Category: CANA News

Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday Tuesday outlined a series of initiatives aimed at dealing with the rising cost of living in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with the immediate emphasis being on lowering the soaring cost of electricity.

Speaking on the state-owned NBC Radio, Prime Minister Friday said his eight month-old New Democratic Party (NDB) administration, which came to office in November last year after 25 years of being in the opposition, is ‘constantly reviewing’ ways to cushion the population from the surge in energy prices triggered by the war in the Middle East and its impact on global oil markets.

‘The surcharge is too high, but it’s still lower than it could have been because of the measures that we have instituted,’ Friday said, adding that the government and state-owned St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited (VINLEC) must both ‘bear some of the costs’ rather than passing them on to the consumers.

Prime Minister Friday told radio listeners that electricity is the most immediate and visible pressure on household budgets and business operations, noting that ‘when VINLEC prices go up, essentially the surcharge is passed on to consumers and to businesses.

It affects everybody…I have total sympathy with the families who are struggling to make ends meet because of increasing energy prices,’ Friday said, adding that his administration moved early, announcing measures in May to blunt the impact of rising diesel prices used in electricity generation.

He said these steps included removing the fuel surcharge at the port on diesel imported by VINLEC, reducing or removing the excise tax on that fuel to keep VINLEC’s input costs down and pressuring VINLEC to absorb part of the fuel increase instead of fully passing it through to customers.

Friday said that in July, VINLEC absorbed ‘over EC$730,000′ (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) that would otherwise have appeared on consumers’ bills.

He said without those interventions the fuel surcharge would be ‘over 90 cents per kilowatt hour’ – a level that would put ‘a lot of pressure on households, businesses and the economy at large’.

Friday urged VINLEC not only to share the burden of higher fuel costs, but also to reconsider its disconnection practices in the current climate.

‘VINLEC also has to understand that they can’t rush and cut off people in the same time frames that they used to… We have to all have some more grace and simply say we are trying to work our way through this crisis.’

The prime minister acknowledged that the current subsidies and tax relief on fuel are essentially short-term tools designed to ‘cushion’ an externally driven price shock and agreed that permanent relief must come from structural changes in the energy sector, not endless subsidies.

He said his longer term strategy includes reducing vulnerability to oil price shocks by investing in renewable energy and ‘more sustainable energy systems that are now affordable,’ mandating VINLEC to lead the transition, rather than treating renewables as a competitor to the utility:

‘VINLEC has to lead the way… so that we become more sustainable in our energy supply,’ he said, adding that the government would continue to remove or reduce fuel taxes ‘within the constraints that we find ourselves in, with tightened government finances’,

But he told radio listeners that the country cannot rely indefinitely on fiscal giveaways to keep electricity prices in check.

Beyond electricity, Prime Minister Friday outlined a suite of initiatives to ease everyday expenses, particularly for low-income households and families with school age children.

The government is banking on periodic value added tax VAT-free days to provide direct, visible relief:

He said the first VAT-free day in December 2025 generated a ‘phenomenal’ response and ‘a frenzy’ in Kingstown and that the second VAT-free day is scheduled for August 28, specifically targeted at back to school shopping, rather than the general VAT-free day in December.

Prime Minister Friday said businesses were given more advance notice after some complained that they had underestimated demand in December, urging retailers to match the state’s sacrifice by offering their own discounts.

Friday linked the VAT-free day to a broader philosophy of targeted protection for vulnerable groups during the current squeeze.

Among the measures he highlighted was the government’s increase of public assistance to EC$500 per month and support for poor and vulnerable persons to prevent them being ‘crushed by the current circumstances’.

He noted that the government has also removed registration fees for secondary schools and the Community College and will pay for the exam fees for the upcoming cohort of students leaving secondary school.

‘You shouldn’t get to form 5 and then you’re basically out there with a sponsor sheet to write eight or ten subjects… That’s part of your education. The state will take care of that responsibility,’ Prime Minister Friday told the nation.

The St. Kitts and Nevis government says it will extend its temporary support and relief programme through September 30, this year, reaffirming its ongoing commitment to protecting households and businesses from the rising cost of living.

Earlier this year, the government introduced the programme to cushion the impact of increasing living and operating costs, a response to higher international fuel and shipping prices driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and their ripple effects on global supply chains.

As part of the initiative, Cabinet approved a series of temporary fiscal measures for the period April 30 to July 31, 2026, aimed at reducing the cost of imported goods and easing inflationary pressure on fuel prices across the economy.

According to a government statement issued here on Tuesday, following guidance from the Ministry of Finance, Cabinet has now approved an extension of the programme until September 30, 2026, on the same terms and conditions currently in effect.

The statement said that the extension will continue to provide a 50 per cent reduction in the excise tax applicable to eligible gasoline, a 50 per cent reduction in customs service charges on gasoline and the exclusion of shipper surcharges from customs tax and duty calculations.

The statement said that while the relief measures had initially been set to expire on July 31, this year ‘continued volatility in international fuel markets and shipping costs, driven by ongoing geopolitical developments, has prolonged the inflationary pressures affecting consumers and businesses across the Federation.

‘In light of this, the government has taken the prudent step of extending these measures to ensure that residents and businesses continue to receive meaningful relief during this period of global economic uncertainty.’

The statement said that the extension is expected to provide targeted relief to consumers and businesses, support continued economic activity, and help moderate the impact of higher fuel and shipping costs on the domestic economy.

‘The government remains committed to closely monitoring global economic conditions and will continue to take timely, responsible action to safeguard the wellbeing of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis,’ the statement added.

West Indies batter Brandon King is unlikely to open the batting in the second innings against Pakistan after picking up an injury while fielding on Tuesday’s third day.

King pulled off a superb fielding effort to run out Babar Azam with a direct hit from cover, but was in obvious discomfort and remained on the ground for some time before eventually being stretchered off.

In giving an update Cricket West Indies (CWI) said following medical assessments, King was experiencing lower back muscle spasms.

‘He is currently being monitored and evaluated by the team’s medical staff. As a precaution, the batter will not return to the field for the remainder of today’s play,’ it said in a statement.

Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago captured the most medals by Caribbean countries at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games.

As expected, Jamaica was the top performing country from the region, finishing eighth overall with 19 medals in total, comprising 10 gold, four silver and five bronze.

T and T captured the second-most medals with seven, having claimed three silver and one bronze medal.

The Bahamas ended with two medals (one gold, one silver) while The British Virgin Islands, Dominica and Grenada won a gold medal each.

Barbados took home a solitary silver medal and Bermuda claimed one bronze.

Australia topped the medal tally with a total of 171 medals (70 gold, 45 silver, and 56 bronze), with England a distant second at 110 medals (29 gold, 45 silver, and 36 bronze), and Canada third overall with a haul of 62 medals (19 gold, 20 silver, and 23 bronze).

President of the T and T Olympic Committee, Diane Henderson said she was satisfied with the team’s performance at the Games.

‘…I mean, the level of competition, the overall performances, I think the performances were good. They were very good performances,’ she said.

Jomel Warrican continued his love affair with Pakistan’s batters, but the visitors’ spinning duo of Sajid Khan and Ali Usman grabbed six wickets in the final session to leave West Indies on the brink of defeat in the second and final Test here on Tuesday.

On a pitch offering significant assistance to the spinners, Khan and Usman bemused the Windies’ batters to leave them reeling on 103 for six at the end of day three at the Queen’s Park Oval – an overall lead of only 60 runs.

Those late strikes overshadowed an earlier impressive bowling spell by Warrican, that saw him record his second-best figures of 6-112 and claim his third five-wicket haul in Tests – all of them against Pakistan.

His efforts helped the home side fight their way back into the match after Pakistan, who resumed the day comfortably placed at 266 for two, were bowled out for 387 in reply to the Windies’ 344.

West Indies reaped success early on when Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who failed to add to his overnight score of 88, was run out by a direct throw from Brandon King at cover, following a mix up with Abdullah Shafique.

That proved to be a bittersweet moment for the Windies, as King was injured in the process and had to be stretchered off the field.

An update from Cricket West Indies (CWI) revealed that the opener was experiencing lower back spasms and he did not return to the field for the remainder of the day.

Warrican then bowled Awais Zafar and Mohammad Rizwan, while pacer Shamar Joseph trapped Salman Agha lbw for a duck to see Pakistan slip to 311 for six.

However, Shafique continued to defy the Windies’ bowlers and he reached 150 during a 59-run partnership with Khan that gave them the lead.

But once Jayden Seales had Khan caught behind for 30, Warrican cleaned up the tail by dismissing Usman, Ubaid Shah and Mohammad Ali in the space of four deliveries.

Shafique remained unbeaten on 160 off 323 balls and hit 15 fours and three sixes.

Faced with a slender deficit of 43 runs, West Indies made a positive start with Tagenarine Chanderpaul and makeshift opener Kavem Hodge all but erasing it during a stand of 40 runs for the first wicket.

However, the introduction of Khan in the 10th over changed the complexion of the match as he had Chanderpaul lbw with his second ball.

Amir Jangoo and Hodge ensured the Windies wiped away the deficit, but shortly after Khan struck again by bowling Jangoo for 13 with a delivery that straightened to leave them 62 for two.

Usman then got the key wicket of Hodge for 34. A voracious appeal for lbw was turned down by the umpire, but the review showed the ball crashing into the stumps to make it 74 for three.

Shai Hope was then undone by a delivery from Khan that kept low to be lbw for 15 and two runs later Khan also accounted for the wicket of nightwatchman Jayden Seales for a duck.

With the close of play in sight, Roston Chase drove a delivery straight back into the hands of Usman in what turned out to be the last ball of the day, with the Windies essentially 60 for six heading into the penultimate day of play.

Khan has so far taken 4-32, while Usman has grabbed 2-29.

The Trinidad and Tobago government says it is establishing joint army and police posts at 30 communities across the country within the next four months.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in a statement posted on social media, said that ‘many communities have for years requested increased security presence and the protective services and government are moving aggressively to provide such.

‘These joint army police posts will provide a sense of comfort and help communities regain the use of their public spaces,’ she said, encouraging non-government organisations, business chambers, community groups and councils to ‘adopt and support these posts and work with the security services’.

In her social media post with a photograph of herself and her Homeland Security MInister, Roger Alexcander, Persad-Bissessa, who is also head of the National Security Council, expresses ‘sincere gratitude’ to the Commissioner of Police, Allister Guevarro, the directorof the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) Alicia Henry, the Chief of Defence Staff Commodore Don Polo as well as the Prison Superintendent Elvin Scanterbury, and other stakeholders for ‘their shared vision of ending the grip of crime on our nation’.

Trinidad and Tobago recorded 213 murders for the period of January 1 through mid-July rhis year, according to official Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) data. The figure is a slight decrease compared to the 220 murders recorded during the same period last year.

The island is currently under a state of emergency (SoE) that ends in September.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader, Pennelope Beckles, has described the government’s announcement as ‘ a knee-jerk reaction’ to an ‘unplanned and unfunded’ initiative.

She said the patrol is ‘also a calculated attempt to quietly reintroduce her failed ZOSO (Zones of Special Operations (ZOSO) Bill which was defeated in Trinidad and Tobago’s Senate on January 27, 2026), agenda through the back door.’

Beckles, the leader of the main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) in a statement, said the move comes ‘ just days after her false boast that crime was down considerably, while home invasions and murders continue across the country.

‘The Prime Minister fooled no right-thinking citizen with that claim. If crime were under control, there would be no need for this haphazard four-month plan,’ Beckles said, questioning ‘what criteria determined the selection of these initial locations?

‘The Prime Minister has spent the last sixteen months claiming that crime only happens in PNM communities, yet these proposed police and army zones reflect a glaringly different reality, fixed in 90% UNC areas. Does the Prime Minister intend to grant members of the TTDF police powers? Does the Prime Minister intend to slip the nation into ZOSO-style management at her whim and fancy?’

Beckles said with no funding allocated for this initiative and ongoing concerns about providing even basic support for soldiers ‘ where is the money coming from to staff and equip this initiative?’.

The Guyana government says it has introduced a new website designed to give citizens and public servants a direct channel to share ideas, raise concerns and offer recommendations aimed at improving public services.

Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Minister, Zulfikar Ally, said the ‘The Voice’ initiative was created to ensure that valuable suggestions from frontline public servants and members of the public reach decision-makers more quickly.

‘Often times, there are people who have so many good ideas within the various agencies and ministries that we have, and we don’t always get the opportunity to hear them,’ he added.

The government said that through the website users can submit suggestions, report workplace or service-related issues and provide recommendations for improving government operations.

Ally said that the platform also supports President Irfaan Ali’s vision of maintaining close engagement between the government and citizens.

‘The idea here is that we want the public to be engaged in the decision-making. We want the public also to be engaged in identifying what those issues are so that we can know about them,’ he added.

Members of the nursing profession are meeting here until Friday amid concerns that across the Caribbean region, the health systems face tremendous problem.

‘We meet at a defining moment,’ said the Chief Nursing Officer of Barbados, Annastacia Jordan, who is chairing the 53rd meeting of the Regional Nursing Body (RNB).

She told her colleagues that ‘across the Caribbean, our health systems face pressures evolving faster than our capacity to absorb them: workforce shortages, migration, demographic change, the rising burden of chronic disease and the growing frequency of natural disasters.

‘Yet against all of it stands one unwavering constant: the resilience and the leadership of the nurses and midwives of this region,’ Jordan said, expressed pleasure at the heightened level of visibility the profession is receiving.

‘The voices of nurses and midwives are now heard at the tables where major decisions are made and are recognized, not simply as providers of care, but as leaders, researchers and architects of health system transformation,’ Jordan said, recognising the support and solidarity ‘within our regional family’ in times of natural disasters and emergencies, as well as the strong partnerships that have been forged to support the work of the RNB.

The meeting is being held under the theme ‘Bridging Divides, Driving Reform: Caribbean Nursing and Midwifery at the Forefront of Change.’

Director, Human Development at the Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Helen Royer, also spoke of the value of nurses and midwives, who constitute the largest component of the health workforce globally.

She hailed their essential role as caregivers, but also pointed to their roles as leaders, educators, researchers, innovators, and advocates.

‘Their expertise is critical to health policy development, health service delivery, and achievement of better health outcomes for our people,’ she said, noting the significant strides the RNB has made over the years but called for greater emphasis to be placed on implementation.

‘Good policies, sound recommendations, and well-crafted strategic plans can only make a difference when they are translated into action. Our collective responsibility, therefore, is to ensure that the outcomes of this meeting are practical, measurable, and capable of advancing nursing and midwifery at both the regional and national levels,’ she said.

The RNB will be discussing a wide range of issues during the meeting including strengthening the regulatory capacity of nursing and midwifery councils in CARICOM; the development of guidelines to define nurse to patient ratios, and midwife to patient ratios; and harmonising midwifery education, training and regulation in the Community.

It will also deliberate on partnerships, the future of nursing and nursing leadership in the CARICOM; matters related to education standards in the nursing profession; disaster preparedness and response.

The Guyana government Tuesday said that the search and recovery operations following the MV Barima tragedy, resulting in the deaths of 73 people and more than 30 others missing and presumed dead, have ended.

A brief statement from the Office of the Prime Minister said that, ‘however, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre remains operational’ and that ‘there has been no change in the status of the identification of the recovered bodies’.

The MV Barima sank on July 18 as it made its was from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. A total of 76 persons were rescued during the morning after the ferry went down, but since then there has been no other recovery.

The Ministry of Health is still seeking the public’s help in identifying the remains of five persons who died in the tragedy.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips attended an inter-agency meeting convened as part of the After-Action Review of the response to the MV Barima incident at the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) headquarters on Thomas Road today.

According to a statement on his Facebook page, the meeting facilitated an inter-agency review of the coordinated response to the MV Barima incident and measures to strengthen national emergency preparedness.

It brought together the principal agencies involved in the coordinated response including the Guyana Defence Force, including the Coast Guard and Air Corps, the Guyana Police Force, the Civil Defence Commission, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, the Maritime Administration Department, regional authorities and other government agencies.

On Monday, a magistrate adjourned to September 7, the court case in which three people, including the captain of the ill-fated MV Barima, have been charged with murder after the 87-year-old vessel sank.

Kevin Price, alias ‘KP’, the 40-year-old captain of the vessel, his 42 year-old chief mate, Rondell Dwayne Roberts and Delon Granderson, a 33-year-old goods superintendent appeared by zoom before Magistrate Ravindra Mohabir at the Charity Magistrate’s Court.

Defence lawyers and other legal commentators as well as the opposition have criticised the decision to file the murder charges against the three men, contending that the search is still continuing and that the Commission of Inquiry appointed by the government to examine the circumstances that led to the worst maritime disaster in Guyana’s history has not started its work.

But the police have maintained that the murder charges were instituted following legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Hack said she advised that the trio be charged based on the evidence presented, the relevant principles of law involved, case law authorities from the United Kingdom, Commonwealth jurisdictions, the European Court of Human Rights, and public policy considerations.

On Tuesday, the Joint Opposition parties staged a loud protest in Linden as Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, was hosting a Government outreach, demanding a full and thorough investigation into the tragedy and the resignations of the two government ministers.

The Opposition parties said the Government is bent on operating as if its business as usual in Guyana, when more than 100 persons lost their lives in the ferry tragedy.

Leader of the PNC/R and APNU, Aubrey Norton, was also on the picket line. He said the protest action was inevitable, as citizens are becoming increasingly agitated by the actions of the Government.

‘I believe that the Government is not responsive to people’s concerns and as a consequence it is riling the people up. You have a situation where the government is totally responsible for what happened but they are going on as if there were three people on the boat.

‘The reality is, that boat was condemned a while, the government brough it back, the forced people to work on it and we have and we have this tragedy and the focus has to be that we have accountability’ Norton said.

The protesters were also demanding the Regional Executive Officer (REO) call a meeting of the Regional Democratic Council so that the elected Councilors can elect a Regional Chairman and Vice Chairman for Region 10.

There has been no meeting of the Council since last October when the first attempt at electing the regional officials ended in a tie. The REO has called no other meeting of the Council since then.

Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohammed, who was among those at the protest scene, said the government is taking the people of the country for granted.

‘The people of Region 10 voted overwhelmingly for WIN and I must represent them, that’s why I am here to ensure this dictatorship government reconvenes the meeting and instruct their REO so that we can elect our Regional chairman. We will not sit back and allow the Government to ride us, they will be met with protest wherever they go,’ he said.

Scoreboard of the third day of the second Test between West Indies and Pakistan at the Queen’s Park Oval here on Tuesday.

WEST INDIES 1st innings 344

PAKISTAN 1st innings

(overnight 266 for two)

Azan Awais lbw b Warrican 55

Imam-ul-Haq c Warrican b Joseph 14

Abdullah Shafique not out 160

*Babar Azam run out 88

Awais Zafar b Warrican 1

Salman Agha lbw b Joseph 0

+Mohammad Rizwan b Warrican 18

Sajid Khan c +Hope b Seales 30

Ali Usman c Roach b Warrican 10

Ubaid Shah b Warrican 0

Mohammad Ali b Warrican 0

Extras (b4, lb2, nb5) 11

TOTAL (all out; 115 overs) 387

Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-98, 3-281, 4-283, 5-286, 6-311, 7-370, 8-387, 9-387, 10-387.

Bowling: Roach 13-1-50-0, Seales 19-4-55-1, Warrican 46-8-112-6, Joseph 17-0-84-2, Chase 7-0-22-0, Hodge 13-0-58-0.

WEST INDIES 2nd innings

Tagenarine Chanderpaul lbw b Khan 17

Kavem Hodge lbw b Usman 34

Amir Jangoo b Khan 13

*Roston Chase c and b Usman 17

+Shai Hope lbw b Khan 15

Jayden Seales lbw b Khan 0

Justin Greaves not out 1

Extras (b1, w5) 6

TOTAL (six wickets; 40.5 overs) 103

Yet to bat: Brandon King, Kemar Roach, Shamar Joseph, Jomel Warrican.

Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-62, 3-74, 4-99, 5-101, 6-103.

Bowling: Ali 8-1-28-0, Shah 4-0-13-0, Usman 16.5-3-29-2, Khan 12-2-32-4.

Toss: West Indies elected to bat.

Position: West Indies lead Pakistan by 60 runs with four wickets remaining.

Umpires: Alex Wharf, Jayaraman Madanagopal.

TV Umpire: Richard Kettleborough.

Reserve Umpire: Zahid Bassarath.

Match Referee: Jeff Crowe.