Category: CANA News

The state-owned First Citizens Bank (FCB) has announced a reduction of foreign exchange limit on credit cards, becoming the latest financial institution to do so in Trinidad and Tobago.

‘Please be advised that effective March 10, 2026, there will be an adjustment to the US$ limit on our Mastercard Standard credit card. Your maximum US$ spend on this card will be USD $2,000.00 per month,’ the bank said in an email to customers.

It said also that the amended per cycle United States dollar spending limit will only apply to the international transactions of customers, both online and in-person. However, the local currency credit limits would not changed by this adjustment.

Since 2023, several banks have announced reductions in the credit card limits in response to the foreign exchange shortages being experienced in the country.

At the start of this month, JMMB Group Limited halved the monthly US-dollar spending limit to US$100 for its Classic Debit Card holders.

Last August, Republic Bank said the maximum US dollar spending limit per billing cycle on its credit cards would be reduced to US$2,500 or the United States dollar credit limit of the account, if less than US$2,500.

Two years ago, the Republic Bank slashed it’s limit from US$10,000 to US$5,000 in September 2023, while RBC reduced its limited twice in late 2024, from US$7,500 to US$2,058.

Scotiabank also announced personal credit card limits would be reduced to US$2,000 with Aero Mastercard Black capped at US$5,000 in December 2024. On February 10, 2025, CIBC reduced its monthly forex usage limits from US$1,000 a month to US$500 for personal account Visa debit cards.

Earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its latest staff appraisal of Trinidad and Tobago, said that it recognises the authorities’ commitment to the current de facto stabilised exchange rate arrangement.

‘However, maintaining it has required large, regular foreign exchange sales that are contributing to declining reserves, while foreign exchange shortages persist, impeding non-energy activity.’

The IMF said that supporting the existing exchange rate arrangement therefore requires a sizeable and front-loaded fiscal consolidation to facilitate external adjustment and put debt on a firmly downward path.

‘This should be combined with moving the policy rate toward a more neutral stance and narrowing the negative US-TT interest rate differential, to help support the exchange rate regime and stem reserve losses.

‘Closing the interest rate differential with the United States would help make local assets more attractive and encourage capital inflows-the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT) has maintained its repo rate at 3.5 per cent since March 2020 despite the now- negative US-TT interest rate differential. Such an adjustment would support macroeconomic stabilisation, but could weigh on growth.’

The IMF said that ‘gradually moving toward a more efficient, market-clearing foreign exchange allocation system would improve the business environment and support private-sector investment and diversification’.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Friday said it had entered into a new partnership with the government of Australia to establish three additional solar-powered community centres in fishing communities hit by Hurricane Melissa last October.

The UNDP said that the J$9.2 million (One Jamaica dollar=US$0.008 cents) builds on the community centres delivered to Parottee and Galleon Beach in St. Elizabeth, last week.

It said when completed, the number of solar energy centres supported by UNDP will increase to five, with more in the works for other fishing villages impacted by Melissa that hit the island last October causing damage in excess of US$9.9 million and killing at least 45 people.

UNDP Resident Representative, Dr Kishan Khoday, said the UNDP’s intention is to replicate and scale similar solutions across other vulnerable communities.

With the delivery of the two solutions last week, more than 300 fishers who lost their livelihoods to Hurricane Melissa can now secure cold storage to preserve their post-harvest catch, along with Starlink internet and charging stations – all powered by the sun.

Serving 250 fishers in Parottee and 50 in Galleon, St Elizabeth, the two fully air-conditioned solar energy community centres are each powered by eight photovoltaic panels generating 5600 watts of energy, lithium battery storage, a Starlink unit and chest freezers. Two boat engines were also handed over to the community of Galleon for shared use among its fishing community.

Donated by UNDP in partnership with the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) and the Jamaica 4H Foundation under UNDP’s Jamaica Resilient Recovery Initiative (JARRI), the centres supply clean affordable energy at zero cost to the fishing communities.

‘Though modest in scale, these systems send a strong message: clean energy can support livelihoods, strengthen food security, and help communities recover stronger than before,’ Dr Khoday said, adding that the initiative reflects UNDP’s approach to recovery: rebuilding in ways that reduce future risk while supporting long-term sustainable development.

‘As climate change continues to intensify risks for Small Island Developing States like Jamaica, solutions such as these, show what climate-smart recovery can look like in practice.’

Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Minister, Floyd Green called for the installation of model mobile solar powered centres in fishing villages across Jamaica to support fisher livelihoods in and out of season and to strengthen food security.

He said the centres tick all the boxes related to sustainability, climate resilience and building back better. Green said rebuilding livelihoods is key to rebuilding communities impacted by the hurricane and require strong partnerships, while lauding the fishing community for their resilience, acknowledging their self-reliance and drive when given opportunities.

NFA chief executive officer Dr Gavin Bellamy said the solar facilities marked another significant step forward on the path to recovery and long-term resilience. He said the NFA has been providing immediate relief to fishing communities, including wire supplies to replace lost and damaged fish pots, facilitating license replacements, renewals, and registrations.

The stage is set for a blockbuster opening to the local track and field season as newly crowned World 100m champion Oblique Seville is poised to make his hotly anticipated seasonal debut here at Saturday’s Camperdown Classic

The sprint superstar, who stormed to global gold last September, is set to bypass the short sprints in favour of a rare outing over one lap of the track.

Seville is confirmed for the men’s 400m, setting up a potential mouth-watering clash with his own Racers clubmate, Antonio Watson.

Watson, the 2023 World Championship gold medallist over 400m, will provide a formidable benchmark as both men shake off the offseason rust.

While the Seville-Watson dynamic steals the headlines, the quarter-mile field is nothing short of stacked. All eyes will also be on the seasonal debut of former Kingston College sensation Tahj Marques White.

Now representing Racers, the sparingly raced talent boasts a personal best of 45.84 seconds and is viewed as a wildcard with massive potential.

He will face stiff competition from a deep pool of talent. Uptimum’s Delano Kennedy, who holds a swift 44.74 seconds personal best, is entered, as is Titan’s Malik James-King.

Adding international flair to the proceedings is British star and Racers sprinter Zharnel Hughes, who is also scheduled to line up. The field is rounded out by Racers’ Jermy Bembridge and Calabar High’s Nickecoy Bramwell.

Meanwhile, in the sprint events, World 200m bronze medallist Bryan Levell of Uptimum will use the 60m as his early-season barometer.

Levell, who has already dipped to a personal best of 6.54 seconds earlier this season, will be looking to continue his fine form as he builds toward the outdoor campaign.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has issued an alert following a sustained increase in chikungunya cases in several countries in the Americas since late 2025 and into early this year.

In Guyana, French Guiana, and Suriname, detections in 2025 and 2026 indicate the resumption of transmission after a decade without reported cases.

PAHO said that the alert also highlights the re-emergence of local transmission in areas that had not reported virus circulation in several years and that while this trend is consistent with expected patterns in areas where the Aedes aegypti mosquito vector is present, environmental factors such as extreme temperatures favour mosquito breeding.

‘Chikungunya spread across the Americas in 2013, and after years of low transmission, we are now observing a resurgence, particularly in the Intertropical Zone where Aedes aegypti is present,’ said Sylvain Aldighieri, PAHO’s Director of Communicable Diseases Prevention, Control, and Elimination.

‘The purpose of this alert is to ensure that health workers and governments are prepared for potential outbreaks and can plan public information campaigns,’ he added.

PAHO is recommending that countries strengthen epidemiological and laboratory surveillance to detect cases and outbreaks early, ensure proper clinical management-especially for vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children under one year of age, older adults, and people with underlying health conditions.

Chikungunya is a virus transmitted by Aedes aegypti and potentially Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which also spread dengue, Zika, and other arboviruses.

Infection can cause high fever and severe joint pain, often debilitating, along with muscle pain, headache, fatigue, nausea, and rash.

Chikungunya can also cause chronic joint pain, which may last from weeks to several months in about 6 per cent of cases.

PAHO said that there is no specific antiviral treatment and that acute symptoms are managed with analgesics and antipyretics. High-risk patients should be assessed by health professionals for potential hospitalization and monitoring to prevent severe complications and fatalities.

PAHO said that last year, a total of 502,264 chikungunya cases were reported globally, including 208,335 confirmed cases and 186 deaths, across 41 countries and territories. In the Americas, 313,132 cases were reported, of which 113,926 were confirmed, including 170 deaths in 18 countries and one territory during 2025.

Regionally, total cases declined compared to 2024. However, several countries in South America and the Caribbean have reported increases in specific areas. Since late 2025, sustained rises have been observed in multiple countries and territories, including the re-establishment of local transmission in places that had been free of the virus for years.

The following is the full text of the statement issued by Stabroek News announcing its closure on Friday.

‘The decision to close Stabroek News has been extraordinarily difficult and painful. As the two main shareholders, and as members of the Board of Directors for the past few years, we have been leading participants in that process. We were guided by events that took place many years ago, and by others of more recent vintage.

‘In the early 1960s a group of young idealists and intellectuals came together in Georgetown to form the New World Group, determined to analyse Caribbean economies and societies from within. They launched New World Fortnightly, a slim journal that was published locally. It engaged in serious discussions about local industries, policies and culture. Each edition was closely typed with few images or illustrations; advertisements were a rarity.

‘New World, in its various regional iterations, is now acknowledged as a pathbreaking publication. The local journal came to an abrupt and premature end, however, due to an epic miscalculation. An over-ambitious print run of its Independence Issue incurred losses that made further publication impossible. The experience was a chastening one for all involved. ‘David de Caires was the editor of New World Fortnightly; Miles Fitzpatrick, his lifelong friend and legal partner, assisted, and Martin Carter contributed poems and co-edited an issue.

‘Our father took two lessons from this experience: a wariness of intellectual hubris and an unshakeable belief in the value of open discourse in a democracy. A generation later, when he started Stabroek News, two New World colleagues, Miles and Martin, would serve as ‘Stabroek News was born in a media environment very different to the one that exists in Guyana today. In the mid-1980s there was only one daily newspaper, the state-owned Chronicle.

‘There were only state-owned radio stations. Local TV coverage was in its infancy. ‘The society was, in many respects, a closed one. Independent voices were scarce: public discourse was reduced to the level of a whisper. Consequently, from the outset, this newspaper’s independence has been pivotal to its role. A few decades ago, the opportunity arose for a merger between Guyana Publications Inc. and other media outlets in the region. ‘Our father, methodical as always, considered the options and canvassed opinions, analyses, and advice from multiple sources. Ultimately the Board decided against it. The newspaper’s independence was felt to be sacrosanct.

‘Shortly before our father’s death, the newspaper endured a period when advertisements from state-owned companies (a significant source of revenue) were withheld – a rather crude attempt to muzzle the free press. In the past year, the state-run Department of Public Information has accrued a debt to this newspaper in excess of G$ 80,000,000 in unpaid advertisements. The debt persists despite repeated private and public entreaties to clear it. ‘This tactic could equally be construed as an attempt to starve this company of its operating funds.

‘Publishing has always been a precarious undertaking in Guyana and the Caribbean due to the modest size of the potential readership, and to other market constraints. No-one becomes a publisher in Guyana to grow rich. While the company has never been driven by a concern about profit, it must function as a business. It is a given that any business needs to continually diversify and adapt and to seek alternative sources of income. We have faced significant obstacles. We have repeatedly sought (and been refused) a radio licence. Although we operated a TV subsidiary for a few decades, our main local competitors enjoyed significant privileges. The playing field was not level. The anticipated progression from newspaper to multi-media broadcaster has been impossible.

‘And the country and the world have moved on. Most people, here and elsewhere, now get their news from other sources. The model of reportage that this paper has cultivated in its lifetime is out of step with the algorithmic formulae that now control the circulation of news online. Balanced coverage is not good click-bait.

‘These considerations and conditions have shaped this moment and its outcome. But that is only a small part of the story. Viewed in its entirety, our history is a triumph. For 40 years Stabroek News beat the odds – economic, political and cultural – every single day. We published an independent daily newspaper in a country where conditions conspired against any form of daily product, doubly so against any form of independence. The brunt of this Sisyphean task was initially borne by the Editor (David de Caires) and the General Manager (his wife Doreen). Both sacrificed their health, their prime years, and their energy in this cause.

‘Subsequent editors (Anand Persaud, Anna Benjamin and Cheryl Springer) and Managers (Shaleeza Khan) have shown similar levels of dedication and have kept the company afloat. Much gratitude is also due to Ian McDonald whose conscientious stewardship of the company, after our father’s passing, ensured its continued relevance. To all of them we extend our unreserved thanks. Essentially, though, the company has been the sum of many irreplaceable parts: its editors and managers, auditors and accountants, advertising and circulation, pressmen and reporters, its drivers, cleaners, technical staff, and security. All have played a role. We thank them.

‘Our parents built a company based on compassion. When workers struggled to find childcare, the company started a creche: it lasted for 20 years. When transportation to and from work proved to be a challenge, the company provided it (for decades). Pension and medical benefit schemes were introduced.

‘These measures help to explain our extraordinary rates of staff retention in a job market characterised by churn. Nearly half of our employees have been with us for a decade, many for several decades. It also explains why the newspaper functioned without a break through the disruption of the Covid years. We are immensely proud of this legacy and deeply appreciative of those who maintained the ecosystem that was created. ‘Concern for the welfare of the staff has been the paramount factor in the Board’s final deliberations.

‘So, in a sense, we exit as we entered. Unbowed. Heads held high. Beholden to none. It will be for others to take the full measure of this newspaper’s contribution to the democratic process in Guyana, and to the nation’s ability to talk and listen to itself in civil tones, without invective, rancour or malice. Stabroek News has nurtured a generation or two of readers, writers, thinkers and pundits. It is time to hand over the baton.

‘Last year, just before a stroke deprived her of speech and left her bed-ridden, our mother copied out the poem Invictus in its entirety. Without her remarkable tenacity this newspaper would never have lasted this long, nor had the chance to mean so much to so many. It feels right to close with a few of the lines that she found worth remembering:

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

– Isabelle and Brendan de Caires

UNICEF says the number of children in Haiti recruited and used by armed groups has skyrocketed by an estimated 200 per cent last year, reflecting a growing reliance on the exploitation of children, amid ongoing violence by armed groups.

The UN agency said that the situation for children in Haiti remains critical, noting that more than 1.4 million people are internally displaced, over half of them children facing overlapping crises, including armed violence, natural disasters, and extreme poverty.

It said that these conditions have fueled the growth of armed groups, increasingly forcing children into recruitment.

‘Children’s rights are non-negotiable. Every child must be protected. And every child recruited or used by armed groups must be released and supported so they can heal, return to learning, and rebuild their future,’ said UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell.

UNICEF said that recruitment and use of children by armed groups constitutes a grave violation of their rights, and enlisting children of any age into armed groups is a breach of international law.

It said recruitment into armed groups exposes children to multiple risks, including injury, maiming, or death in combat, sexual, psychological, and physical abuse, and arbitrary detention, while also disrupting their access to education, thereby undermining their safety, well-being, and overall development.

According to UNICEF, children in Haiti are often forced to join armed groups to support their families or after receiving direct threats to themselves or loved ones, while others are recruited after being separated from their families, turning to armed groups as a means of survival and protection.

The UNICEF report coincides with the anniversary of the signing of the Handover Protocol in January of 2024, where the UN agency and child protection actors, were able to verify and support more than 500 associated with armed groups with specialized protection and reintegration services across Haiti.

UNICEF said that together with several stakeholders, including the Haitian Institute of Social Welfare and Research (IBESR), the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP), humanitarian partners and the international community, it has been supporting children and families affected by violence in various ways.

These include psychosocial support, case management, referrals to health and protection services, education support and temporary learning spaces where needed, as well as assistance for family tracing and reunification where feasible, and all provided in accordance with the best interest of the child.

UNICEF said it is calling on national authorities and all relevant stakeholders to strengthen child protection systems, ensure safe and sustained access to essential services, and reinforce family tracing and reunification support when this is in the child’s best interests and can be done safely.

‘Communities also have a critical role in prevention, including through local and community-based child protection networks and safe, confidential reporting pathways that can connect children at risk of recruitment with support early,’ UNICEF said, calling on donor governments, the private sector, and others to support critical support programmes for children and families affected by violence, which remain significantly underfunded.

‘Children associated with armed groups must not be treated as perpetrators. They must receive appropriate reintegration services and be protected from additional risks, stigma, or retaliation,’ said Russell.

The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) says it will soon be launching Belize Country Brand, describing it as a ‘unified national identity’ designed to strengthen how the country is presented and understood here and abroad.

The project is being supported by the Inter-American Development Bank, to strengthen Belize’s global identity, tourism, and investment. The initiative focuses on a unified, authentic identity showcasing the country’s biodiversity, culture, and business climate.

In a statement, BELTRAIDE said that the Belize Country Brand ‘represents more than a logo or a campaign’ and that it remains focused on ensuring the initiative is rolled out with clarity, consistency, and strong national ownership.

‘This will allow Belizeans to confidently recognize it, use it correctly where appropriate, and feel proud of what it represents,’ it said adding that it is intended to elevate Belize’s global reputation and credibility, strengthen investment attraction, export development, tourism and cultural promotion as well as align institutions under a shared national narrative’

It said that at the heart of the visual identity is a powerful mosaic-inspired design system, symbolizing the many cultures, communities, landscapes, and stories that come together to form one Belize.

BELTRAIDE is emphasising consistent ‘mosaic’ language in communications to reinforce recognition and meaning as well as encouraging the public to look out for official announcements as launch activities approach.

Barbados authorities say the latest attempt in salvaging the ‘ghost ship’ MV Christina Debora, has failed and that the vessel had taken on approximately six feet of water since February 1.

The abandoned vessel had been adrift in the South Atlantic since its crew was rescued in June last year, running aground off Sam Lord’s Castle, a luxury all-inclusive resort overlooking the Caribbean Sea several weeks ago.

The MV Christina Debora reportedly left Ascension Island last year before encountering engine problems. Authorities are also reviewing applicable international maritime laws to determine the next steps regarding the vessel, which entered Barbados’ waters unmanned.

A statement from the Ministry of Environment and National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy said that following a ‘full day of attempts’ by the Emergency Response Team last weekend to salave the vessel, ‘proved futile’.

It said that the salvage efforts included a physical on-board assessment of the vessel and that based on the water samples collected it was determined that there was no contamination that would significantly impact the surrounding ecosystem.

‘Several unsuccessful attempts were made to remove the ‘wedged’ vessel off the reef, as investigations showed that her hull was wedged into the reef,’ the statement said, adding that discussions are ongoing to determine alternative modes for removing the stuck vessel.

‘In the interim, the public is asked to maintain a distance of 500 meters as further assessments are being conducted by the inter-agency team, and under no circumstances is any member of the public to venture into the surrounding area or board the vessel,’ the ministry added.

President Jennifer Greelings-Simons is calling for restraint as the deadline given by police for illegal miners to leave the areas of the Chinese owned Zijin/Rosebel Gold Mines (RGM), where a fatal accident recently occurred.

Police have given the miners until Friday to completely vacate the area and that all illegal miners must, dismantle their camps, and take all personal belongings and materials with them. They said after the evacuation, the area must remain empty.

Talks have been taking place but the head of state believes that harsh measures may not be necessary if clear agreements could be reached.

‘If good agreements are made, then you don’t have to act with a heavy hand,’ she said, adding that stopping the mining operations would also have financial consequences for the the country.

‘Zijin must be able to operate. The government has a 30 per cent stake in it. If the company stands still, the entire country loses money. So it’s not just Zijin, but also Surinam,’ she added.

‘Solutions must be found for the various parties so we can move forward in peace. People who want to search for gold should be assigned a location and not be allowed to run around where mining and digging is taking place. That’s dangerous. On the other hand, there are also people from the surrounding area; it’s a historical issue.’

The situation between the miners and the multinational has escalated again after an incident in which one of the small-scale gold miners died within the Zijin concession area. Heavy equipment was set on fire. Employees of the multinational have been recalled, while security forces have struggled to restore order.

Last month. Natural Resources Minister, David Abiamofo described as ‘unacceptable and very serious’ the existing situation at the mines.

Rosebel Gold Mines was established on May 8, 2002. The company is a subsidiary of Zijin Mining as of February 1, 2023. Rosebel is located in the Brokopondo and Sipaliwini Districts in northern Suriname. It is one of the largest in-production gold mines in South America and according to its website, from 2004 to 2021, a total of 5.65 million ounces of gold were produced and that the annual average gold output was 314,000 ounces.

In a statement, RGM confirmed that ‘a serious security incident occurred’ on January 23 and that ‘unauthorised individuals entered a restricted and active mining site without permission. ‘Tragically, one individual fell within the pit area and lost his life,’ RGM said, adding that ‘any loss of life is tragic, and the company recognises the profound impact such events have on families and communities’.

President Greelings-Simons confirmed that the residents of the village of Nieuw-Koffiekamp, which lies within the multinational’s concession area, will also be involved in the ongoing talks.

‘People shouldn’t actually be there because it’s dangerous. But on the other hand, we also need to know what’s going on. I’ve asked that we talk to the people first before taking any other measures. We’re listening to the people through various channels,’ she said even as she acknowledged that she didn’t know whether Friday’s evacuation would go ahead.

‘I’ve asked that as much dialogue as possible take place before taking action. If good agreements have been made with the people, there’s no need to resort to heavy-handed tactics.’

President Geerlings-Simons said that the regulation of the gold sector is complicated by several factors.

‘We can’t hide it: there are armed people walking around in our country. There are all kinds of interests that interfere with all sorts of things. It’s not a simple matter. That’s why the government is trying to map everything out properly.’

She said that the regulation also requires a huge investment in the security services.

‘We are working internationally and nationally to improve oversight.’

The Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ) has adopted a resolution reminding magistrates that any political involvement in the country is likely to compromise their impartiality and affect the credibility of the judicial system.

The CSPJ is reminding magistrates that they are bound by a ‘strict obligation of discretion and political neutrality.’

According to the resolution, having regard to the Constitution of the Republic of Haiti and the law establishing the Superior Council of the Judiciary as well as ‘considering that independence and impartiality constitute the cardinal principles of the judicial function,’ all judge ‘at all levels and ranks of jurisdiction, are reminded that they are required to refrain from any participation in political activities and to remain outside the political arena.

‘Judges must avoid any behaviour, statement, or action likely to undermine their duty of impartiality or harm the image and dignity of the judicial institution.

The CSPJ said that ‘any failure to comply with the obligations .shall subject the perpetrator to disciplinary sanctions in accordance with applicable laws’.