government Tuesday said it is aware of the concerns of members of the public regarding the suspension of the ferry service between Guyana and Suriname.

‘The government wishes to assure the public that since the beginning of this suspension, officials have been in constant and daily contact with their Surinamese counterparts to resolve the issue and have the service resume operations,’ the government said in a statement.

Last week, Suriname’s Minister of Transport, Communications and Tourism, Raymond Landveld, ordered a full review into the cross-border ferry connection between Suriname and Guyana less than a week after the two countries agreed to resume the ferry service.

Landveld told the National Assembly that the review will involve an in-depth investigation into all monetary and administrative transactions of the past five years as legislators criticised the current management and internal oversight.

Landveld said that the difficulties extend far beyond the occasional disruption of shipping and that the entire business model, ranging from daily management and safety supervision to procurement processes and the workforce, will be reassessed.

The current structure is split into two separate entities, with the company governed by Guyanese law acting as the asset holder and the Surinamese branch managing daily operations.

Earlier this month, the sailing ban for the MV Canawaima was lifted after Canawaima Ferry Service (CFS) Inc. and Canawaima Management Company (CMC) NV reported that the ferry had been re-inspected and is cleared to sail again.

In its statement, Tuesday, the Georgetown said that as stated previously, ‘the responsibility for maintenance and drydocking of the M.V Canawaima falls under Suriname’.

It said in recent days two technical inspections were carried out by maritime experts from both Guyana and Suriname on the M.V. CANAWAIMA.

‘Both countries’ experts concluded that the vessel can remain in operation until it goes into drydock within the next three months. Despite these assurances which were provided in writing the Maritime Authority in Suriname (MAS) insisted that certain matters which would have been addressed during drydocking, should be undertaken immediately.’

The Guyana government said that it supports safe travel of the public and maintains that public safety is priority.

‘At the same time, the inconvenience this situation is causing to users of the service is fully understood. Thus far, the proposal of an alternative vessel to operate the route was turned down by MAS. Despite this, the Government is seeking to propose another alternative vessel to the Surinamese authorities, even as engagements continue simultaneously with MAS to ensure the current service can resume even on a short-term basis.’

The Irfaan Ali government said that in addition to these measures, immigration service is still provided to persons travelling to Suriname by small boats.

‘Such persons are required to report to the immigration office at the Moleson Creek Terminal for immigration processing upon departure. Upon arrival in Suriname, they are required to report to the Immigration Office in New Nickerie. When departing Suriname, persons must report to the respective immigration offices.

‘The Government wishes to assure the public that everything possible is being done to resume the service as soon as possible. We thank everyone for their patience and understanding and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience,’ the statement added.

The executive chairman of the Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), Lynn Young, has acknowledged that the company owes millions of dollars to Mexico’s state-owned energy supplier, CFE.

Young in an interview with Greater Belize Media television, said that the company has been able to meet some of its financial obligations with the assistance of the John Briceño administration. He said that in early January this year, the debt was estimated at BDZ$45 million (One Belize dollar=US$0.49 cents) but that the figure has declined to about BDZ$30 million.

‘We have been in conversation with them continuously and we have been bringing it down this year, with the help of the government. It is pretty straightforward, the cost of power for many months have been higher than the electricity rate.’

Young said that to give an example, the company collects about six million dollars a week for all the revenue and the diesel alone is about three million dollars a week right now.

‘So, we have to prioritise paying CFE, paying Hydro Belize, the diesel and of course we have employees we have to pay. We have contractors to pay. So it boils down to us using up all the resources and that is how the company ended up in that position. We have to bring down the cost of power.

‘I think the COPA adjustment will help, but its not, for example last month alone the extra cost was like four and a half cents per kWh hour, the COPA is just one and a half cents. So we will have to find that extra three cents. For that month, we are probably short about five million dollars and again, open, the government has been assisting us in meeting some of these bills.’

Earlier this month, BEL implemented a new Cost of Power Adjustment (COPA), increasing electricity charges by 1.5 cents per kilowatt-hour on bills issued in August 2026. The adjustment follows a final decision by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and applies to customers across Belize, including San Pedro, except vulnerable households receiving the Social Rate.

Young said that an increasingly unreliable supply from across the border and limited generating capacity at home are also fueling the crisis.

‘Nobody could have known that CFE would be having problems. I did not expect that either because it is such a big system and they are an energy rich country. So, nobody could have predicted that.

‘So to the extent that we relied on CFE heavily, I could understand why people made that decision. Again, it has been a while since we added generation to our system, it might have looked like a good decision back then because CFE was cheap and reliable, but now when CFE is not working.

Young said decisions are made based on the available information, adding ‘ we have to look forward and move forward with what we have now’.

Belize is still to take advantage of a BDZ$77 million solar project to strengthen the national power supply, but the funding remains on hold. The Briceño administration signed the agreement with Saudi Arabia in 2023, and Public Utilities Minister Michel Chebat says the deal must first clear a lengthy Saudi approval process.

‘I think government has undertaken huge projects over the last seven years and we have successfully implemented them. Unfortunately, the Saudi’s have a longer procurement process and more conditions you have to fulfill.

‘As a matter of fact, I think one of their conditions is that you have to use Saudi engineers for many aspects of this project. So that is a little more involved. But I can assure you that we have our thumbs on this and we are pushing it as fast as we can,’he added.

The Antigua and Barbuda Falcons soared to the top of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League with an emphatic 30-run victory over the Barbados Tridents on the back of a superb performance by their bowlers here on Tuesday.

Firstly, captain Moeen Ali and Shamar Springer led an impressive recovery by the home side that saw them rebuild from 80 for five to finish on 155 for five in their 20 overs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

The Tridents then looked headed for their third successive victory before Joshua James, Shadab Khan and Sufyan Moqim orchestrated a spectacular collapse that saw them being bowled out for 125 in 18 overs.

It gave the Falcons their fourth win in seven games and propeled them to eight points, two more than the Guyana Amazon Warriors and St Lucia Kings.

No one could have predicted such a turnaround when the Tridents were coasting at 93 for three.

Pacer Alzarri Joseph claimed the wickets of debutant Shian Brathwaite for seven and Zachary Carter for a quickfire 17 off 10 balls and Rahkeem Cornwall dismissed the dangerous Quinton de Kock for 16 to reduce the visitors to 54 for three in the eighth over.

Rivaldo Clarke and Kevlon Anderson put them back on track during a 39-run partnership that installed them as favourites. However, James, who was named Player-of-the-Match, had Anderson spectacularly caught by a diving Springer at deep midwicket for 22 to end the partnership, and with his next delivery he enticed Sherfane Rutherford to pull a short delivery into the hands of Anderson Phillip, who took a good catch at deep fine leg to make the score 93 for five.

Shadab then had Clarke caught at deep midwicket for 27 off 26 balls in the ensuing over and when he also had Gudakesh Motie caught by Jayden Seales at long on two balls later the Tridents were in dire straits at 95 for seven.

James, along with Moqim subsequently wrapped up the tail in quick order to hand the Tridents their first loss of the tournament.

James finished with 3-18, while Joseph (2-12), Khan (2-23) and Moqim (2-36), provided good support.

Earlier, the Falcons needed an unbroken partnership of 75 between Ali and Springer to post a competitive total after their top order faltered.

They got off to the worst possible start when Daniel Sams bowled Cornwall with a brilliant yorker with the first ball of the match.

Amir Jangoo and Karima Gore put on 39 runs for the second wicket before spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman bowled the latter for 27.

The Tridents were on top when Ramon Simmonds bowled Hasan Nawaz for seven, Motie rattled the stumps of Jangoo for 26, and Ur Rahman held on to a return catch to account for the wicket of Khan for seven, to see them slide to 80 for five in the 14th over.

But Ali, who scored an unbeaten 56 off 37 balls with four sixes and three fours, and Springer, who ended on 19 not out off 16 balls, stemmed the flow of wickets during their partnership that required just 41 balls.

Ali brought the innings to an end in fine style by blasting Sams for three successive sixes to begin the final over, the latter bringing up his half century off 34 balls.

Ur Rahman was the Tridents’ best bowler with 2-32.

United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres Tuesday condemned the latest gang attack that left more than 30 people dead in the hillside community of Kenscoff overlooking the capital, Port-au-Prince.

A coalition of criminal gangs led by Viv Ansanm is being blamed for the violence on Sunday night.

The UN said that the attack reportedly killed at least 47 people, including 22 who were reportedly executed in a church compound where they had sought safety.

The UN said the relentless attacks on communities and the loss of lives underscore the alarming security conditions in Haiti and reinforce the urgent need to intensify Haitian and international security efforts to counter these ruthless gangs.

‘The Secretary-General reiterates his call for Haitian authorities to ensure that those responsible for the attacks are held to account, including through the specialized judicial units, recently created with international support to investigate mass crimes,’ his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, told the daily news briefing.

Kenscoff’s mayor Jean Massillon told reporters on Monday that ‘it was a night of terror’ and videos, circulating on social media show members of the powerful Ansanm coalition storming the town’s center and going on a killing spree.

The gang members attacked attacked a church filled with people already fleeing gang violence, killing residents and torching vehicles and homes with the videos showing. bludgeoned bodies lying in pools of blood.

Dujarric said that the UN humanitarian colleagues on the ground in Haiti are working with the local communities and local authorities to verify the information and assess what people need following this horrendous violence.

He said that the UN Integrated Office in Haiti reported that during the second quarter of 2026, from April to June, at least 1,408 people were killed and 656 others injured because of violence across Haiti. Gang attacks accounted for more than half of all killings, injuries recorded during this quarter.

‘The report emphasizes the importance of keeping Haiti on the international agenda and accelerating the full deployment of the Gang Suppression Force. It also calls for progress on investigations into mass crimes and reiterates that all use of force by law enforcement officials, or other actors acting on behalf of the State, must comply with international human rights law,’ Dujarric added.

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Tuesday, August 25, 2026.

BRIDGETOWN – The Barbados-based Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) and the University of the West Indies Climate Studies Group Mona (UWI CSGM) are urging the region to be fully prepared for potentially severe climate extremes.

BRIDGETOWN – Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has ended a high-level working meeting with Venezuela’s acting President, Delcy Rodriquez, late Monday with both leaders agreeing to deepen the historical ties of friendship, fraternity, and cooperation that unite both countries.

BELMOPAN – The executive chairman of the Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), Lynn Young, has acknowledged that the company owes millions of dollars to Mexico’s state-owned energy supplier, CFE.

GEORGETOWN – Guyana has participated in the launch of the Financing for Forests (F4F) programme marking the start of a five-year partnership to support the country in advancing its agenda to value its standing forests and attract sustainable, long-term investment into the forest sector, in line with the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS 2030).

ST. JOHN’S – Antigua and Barbuda authorities say that the restriction on the importation of all pork and pork products from the Dominican Republic remains firmly in effect, as they continue efforts to protect the island’s livestock industry from the African Swine Fever.

SPORTS:

KINGSTON – Head coach of Jamaica’s Under-14 football team, Vassell Reynolds said he was not satisfied with their performance in the final of the recently concluded CFU Boys’ Under-14 Challenge Series, which saw them go down 4-0 to Haiti.

The Trinidad and Tobago-based L and S Surveying Services Ltd. has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kepler Geo-Informatics N.V., a Suriname-based geospatial services firm to expand surveying, geospatial and subsurface mapping services in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

The two companies have worked together in the past, carrying out Ground Penetrating Radar work in Suriname, and the two companies say they plan to pursue opportunities across Suriname’s energy, infrastructure, construction and industrial sectors.

‘Our partnership with Kepler gives us local knowledge and relationships in Suriname while allowing us to contribute the experience, technology and specialist capabilities that L and S has developed over many years,’ said L and S managing director Sasha Addo.

‘We have completed our first project together in Suriname, and we see this as the beginning of a much longer relationship.’

Founded more than 25 years ago, L and S Surveying Services Ltd. offers Dimension Control Surveys, 3D laser scanning, UAV and LiDAR mapping and Ground Penetrating Radar, and has worked on energy, infrastructure, construction and development projects across Trinidad and Tobago and other regional markets.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has hinted at the possibility of eliminating personal income tax for Dominican workers by 2028, saying he has always been philosophically opposed to the fiscal measure.

Addressing a town hall meeting on Tuesday night of his ruing Dominica Labour Party (DLP) ahead of the September 7 by-election for the Roseau North constituency, Skerrit said that when his party came to office in 2000, the income tax rate was 20 per cent, 35, per cent and 40 per cent.

‘We reduced it to 15, to 25, and to 45. And we increased the tax threshold from EC$12,000 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) a year to EC$30,000 a year,’ Skerrit said, telling supporters that ‘that was the first time that we saw any real change where income tax in Dominica is concerned’.

He said that his government further reduced the taxes when it returned to office despite the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) and the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) being elected to office in the interim.

‘…they never touched it and then we decided this year to allow working people and taxpaying people to keep more money than they’re earning, because for me personally, I’m not an income tax person, I do not like income tax.

‘From a philosophical standpoint, I believe that people should be allowed to keep their property that they worked for…I believe more in consumption taxes, that you pay based on what you consume is more equitable

‘And so I am not ruling out that if we’re able to implement the measures in the budget, and see an increase in revenues to the country, that by 2028 we remove income tax altogether, and allow them to keep more of what they have,’ Skerrit said, adding that his administration’s hope ‘is that that savings that you will have, you will put the extra room to take advantage of the tourists coming in’.

Earlier this month, Finance Minister Dr. Irving McIntyre, presenting the EC$1.15 billion national budget to Parliament, said that the government has been consistently reducing the income tax burden on working Dominicans.

He said following the country’s economic recovery and its successful completion of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) supported programme, from 2009, the government began providing meaningful income tax relief:

‘We reduced the tax rates to 15 per cent, 25 per cent and 35 per cent. We also increased the tax-free threshold first to EC$25,000 and then to EC$30,000, We increased mortgage deductions from EC$15,000 on one property to EC$30,000 and EC$15,000 on a first and second property respectively. We allowed deductions for student loans, home and medical insurance.’

McIntyre said that all of these have reduced the income tax burden on workers and removed thousands of Dominicans from the income tax net altogether, thereby allowing families to retain a greater share of their income.

‘Today, despite a global environment marked by economic uncertainty, this government will again provide relief to further empower the hardworking people of Dominica. It is therefore my pleasure to propose that effective January 1, 2027, the government will replace the income tax rates of 15 per cent, 25 per cent and 35 per cent with a single, flat rate of 10 per cent,’ he said.

The Antigua and Barbuda Falcons reached 155 for five in their 20 overs after being sent in by the Barbados Tridents in the 16th match of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium here on Tuesday.

ANTIGUA and BARBUDA FALCONS 155-5 in 20 overs (Moeen Ali 56 not out, Karima Gore 27, Amir Jangoo 26, Shamar Springer 19 not out; Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2-32).