Category: CANA News

President Irfaan Ali is calling for faster digital visa systems and better regional transport links to make travel to and within the Caribbean easier, saying that cumbersome travel processes are holding back tourism, business and international partnerships.

Speaking at the opening of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) on Wednesday, Ali said Caribbean travellers seeking European visas sometimes have to travel to countries such as Trinidad and Tobago or Suriname for appointments, delaying trips by days.

‘The modern world can’t be that complicated. You can get the biometrics of anybody…in a couple of seconds,’ he said.

Ali said such delays undermine efforts to build stronger international partnerships, particularly when Caribbean representatives are invited to conferences and other events overseas.

‘You can’t build partnership and friendship like that,’ he said.

The Guyanese president contrasted this with the Gulf states, where he said electronic visas and frequent air connections facilitate easier movement, and pointed to similar connectivity being developed across Latin America.

He said the Caribbean needs to adopt a more integrated approach to tourism, allowing visitors to move more easily between destinations and creating a shared regional tourism ecosystem rather than having countries develop their tourism products in isolation.

‘The only thing that can take us forward by scale is integrated infrastructure, starting with an integrated transport system,’ Ali said.

He said better connectivity would allow the region to package its diverse tourism offerings more effectively and encourage visitors to experience several Caribbean destinations during the same trip.

Ali warned that the Caribbean could not continue relying on its natural beauty alone as other destinations invest heavily in transport, hospitality, entertainment, sporting events, digital tourism and other infrastructure.

‘Our natural product and our natural beauty are important assets. But if we are complacent about the way we will reorganise, reorient, revalue, reposition this asset, we are not going to optimise its value in the future,’ he said.

He urged Caribbean governments, investors and tourism businesses to ‘scale up’ their thinking and investment, arguing that the region needs to plan for the future rather than continue operating in short cycles.

‘We have to be futuristic. We gotta bite the bullet at some point,’ he said. ‘We can no longer plan in cycles. You have to plan ahead of time, and we can only do so together.’

He also called for greater use of technology, including artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, arguing that Caribbean countries should work together because individual states are too small to tackle such areas alone.

Ali said regional cooperation should also extend to major international events. He suggested that Caribbean countries jointly identify a number of global events they want to attract by 2035 and develop the infrastructure needed to host them.

Ali also called for greater resilience in tourism investment, saying disaster preparedness and business continuity should be incorporated into projects from the outset.

He proposed that investment agreements include contingency provisions that would automatically take effect following natural disasters, while urging the region to reduce its dependence on single markets and supply chains.

Tourism businesses, he said, should source more food from local farmers and suppliers across the region.

The president said the Caribbean’s tourism industry demonstrated its resilience after the COVID-19 pandemic, but that resilience must now be reinforced through infrastructure, investment, partnerships and strategy.

‘Tourism is always resilient. But we have to now add to that resilience by the infrastructure, the investment, the partnership, the strategy,’ he said.

Ali also urged investors to develop new tourism experiences rather than relying solely on natural attractions.

‘This is where our investors are too laid back….They’re satisfied with the product that nature has given them. But the future is going to be completely different,’ he said.

Guyana is hosting SOTIC for the first time. The event runs until October 9 under the theme, ‘Tourism Futures: Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive’.

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.

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.

West Indies veteran Stafanie Taylor etched her name into the history books on Wednesday, becoming only the fourth woman to complete the double of 3,000 T20I runs and 100 wickets, as the regional women crushed Zimbabwe by eight wickets to complete a clean 3-0 series sweep here on Wednesday.

Taylor’s historic moment came with the ball, but her all-round brilliance defined the match at the Takashinga Sports Club.

After Zimbabwe elected to bat, the hosts looked set for a competitive total before Taylor intervened.

The Zimbabwean innings was anchored by opener Kelis Ndhlovu, who scored her fifth T20I half-century. Ndhlovu struck a fluent 63 off just 48 deliveries, peppering the boundary with six fours and three sixes.

She guided Zimbabwe to 40 for 1 in the powerplay, but the introduction of Taylor changed the complexion of the game immediately.

Taylor struck with just her second delivery, having Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano stumped by Mandy Mangru for seven to claim her 100th T20I wicket.

She later returned to trap Chiedza Dhururu lbw for nine, finishing with remarkable figures of 2 for 8 from her four overs.

Supported by Jahzara Claxton (2 for 35), the West Indies bowlers restricted the hosts despite a late surge. A 40-run stand off 27 balls between Ndhlovu and Christine Mutasa helped Zimbabwe post 142 for 6, taking 41 runs off the final four overs.

In response, Claxton led the charge with a composed 38 off 37 balls at the top of the innings. However, it was her 71-run partnership with Taylor for the second wicket that killed the game as a contest.

Opener Realeanna Grimmond chipped in with 17, but Taylor took control of the chase. The major difference between the two sides was the middle overs (overs 7 to 16).

While Zimbabwe managed only 61 for 3 during that phase, West Indies plundered 85 runs for the loss of just Claxton, who was bowled by Beloved Biza.

Taylor finished unbeaten on 64 off just 39 balls, an innings laced with 11 boundaries. She and Janillea Glasgow (15 not out) put on an unbroken 53-run stand for the third wicket to see the West Indies home with 18 balls to spare.

The trial of Belize’s ambassador to Guatemala, Alexis Rosado is due to resume before Justice Natalie Creary Dixon on Wednesday after he had requested time to secure new legal representation after dismissing his attorney.

Alexis Rosado

The diplomat is before the Belmopan High Court after he was charged following a report by a woman in her 20s alleging that sexual incidents date back several years when she was a minor. Rosado was charged in April 2022 and indicted in January 2024.

The rape, sexual assault and aggravated assault charges filed against Rosado began on Monday, but on the second day of the trial, Rosado told the court that he had parted ways with his attorney Leeroy Banner and was in the process of securing a new attorney.

Justice Dixon granted the request, postponing the matter until Wednesday. The prosecution has so far called several witnesses including the investigating officer and an Immigration Department IT manager, who testified regarding Rosado’s whereabouts during the period relevant to the allegations.

The prosecution is expected to call other witnesses on the resumption

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.’