Category: CANA News

Prime Minister Gaston Browne say public servants are expected to receive their salaries by Wednesday, ahead of the upcoming Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax (ABST)-free shopping weekend.

Prime Minister Browne said instructions have been issued to ensure government workers are paid no later than Wednesday, allowing families to access funds before the back-to-school shopping initiative. ‘We’ll have public servants paid no later than Wednesday or Thursday, so that by Friday they will have money to go shopping,’ Browne said that the temporary zero-rated ABST measure is intended to reduce the cost of school supplies and other eligible items.

Last week, Cabinet announced the ABST-free shopping weekend will be held this weekend as part of the Government’s continuing efforts to assist parents and guardians with the cost of preparing students for the reopening of schools following the summer holidays.

It said during the two-day period, the ABST will be reduced to zero per cent on qualifying school and food items, providing families with an opportunity to make essential back-to-school purchases at reduced cost.

In April, Cabinet implemented a similar measure and a Cabinet statement said the Inland Revenue Department will provide the necessary guidance to businesses and the public on the qualifying school supplies and administrative arrangements for the two-day ABST Reduction Weekend.

Browne also addressed complaints from public servants who have not received back pay, attributing some omissions to administrative gaps within individual ministries.

‘Well, there are some gaps there, all they have to do is get on to the treasury and we will pay. We apologize, but again there has been some tardiness from the respective ministries.’

He said the initiative to provide this ease of the financial pressure for parents, bolster, once more, the government’s efforts to empower Antiguans and Barbudans through economic and educational opportunities.

Browne also denounced the narrative that the actions were solely out of rage and he credits it to a broader lack of appreciation and woeful negligence.

‘They have this benign mindset where they believe that public assets are meant to be abused. I don’t think it’s necessarily a function of poverty, because when we (as a society) were poorer the place was cleaner.’

China’s ambassador to Dominica, Chu Maoming, says he is encouraged by a recent statement by Finance Minister Dr. Irving McIntyre that the international airport project is nearing successful completion in Dominica.

The diplomat said that the airport being constructed by China’s CR5, is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2028 and ‘It not only means that the largest infrastructure project in Dominica’s history demonstrates once again that mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Dominica is bearing fruitful results. He said that development is the most important task for both China and Dominica, and it is also a major area of cooperation between the two countries.

He said internationally, China is also a leading force in global development and that this year, the Global Development Initiative (GDI) launched by President Xi Jinping turns five with the GDI providing China’s insight and contribution to reinvigorating global development.

‘Dominica is an important country in the Caribbean and the Global South, as well as a supporter and promoter of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the GDI, China and Dominica have further built consensus and pooled strength on development issues.’

The Chinese diplomat recalls that during their meetings with President Xi, the Dominican President Sylvanie Burton and Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit both said that the GDI proposed by China has charted the course for peaceful coexistence and common prosperity for all countries, and expressed their readiness to strengthen all-round cooperation with China. He said Dominica has also joined 87 other countries in the Group of Friends of the GDI, working together to contribute to global development.

Maoming said since the GDI was proposed, China has consistently worked to translate it into practical cooperation outcomes, bringing valuable opportunities and tangible benefits to people around the world.

‘Over the past five years, through the China-U.N. Peace and Development Fund, the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, and other funding initiatives, more than US$23 billion have been mobilized, supporting the implementation of over 1,800 ‘small and beautiful’ livelihood projects, and providing training for more than 200,000 people in different professions.’

He said as the Chinese Ambassador to Dominica, he is delighted to see that Dominica has also benefited from these efforts.

‘In recent years, China and Dominica have consistently upheld the principles of equality and mutual respect, focused on the livelihood needs of local people, and advanced cooperation projects under the guidance of the GDI.’

The diplomat said in healthcare, the China-Dominica Friendship Hospital has completed expansion and renovation, adding advanced equipment and facilities including the High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) system, while China and Dominica have carried out a series of remote medical consultation and training programs. Successive Chinese medical teams have worked tirelessly to alleviate people’s suffering and train local medical professionals.

In agriculture, the China-Dominica Modern Agriculture Center has been operating effectively, with smart greenhouses and hydroponic systems put into operation. Chinese agricultural experts have cultivated large quantities of high-quality seedlings, helping farmers increase their incomes and contributing to the modernization of Dominica’s agriculture.

In post-disaster recovery, six primary and secondary schools damaged by Hurricane Maria have been rebuilt with Chinese assistance. They will soon provide students with comfortable, safe, modern and climate-resilient learning environments.

In addition, China has provided in the past 3 years tens of millions US Dollars of grant to Dominica to support a wide range of ‘small and beautiful’ projects that improve people’s livelihoods, including the construction of climate-resilient housing, post-hurricane home repairs, and community infrastructure such as river protection walls and drainage systems. The funding will also be used to support entrepreneurship among small and medium-sized enterprises.

In capacity building, hundreds of government officials, professionals from various sectors, and young students have traveled to China to participate in short-term or long-term training programmes. They have brought what they have seen and learned back to Dominica and become an important force in the country’s economic and social development.

‘A thriving world lifts China, and a prosperous China empowers the world. Faced with such serious challenges as growing turbulence and transformation in the international landscape and a widening North-South development gap, the significance of the GDI has become even more prominent.

‘For the sake of our shared future, China is ready to work with Dominica and other like-minded partners to underscore the imperative of development and align the GDI with the U.N. development agenda,’ Maoming said, adding that ‘the vision lies ahead, and the road is beneath our feet.

‘No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China will continue to honor its responsibilities as a major country and align its growth with the common good of the world to promote and contribute to global development.

‘We stand ready to work hand in hand with Dominica to continuously advance the implementation of the Global Development Initiative and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity,’ Maoming added.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley arrived in Venezuela on Monday for talks with acting President Delcy Rodríguez as the two counties seek to deepen their bilateral relations.

In a statement, Mottley said that ‘from the outset our focus was on our people and the possibilities we can create for them. ‘The work we have agreed can strengthen Barbados’ energy and food security, create new openings for our farmers, fishers and businesses, build stronger tourism and trade links, and improve the movement of goods. It can also open doors for Barbadians through scholarships, language training and exchanges in music, energy and fisheries,’ she added.

She said that both countries have already seen the human value of this friendship, noting that when the twin earthquakes struck the South American country in June, killing thousands of people ‘Barbados answered with rescue workers, medical teams, humanitarian supplies and a field hospital in Guarenas’.

Mottley said ‘agreements such as these must be felt at home in the choices our young people have, the markets our producers can reach and the greater security of every Barbadian family. ‘That is how we build a stronger Barbados and remain the kind of neighbour that shows up when it matters,’ she added.

Rodriquez had in April paid a two-day visit to Barbados, holding talks with Mottley building regional cooperation in food security and energy.

The visit marked Rodríguez’s first trip to Barbados since her swearing-in on January 5 and her second international visit overall, following a trip to Grenada in early April as part of a strategic cooperation agenda.

Police have arrested a third colleague in the death of 16-year-old Jerbiah Paul, since her decomposing body was found earlier this month in a village north of here by members of the Barbados-based Regional Security System (RSS) after she had been reported missing since July 24.

The police said that the police officer, who will appear in court this week, will be charged with ‘perverting the course of justice’, the same charged that has been laid against a 21-year-old woman in connection with the death of Paul.

Last week, police officer, Joshua Hamlet, was remanded to prison, the second member of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF) to be charged with Paul’s murder. Earlier, 23-year-old police officer, Jean-Luc Langlais, was also slapped with a charge or murdering Paul, whose decomposing body was discovered in a precipice in Capuchin, north of here.

They will both reappear in court here on October 2, this year.

Meantime, the police have confirmed that an autopsy was performed on the remains found at Capuchin and are now awaiting the pathologist’s report as to the cause of death. DNA analysis has also been sent to a forensic laboratory overseas for identification purposes.

The main opposition New National Party (NNP) Monday called on the Grenada government to address ‘growing public concern’ about reports of tuberculosis (TB) on the island and provide clear, transparent information on the measures being taken to protect patients, healthcare workers, first responders and the wider public.

The NNP said that amidst questions and claims circulating publicly, it will not speculate on individual cases, but ‘when concerns involve public safety and public health, the Ministry of Health has a responsibility to provide the facts quickly, clearly and transparently.

‘Grenadians should not have to depend on social media chatter for answers about a matter as important as public safety and public health,’ said Dr. Myanna Charles, public health specialist and NNP spokesperson on health.

‘The Ministry should provide the country with clear information about how these situations are being managed, what safeguards are in place to protect the public, and whether our healthcare workers and first responders have the training and equipment they need.’

The NNP said it is therefore asking the Ministry of Health to answer four questions relating to the matter, namely what measures are currently in place to protect patients, healthcare workers and the public when managing TB cases, what safeguards are in place if a person who may be infectious leaves care or cannot be located, are police officers and other first responders properly trained and equipped if they are required to assist and have recent concerns or previous incidents led to a review of these arrangements, and have any problems identified been corrected?’

The NNP said that its statement is not about blaming or stigmatising patients, nor is it an attack on the nurses, doctors, police officers or other frontline health workers.

It said patients deserve proper care, dignity and privacy and that the public deserves accurate and timely information.

‘The responsibility rests with the leadership of the Ministry of Health to ensure that Grenadians are protected, that appropriate safeguards are in place and that the public can have confidence in the management of potential health risks.

‘The NNP therefore calls on the Minister of Health to address the country, provide the facts and demonstrate clearly what is being done to protect both patients and the public. On matters of public safety and public health, silence creates uncertainty. Transparency builds confidence,’ the party said.

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Monday, August 24, 2026.

TEGUSIGALPA – Belize Prime Minister John Briceño has arrived in in Honduras at the start of an official visit that includes a meeting with President Nasry Asfura.

TOKYO -The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) Monday said it has expanded its partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to US$6.5 billion, which is expected to generate approximately US$7.5 billion in additional resources, based on the average of recent years.

CASTRIES – Government minister contemplating civil and criminal action after police said allegations against him not sustained.

PORT OF SPAIN – The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has sought to assure the public that it is treating reports of bomb threats across the country ‘seriously’ and are urging the population ‘to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and refrain from sharing material that may cause unnecessary alarm or panic’.

BASSETERRE – The St. Kitts and Nevis government says its multi-million dollar (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) ground water drilling project has recorded a major breakthrough following the successful drilling of a new groundwater well in Saddlers, north of here.

SPORTS:

PUNTA CANTA – Haiti whipped defending champions Jamaica 4-0 to capture the 2026 CFU Boys’ Under-14 Challenge Series in comprehensive style at Cap Cana Sports City here on Sunday.

PUNTA CANTA FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reportedly angered Concacaf President Victor Montagliani by attending a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) meeting over the weekend despite being asked not to.

The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) Monday said it has expanded its partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to US$6.5 billion, which is expected to generate approximately US$7.5 billion in additional resources, based on the average of recent years.

The financial institution the J$14 billion in financing for Latin America and the Caribbean also adds critical minerals and agriculture as strategic areas of cooperation. It said a new memorandum of cooperation (MoC) with JICA and Japan’s Ministry of Finance will also support health and care systems across the region.

The agreements were signed during IDB Group President Ilan Goldfajn’s visit to Tokyo to mark the 50th anniversary of Japan’s membership in the IDB. They increase co-financing under the Cooperation for Economic Recovery and Social Inclusion (CORE) framework from four to five billion US dollars and raise the ceiling of the Trust Fund Achieving Development of Latin America and the Caribbean (TADAC) from one to $1.5 billion for private-sector investment.

Goldfajn. Said Japan has been one of the IDB Group’s closest and most trusted partners in advancing development across Latin America and the Caribbean.

‘As the bridge between Japan and the region, the IDB Group connects Japanese financing, expertise, and innovation with public- and private-sector efforts to accelerate sustainable growth. By expanding our cooperation framework and trust fund, we are scaling that impact and reaffirming our shared confidence in the region’s future,’ said Goldfajn.

JICA president Akihiko Tanaka said for Japan, the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are important partners, with which Tokyo shares universal values and which are also important suppliers of resources and food.

‘The agreements signed today represent an important step in further advancing the longstanding partnership between JICA and the IDB Group. Through them, we will bring together our respective financing, expertise, and networks to address the diverse development challenges facing the region.

‘JICA will continue to work closely with the IDB Group to translate these frameworks into concrete development impacts and contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth across the region,’ Tanaka added.

Created in 2011, CORE supports co-financing and co-investment in development in Latin America and the Caribbean in areas including infrastructure, disaster-risk reduction and resilience, global health, poverty reduction, and climate-shock mitigation for non-sovereign operations.

It also supports collaboration across the IDB Group, including coordinated JICA and IDB Lab co-investments in venture funds that back innovative companies and entrepreneurial ecosystems in the region.

Under the new agreement, CORE’s financing target increases to five billion US dollars through 2031, with agriculture and critical minerals added as new areas of cooperation. These additions reflect Latin America and the Caribbean’s growing role as a global supplier of food, energy-transition inputs, and critical minerals essential to batteries, electric vehicles, and other strategic industries.

The IDB Group and JICA also agreed to expand their partnership under TADAC, raising the fund’s contribution ceiling to US$1.5 billion. Since its creation in 2025, TADAC has deployed US$401 million across 12 projects in nine countries through IDB Invest, the IDB Group’s private-sector arm. IDB Invest is currently reviewing 19 additional transactions totaling $589 million.

The the MoC signed with JICA and the Ministry of Finance on health and care will build on Japan’s leadership in healthy aging and long-term care to strengthen health systems, advance digital health transformation, and support the expansion of the regional IDB Cares initiative.

The CORE and TADAC agreements and the new MoC are part of a broader package of new and expanded cooperation marking 50 years of partnership between the IDB Group and Japan.

The package also establishes the US$30 million Japan Resilience Initiative within the Japan Special Fund, for critical minerals and other uses, and creates a new risk-transfer instrument using NEXI loan insurance to cover an IDB-guaranteed loan.

It also renews a memorandum of understanding with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to identify public- and private-sector co-financing opportunities, and includes a new MoC with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism to advance resilient, high-quality infrastructure.

The expanded partnership reflects the shared commitment of the IDB Group and JICA to address Latin America and the Caribbean’s most pressing development challenges, bringing together financing, expertise, and innovation to unlock new opportunities across the region, the IDB added.

Jamaica’s national lacrosse team missed out on a podium finish at the Pan American Men’s Lacrosse Championship when they went down to Haudenosaunee 16-9 in the bronze medal match here on Sunday.

Despite the result, Jamaica secured their spot at the 2027 World Lacrosse Championships as one of the top five finishers at the tournament.

Haudenosaunee lead 6-5 at the end of the first quarter, and maintained that one-goal advantage at the half (8-7)

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has sought to assure the public that it is treating reports of bomb threats across the country ‘seriously’ and are urging the population ‘to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and refrain from sharing material that may cause unnecessary alarm or panic’.

The police said that it is aware of reports of bomb threats received at multiple locations over the last weekend and that ‘the reports are being treated seriously’.

It said officers of the Explosive Detection and Disposal Unit (EDDU), supported by officers from the respective police stations and Criminal Investigations Department (CID), responded to the reported incidents and conducted checks at the affected locations.

According to the police the bomb threats were made at several locations including the Forestry Division and the Kapok Hotel, where ‘no suspicious items were found and the premises was deemed safe.

‘The TTPS is continuing to assess the reports and is conducting enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the threats. Members of the public are urged to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and refrain from sharing material that may cause unnecessary alarm or panic.’

The police are urging anyone with information that may assist the police is encouraged to contact the nearest police station and that it ‘remains committed to safeguarding the public and will provide further information as it becomes available’.

Last week, Homeland Security Minister, Roger Alexander, said that an ‘arrest is imminent’ following earlier bomb threats this month.

He said law enforcement is closing in on a suspect connected to the threats but refused to give further details.

‘When you do an investigation, you can’t tell everybody anything,’ Alexander said, adding that a suspect could be monitoring public statements and adjusting their actions based on information released by authorities.

Earlier this month, the TTPS confirmed that there had been at least seven reports of bomb threats across the country and that the threats were ‘received through different mediums’ and the locations were the Arima Magistrates’ Court, the Princes Town Magistrates’ Court, the Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court, the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, the Siparia Magistrates’ Court, the Sangre Grande Magistrates’ Court and the Valpark Shopping Plaza

Exxon Mobil Guyana says a fire in the laundry room of the Liza Unity FPSO forced the suspension of operations on Sunday including the offloading of crude.

‘Operations were suspended as part of our established safety response and will resume following completion of the necessary checks,’ ExxonMobil Guyana said in a statement, adding that the heat detectors aboard the Liza Unity FPSO were activated in the laundry room of the living quarters, ‘indicating a small fire, which was quickly extinguished.’

The company said all personnel aboard the vessel are safe and accounted for and that the response procedures included the halting of crude lifting activities.

The Liza Unity is one of four FPSOs being operated by ExxonMobil in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana.

With an installed capacity to produce approximately 220,000 barrels of oil per day day, it was the second FPSO built for the Stabroek Block development and started production in February 2022.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources Monday said it has been informed by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited of a potential safety issue aboard the FPSO vessel and that ‘the relevant regulatory authorities will conduct the necessary follow-up to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

‘The ministry remains committed to prioritising the safety and well-being of workers and ensuring the highest standards of safety across offshore operations. It will continue to closely engage ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and the relevant regulatory agencies on this incident,’ the ministry added.