Category: CANA News

On 14 September 2026, during the final day of the Eighth Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC-8) meeting in Nuku’alofa, Tonga; the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) formalised a historic partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen meteorological and hydrological services across the Pacific and Caribbean regions.

The MOU was signed by Mr Sefanaia Nawadra, Director General of SPREP, and Dr David A. Farrell, Principal of CIMH, bringing together two organisations with deep expertise in supporting island communities to navigate climate and weather challenges.

SPREP is the Pacific region’s environmental intergovernmental organisation based in Apia, Samoa. Through its Climate Science and Information (CSI) Programme, SPREP supports Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) to strengthen their institutional and technical capacities, improve the generation and use of climate science and information, and enhance weather, climate, and hydrological services. SPREP also leads implementation of the Early Warnings for All initiative across the Pacific, contributing to strengthened multi-hazard early warning systems and climate resilience.

Based in Barbados, CIMH is an Institution of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the technical organ of the Caribbean Meteorological Organisation (CMO), and an Affiliate of the University of the West Indies. CIMH hosts several highly specialised technical Centres that advance regional and global capacity development, research and development, as well as services development and delivery in meteorology, climate science, hydro-meteorology, water resources management, and marine science. Through collaborations with other regional and global institutions, the CIMH is contributing to the development of advanced cascading multi-hazard early warning systems and integrative platforms designed to strengthen the social and economic resilience of Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Dr David Farrell said, ‘For the CIMH, this partnership presents a tremendous opportunity for the Caribbean and Pacific SIDS to partner on building capacity and technical solutions specifically targeted to address the unique current and future challenges facing SIDS. The Caribbean and Pacific both understand the importance of becoming more self-reliant in a rapidly changing and uncertain world. By learning from each other, sharing expertise and creating opportunities for our young professionals to meet and interact, we can learn from each other and, in doing so, strengthen the products and services that our respective states and communities depend on. This is about South-South cooperation in action, Pacific and Caribbean expertise coming together to find solutions that work for island communities. Above all, this is an opportunity for people from distant island nations to build new friendships while learning from and about each other.’

This partnership between the two organisations will allow for knowledge sharing and the exchange of experience in seasonal forecasting, climate analysis, and sectoral climate services, creating a pathway for Pacific meteorological services to learn from Caribbean approaches to building climate-resilient economies and vice versa. It will also increase opportunities for Pacific and Caribbean island states to exchange knowledge, particularly on disaster risk reduction and adapting services for island communities that face strikingly similar climate challenges, from tropical cyclones to sea-level rise and ocean acidification.

‘This partnership reflects the strength of the Pacific when we come together, share what we know and learn from each other. Our islands may be different, but many of the challenges we face are shared as Small Island Developing States. By working together, supporting our people and investing in the next generation of Pacific meteorologists and climate professionals, we can build stronger services and better prepare our communities for the changes ahead,’ said Director General Sefanaia Nawadra following the signing.

‘At the heart of this partnership is a simple goal: to ensure that we are sharing our knowledge and information and make a real difference in the lives of our people.’

The five-year partnership is renewable and builds on both organisations’ commitment to the United Nations’ (UN) Early Warnings for All initiative, reflecting a shared determination to ensure that island communities in the Pacific and Caribbean have access to timely, reliable climate and weather information to support decision-making and save lives.

As climate impacts intensify across both regions, this collaboration represents a critical step forward in strengthening the science and services that underpin resilience.

The Court of Appeal has found that the police policy governing the use of tear gas could be improved, but ruled that its shortcomings do not make the policy unlawful.

The court made the finding while dismissing an appeal by Nichole Jordan-Alexis, who had sought permission to bring judicial review proceedings against the Commissioner of Police over the deployment of tear gas at the Queen’s Park Savannah in January 2022.

Justices Prakash Moosai and Charmaine Pemberton said Jordan-Alexis, represented by attorney Michael Rooplal, had failed to establish an arguable case with a realistic prospect of success that the policy was unconstitutional or that police had acted unlawfully, irrationally or unreasonably.

The judges nevertheless said the policy’s treatment of tear gas was less detailed than its provisions governing other forms of less-lethal force.

‘The contents of the policy as framed within the document, however, leave a bit to be desired,’ the court stated, adding that the deficiencies had ‘undoubtedly opened the door’ to arguments advanced by Jordan-Alexis.

The court noted, for example, that the provisions governing the use of a Conducted Energy Weapon require officers to monitor a person for injury and provide medical treatment where necessary.

‘There is no similar provision under that part of the policy where tear gas is specifically mentioned,’ the judges noted.

They also agreed that there was ‘room for improvement and development’ of the policy and described as a ‘legitimate concern’ Jordan-Alexis’ contention that there was no express requirement for adequate warnings before tear gas was deployed.

However, the judges said the absence of such a provision did not, by itself, render the policy unlawful.

They found that the Tear Gas Policy, when read together with the TTPS Use of Force Policy, provided sufficient general safeguards, including requirements for officers to assess prevailing circumstances, maintain situational awareness and provide medical assistance following the use of force.

Jordan-Alexis had told the court that she was attending a ‘prayer and reflect’ gathering at the Savannah when police used tear gas. She said the gas caused burning, coughing, difficulty breathing and temporary blindness.

Police, however, gave evidence that about 1,000 people were involved in an unauthorised gathering and that officers had repeatedly instructed the crowd to disperse before resorting to tear gas after other crowd-control measures failed.

The court also rejected Jordan-Alexis’ contention that adequate warnings had not been given, finding that her evidence was insufficient to establish this.

The judges pointed to the absence of medical evidence and supporting witnesses. They also noted that she had moved about 550 metres from the Savannah before experiencing the effects of the gas.

The Caribbean is experiencing a two-speed economic recovery, with oil-producing Guyana and Suriname recording strong growth while tourism-dependent economies face a more moderate outlook amid high energy and transportation costs and softer tourism demand, according to the World Bank.

In its October 2026 Latin America and the Caribbean Economic Update, the World Bank says the divergence is particularly evident across the Caribbean, where oil-driven expansions contrast with the more mature post-pandemic recovery of tourism-dependent island economies.

Guyana’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to expand by 23.7 per cent in 2026, 18.7 per cent in 2027 and 15.3 per cent in 2028.

Suriname is forecast to grow by 3.9 per cent this year and 4.6 per cent in 2027, before accelerating to 21.5 per cent in 2028.

The outlook is considerably more moderate for several tourism-dependent Caribbean economies.

The Bahamas is projected to grow by 3.0 per cent in 2026, Barbados by 2.0 per cent, Dominica by 3.0 per cent and Grenada by 3.3 per cent.

Saint Lucia is forecast to grow by 1.1 per cent this year, following a contraction of 0.6 per cent in 2025. The World Bank projects growth of 2.1 per cent in 2027 and 1.9 per cent in 2028.

St Vincent and the Grenadines is expected to record growth of 2.6 per cent in 2026 and 2027, while Trinidad and Tobago’s economy is projected to contract by 0.2 per cent this year before growing by 2.5 per cent in 2027.

Jamaica is also expected to contract in 2026, with GDP projected to decline by 0.8 per cent, before recovering with growth of 3.0 per cent in 2027.

The World Bank projects Latin America and the Caribbean as a whole will grow by 2.2 per cent in 2026, slightly below the 2.4 per cent recorded in 2025.

The report says tourism-dependent Caribbean economies continue to face high energy and transportation costs, while tourism demand has softened as the post-pandemic recovery matures.

At the same time, countries across the region face limited fiscal space and high real borrowing costs, which are constraining private demand and investment.

The World Bank also warns that inflation remains a concern, with the pace of disinflation slowing across Latin America and the Caribbean. Persistent services inflation and volatility in global energy and food prices could cause central banks to slow or pause monetary easing.

El Niño also poses risks, with the World Bank pointing to potential disruptions from drought, including effects on agriculture and hydropower, as well as episodes of excessive rainfall.

Despite the challenges, the report says the region has opportunities to strengthen its external sector, noting the resilience of export volumes and the opening of new trade corridors.

AI opportunity

The World Bank also identifies artificial intelligence (AI) as a potential new source of productivity growth for the region, including Caribbean economies.

But it cautions that access to AI alone will not automatically translate into higher productivity.

The report says the region’s main constraint is its ability to absorb and adapt the technology, pointing to weaknesses in human capital, management skills, digital infrastructure and data systems.

AI adoption is already spreading rapidly across Latin America and the Caribbean, but much of the use remains shallow. Businesses often use AI for basic activities such as drafting text and finding information rather than integrating it into core business operations.

The report points to the potential of what it calls ‘small AI’ – low-cost, practical applications designed to address specific problems in low-resource settings.

Such applications could extend access to specialised expertise for small businesses, workers and public service providers, including through basic mobile phones.

The World Bank says governments should focus on adapting existing AI technologies to local languages and institutional needs rather than attempting to develop costly frontier AI models themselves.

It also recommends investing in worker training, digital infrastructure, data governance and cybersecurity, as well as targeted technical assistance to help small and medium-sized businesses adopt AI more effectively.

The World Bank says these measures will be critical if the region is to use AI to raise productivity rather than deepen existing economic inequalities.

Former West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan said he is eagerly looking forward to representing the regional side in the upcoming International Masters Cricket (IMC) Over-40s World Cup.

The 46-year-old Sarwan has been included in a 14-member West Indies squad to compete in the October 17 to 31 tournament in Guyana.

Speaking on Sean Devers’ Sports Watch Show on Tuesday, Sarwan admitted while it will be challenging getting his fitness level up to scratch, he said he was excited to be selected and was ready for the task ahead.

‘It will be nice to be back in the maroon colours again. I [am] really excited and looking forward to doing well,’ Sarwan said.

Sarwan, who featured in 87 Tests, 181 ODIs and 18 T20s during his 13-year international career, said the tournament would also be a big boost for Guyana.

‘[It will be] good for the economy of Guyana. Sports play a big part in tourism, so I am sure the players and their families will have a great time in Guyana,’ he pointed out.

West Indies have been drawn in Group B alongside Australia, South Africa, Namibia, Colombia, Wales, Canada and Sri Lanka.

They will open their campaign against Australia on October 17 at the National Stadium in Providence.

Who speaks for Haiti? It is a question the international community can no longer avoid.

For years, governments and international organisations have insisted that the country’s deepening crisis must have a ‘Haitian-led solution’. The principle is sound. Haitians must determine their country’s future. But the expression is wearing thin because there is little evidence of a sufficiently legitimate, representative and coherent political process capable of delivering such a solution.

The issue is not whether the solution should be Haitian-led. It is who may legitimately claim to lead it, and by what mandate.

UN experts have presented mounting evidence alleging that some persons who have exercised political influence in Haiti maintained relationships with the armed gangs responsible for much of the country’s destruction.

A report by the United Nations Panel of Experts on Haiti describes connections between armed groups and political, economic and security actors. It identifies former legislators allegedly involved in supporting criminal organisations and warns that relationships between gangs and political figures could be used to influence elections.

The report alleges that former parliamentarian Alfrédo Junior Antoine supplied weapons, ammunition and financial resources to armed groups. It also alleges that former Senator Nenel Cassy supported armed men to advance his political interests. Both have denied the allegations.

The experts warn that political figures with historical connections to gangs may exploit those relationships to mobilise support, intimidate opponents and influence electoral outcomes.

These allegations require investigation and due process. But their wider significance is unmistakable. Haiti’s criminal organisations do not operate in isolation from the country’s political and economic life.

Gangs have been used to control territory, protect commercial interests, intimidate opponents and acquire influence.

The question, therefore, is not simply how Haiti can defeat its gangs. It is how the country can establish legitimate government when networks that have exercised political influence are implicated in sustaining criminal power.

A Chatham House study published in August 2026 confronts this difficulty directly. Its authors observe that diplomats routinely call for Haitian leadership without adequately answering which Haitians are supposed to provide it.

Based on interviews with 1,332 Haitian adults in May, the study reveals the wishes of ordinary Haitians and the conduct of their political class.

More than 75 per cent of respondents expressed little or no trust in politicians. Only 2.9 per cent had a great deal of trust in them.

Yet almost 90 per cent considered elections important to Haiti’s future, while 82.9 per cent wanted them held in 2026 or 2027. The survey also found that 83.4 per cent opposed allowing gang members or gang leaders to hold positions in government, while 66.9 per cent rejected amnesty for armed group members.

These findings suggest that Haitians have not abandoned democracy, legitimate government or accountability. What they distrust is a political class that has failed to deliver them.

The absence of agreement among politicians should not be mistaken for an absence of national aspirations. Nor can an arrangement among competing political interests automatically be described as ‘Haitian-led’ simply because its participants are Haitian.

The electoral timetable has now been thrown into uncertainty. Presidential and legislative elections had been scheduled for 13 December 2026, but the Provisional Electoral Council has extended candidate registration until 31 October, postponed the campaign timetable and indicated that a revised electoral calendar will be published.

Even if another date is announced, the deeper questions remain: who will control the political process, and will criminal organisations or their sponsors influence its outcome?

International fatigue is another danger.

Yet progress remains painfully limited. Other conflicts, economic pressures and security priorities compete for attention and resources.

If international engagement weakens, ordinary Haitians will suffer. Those who profit from weapons and drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, territorial control and diverted public resources will not. Political and economic actors who benefit from weakened institutions have little interest in independent courts, accountable policing or transparent administration.

Haiti must not be abandoned because its political actors cannot agree. That would leave the population to bear the consequences of failures for which ordinary citizens have little responsibility. Equally, international assistance cannot mean financing one transitional arrangement after another without clear obligations, measurable results and accountability.

Haitian ownership must be preserved, but its meaning must be clarified.

It should mean supporting institutions with lawful mandates, transparency and public accountability. Participation must extend beyond political factions to civil society, community organisations, women and young people, professional and religious bodies, and legitimate private-sector representatives.

It should mean listening to the Haitian population, whose priorities the Chatham House study has helped to illuminate. It should also mean investigating the networks identified by the UN experts, enforcing sanctions, interrupting weapons supplies and ensuring that persons credibly implicated in serious crimes face independent judicial scrutiny.

The Gang Suppression Force and the Haitian National Police must receive the resources necessary to protect communities, alongside the judicial and administrative institutions without which security gains cannot endure.

The same Chatham House survey revealed understandable caution. Although 49.5 per cent supported the Force’s presence, 54.2 per cent doubted that it could accomplish its mission. That scepticism strengthens the case for adequate resources, clear objectives, measurable performance and accountability.

None of this requires foreign governments to choose Haiti’s leaders or dictate its constitutional future. That would undermine the sovereignty international assistance is supposed to protect. But sovereignty must not become an excuse, within Haiti, for ignoring criminal influence, institutional failure or the absence of accountable leadership.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of American States (OAS) have a particular responsibility to insist upon this distinction. Their engagement should broaden Haitian participation and strengthen institutions capable of commanding public confidence.

Haiti’s tragedy is not that its people lack the desire for democracy. It is that the institutions through which their wishes should be expressed have been weakened, while armed groups and their associates have acquired extraordinary influence.

The expression ‘Haitian-led solution’ should never be abandoned as a principle. But it must not be invoked, whether by Haitian political actors or international partners, as a substitute for confronting the realities that have repeatedly prevented such a solution from becoming legitimate, meaningful and sustainable.

A genuinely Haitian-led solution requires more than agreement among political factions. It requires an inclusive national process, transparent and time-bound transitional arrangements, the exclusion of criminal influence, stronger public institutions and credible elections in which Haitians can freely choose their leaders. International partners should support that process with security, resources and technical assistance, while insisting upon accountability and measurable progress.

The Haitian people have the right to determine their future. The task now is to ensure that this right belongs to them, and not to the gangs or those who sustain them.

The key to a West Indies victory against India in their ongoing T20I series rests with the team’s bowlers, says bowling coach Ravi Rampaul.

His comments have come following the regional side’s eight-wicket defeat in Tuesday’s opener, with their bowlers once again being put to the sword by India’s batters.

Half centuries by captain Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford helped the Windies reach 171 in 19.1 overs, but Indian captain Shreyas Iyer smashed an unbeaten 102 off 43 balls to propel his side to 172 for two in just 14.4 overs at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.

With the second game in the five-match series switching to the JSCA International Stadium Complex, Rampaul said they expected conditions to continue to favour batters.

Speaking during a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Rampaul said the bowling unit needed to be more consistent and accurate in their execution.

He said even though it was a young, inexperienced bowling group, they had the ability to stifle Indian’s batters.

‘If you look at our T20I bowling line up it’s a young bowling lineup; guys haven’t played more than 15 or 20 T20 internationals, and it just boils down to their experience and the execution of their plans. We weren’t good enough to execute for longer periods during the game.

‘We definitely saw in the last game that the second innings was better for batting with the dew that was presented. Again, for our bowlers it’s just about executing our plans as a bowling group. We see that when we do execute, we get opportunities to take wickets, so it’s just about building that confidence as a bowling group knowing that the conditions will be the same throughout India,’ Rampaul said.

He said while the West Indies’ batters did well to get up to their eventual total in the opening T20I, they needed to avoid losing wickets in ‘clusters’ if they were to put large scores on the board.

‘It’s something that has been plaguing us in the past, losing wickets in clusters, and it happened again.

‘We see when that happens we struggle a little bit in the middle. The pitch did offer a little turn for the spinners in the middle, but those three wickets that we lost really set us back, but I think that we made back in the end as a batting group,’ Rampaul said.

Prime Minister John Briceño has announced a cabinet-reshuffle of his government ending days of speculation.

‘We had a very good meeting,’ Prime Minister Briceño told reporters following Tuesday’s meeting at which the new Cabinet was announced.

Prime Minister Briceño has named Michel Chebat as the Minister of National Security, Energy and Ports, while ending Julius Espat’s interim responsibility for Home Affairs.

‘I just want to officially thank Minister Espat who did a wonderful job as Minister of Police but we prefer, I think he will be best at MIDH and I want to thank him for that,’ Briceño said.

The statement issue following the meeting did not announce a new portfolio for Espat or provide further details about his place in the adjusted Cabinet, but political observers note that the title of Home Affairs has now been replaced with the broader Ministry of National Security, signaling a major restructuring of the portfolio responsible for the country’s internal security.

According to the statement, Ramon Cervantes is now the Minister of Public Utilities, Logistics and Solid Waste Management with Ramiro Ramirez remaining as Minister of State.

The new Minister of Economic Transformation is Dr. Osmond Martinez while Henry Charles Usher will take up the substantive post as Minister with responsibility for Enterprise.

This is not the first Cabinet re-shuffle announced by Prime Minister Briceño since the March 12, 2025 general election. He had previously announced a major cabinet reshuffle that took effect in November 2025, as well as interim portfolio adjustments earlier in 2026 following administrative leave for certain ministers.

Premier Charles Washington Misick, says the recent crash of an air ambulance aircraft carrying six people, including two Bermudians, underscore the ties between the two islands that extend beyond being British Overseas Territories (BOT).

‘We also share an intimate understanding of the importance of medical evacuation services to island communities. Like Bermuda, the Turks and Caicos Islands relies significantly on these services to connect our people with specialised and life-saving care overseas,’ Misick said in a letter to his Bermudian counterpart, David Burt.

‘We understand the hope that accompanies such, a journey, the hope of a patient seeking care, of a loved one travelling by their side, and of the medical and aviation professionals entrusted with bringing them safely to that care. It is especially painful that a journey undertaken in the hope of healing should have ended in such profound loss,’Misick wrote in his letter.

Earlier this week, Premier Burt said he had ramained hopeful that all six six people on board the aircraft that left Bermuda for the United States last Saturday would be found even as the United States Coast Guard suspended its search for them.

The aircraft, a Gulfstream G100 jet, belongs to Latitude Air Ambulance, a Hamilton-based medical evacuation company.

In announcing the decision to suspend the search for the aircraft carrying the two Bermudians and four Canadians , the US Coast Guard Northeast District said a ‘future investigation into the cause of the incident will be co-ordinated by the appropriate investigative authorities’.

In his letter, Premier Misick said he was saddened at the loss of Bermudians Marilyn Lavonne Bean and her son, Sergio Wayne Lottimore, together with the four Canadian crew members.

‘For the Turks and Caicos Islands, this tragedy carries a particular resonance. The ties between our islands extend beyond our shared status as British Overseas Territories. Our peoples are connected by centuries of history, with Bermudians playing an important role in the early settlement and development of the Turks Islands.’

Misick said the work of the four Canadian professionals, Captain Philip Childerhose, First Officer Thomas Farquhar, Flight Nurse Sarah Paton and Respiratory Therapist Jolene Weir, placed them ‘in positions of immense trust and responsibility, serving patients and families during some of life’s most vulnerable moments.

‘We mourn their loss alongside the people of Bermuda and Canada and extend our heartfelt condolences to their families, friends, and colleagues,’ Misick wrote, adding that ‘the sorrow occasioned by this tragedy reaches far beyond Bermuda’s shores.

‘Yet, in the midst of such tremendous grief, I pray that the families of those lost will draw strength from the compassion and support being extended to them from Bermuda, Canada, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the wider international community.

‘Premier Burt, please know that the Government and people of the Turks and Caicos Islands stand with you and the people of Bermuda during this difficult time. Please convey our deepest sympathies to the families of Ms. Bean and Mr. Lottimore and to the wider Bermudian community as it mourns this heartbreaking loss.’

The chairman of the Commission of Inquiry into the July 18, 2026 sinking of the MV Barima, retired justice Godfrey Smith, Wednesday said the process of raising the vessel has been discussed.

‘Our understanding is that the process of raising the vessel is in process, meaning it is being examined and looked at,’ Smith said, adding that one of the Commission’s members had participated in a related process earlier this week.

Commissioner Dr. Andrzej Jasionowski of Poland, a naval architect and marine engineer, told a news conference that he met with a preferred salvage team to discuss the process of salving and ‘process of evidence preservation.’

Jasionowski said he was informed that negotiations and conclusion of that undertaking were ongoing, and would be concluded in a few days to make way for salvaging to begin next month.

‘The salvage operations will commence, possibly this month and we will be informed of the progress and all the steps along the way,’ he said, adding that the Commission might be able to witness the bringing up of the vessel.

Three companies submitted bids for the salvage contract. They are the local companies Industrial Fabrication Inc. and B.K. International Inc., and the Netherland-based marine salvage company, KMS B.V

The tender was issued by the Maritime Administration Department for the salvage of the MV Barima on a ‘no cure, no pay’ basis.

Industrial Fabrication submitted a bid of GUY$1.895 billion (One Guyana dollar=US$0.008 cents), with a GUY$28.5 million bid security through Premier. B.K. International submitted the lowest bid at GUY$1.034 billion, backed by a GUY$15.6 million bid security through Nafico.

KMS B.V. submitted a bid of GUY$2.0351 billion, with bid security of US$136,691 through KBC Bank.

The Polish marine engineer told reporters that although the wreck was on the seabed since it sank in July about 10 miles off Essequibo Coast, the evidence would still be of forensic value to the inquiry.

‘Regarding the forensic value of salvage, notwithstanding the few months, two, three months that has passed, will be, if I may use a quantification, near 100 percent. The ship will give us clues that we seek on its state as it sank. It is made of steel. The cargo is still within the confines or most of it so the forensic value will be there almost in its entirety. The time will have very little effect on any degradation, in my view,’ he said.

The Commission is expected to begin its public hearings next Wednesday.

Three people, including the captain of the ill-fated ferry, Kevin Price, 40, his 42-year-old chief mate, Rondell Dwayne Roberts; and Delon Granderson, a 33-year-old, have been charged with murder after the 87-year-old vessel sank resulting in the death of 72 people and more than 30 others missing and presumed dead.

The vessel was on its way from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, a small village within the Barima-Waini administrative region of the country. At least 77 people were rescued.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips had said that despite the official manifest indicating that 116 passengers and a crew of 17 had been on board the vessel, the authorities believe that 179 people including the crew members were on the vessel when it capsized after being hit by a large wave.

Justice Smith said the probe will examine the seaworthiness of the vessel relating to its physical condition, stability, machinery, maintenance, certification, inspection, operational condition and compliance with safety and other regulatory requirements.

The probe would also focus on the circumstances and methodology by which passengers boarded the vessel and cargo was loaded. Questions concerning passenger numbers, manifests, cargo quantities, cargo placement, loading procedures, stability, carriage of potentially hazardous material, availability and adequacy of life-saving equipment, and compliance with regulations will all be inquired into, he said.

Justice Smith says its recommendations will not be legally binding, but that the Commission was not mandated to deal with compensation.

‘That is not part of our terms of reference. I can say to you that we certainly have no power to make any awards, to order any compensation,’ he said.

Another Commissioner, retired Rear Admiral Hayden A. Pritchard said that not all of the Commission’s work was ‘hinged on whether this vessel is retrieved or not.’

Pritchard said whether or not the MV Barima is salvaged, ‘there is still a lot of work and conclusions that could be arrived at and those findings are critical to reforming and improving your maritime sector and the safety of how vessels conduct themselves in that space’.

Zimbabwe Women reached 142 for six in 20 overs batting first against West Indies Women in the third T20I at the Takashinga Sports Club here on Wednesday.

ZIMBABWE WOMEN 142-6 in 20 overs (Kelis Ndhlovu 63, Christine Mutasa 24 not out; Stafanie Taylor 2-8, Jahzara Claxton 2-35).