Category: CANA News

President Irfaan Ali Wednesday said government is considering the establishment of special courts to deal with traffic-related matters amid plans to expand the electronic ticketing system which was launched in April 2025.

Addressing the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Annual Police Officers’ Conference. Ali, the Commander-in-Chief said the world is being reshaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and rapid digital advancement, and Guyana must move just as quickly to stay effective.

He said that the centre of the shift is the new e-ticketing system, which is already transforming law enforcement on the road.

Formally called the Safe Road Intelligent System (SRIS), the automated traffic enforcement network monitors speeding, seatbelt usage, and illegal third-lane driving. It uses AI-powered cameras, radar, and cloud infrastructure to issue digital tickets and already, hundreds of offenders have been hauled before the courts.

‘We have started the e-ticketing system that has been working tremendously well,’ Ali said, adding that it has brought ‘sanity on our roadways’ by reducing bias and removing much of the human interference that once influenced traffic enforcement.

But the success of the system is creating a new challenge of volume with technology able to detect and process offences at high speed and President Ali noting that the traditional court system may soon struggle to keep up.

He said to deal with the blacklogs and delays, there must be a specialised traffic court.

‘Because of the mere speed of this technology and the number of transactions, the judiciary may very well have to look at a specialised court to deal with traffic offences,’ he said, noting that if offenders believe cases can be delayed, it could weaken the impact of enforcement.

Ali has since asked the Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond, to examine advancing legislative changes to digitise the entire process.

‘E-ticketing, e-prosecution, but importantly, the writs, the warrants and everything, that has to be presented in court, all of this must be on an electronic platform. It is the only way we can achieve and celebrate the fullness of the technology,’ he said.

Under the SRIS, the President noted that the government will soon launch a demerit system.

‘The points demerit system will be integrated in the e-ticketing system.the amendments will speak to this, how the demerit system will work.how it’s integrated into persons who don’t pay their tickets and the different tiers of suspension for your licence.’

Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken has admitted that some investigations are taking too long, affecting both case progress and public trust and as a result a major reform plan is underway.

‘We must acknowledge that some crime investigations take too long, affecting public confidence. We are rolling out reforms in phases, with better training and practical systems to make policing more effective,’ Hicken said.

He told the opening ceremony the GPF’s 2027-2031 strategic plan includes nationwide rollout of the Safe Country Initiative, expanding command centres and CCTV coverage, the use of artificial intelligence and data for crime prevention, digitising citizen reports and improving regional dispatch systems to cut response times.

‘These reforms will make investigations faster, smarter, and more reliable, giving the public the confidence they deserve.’.

In 2025, the GPF recorded a 25 per cent reduction in serious crimes.

An estimated 271 205 voters have begun casting their ballots in Wednesday’s snap general election that Prime Minister Mia Mottley called a year in advance, hoping to win a third consecutive term in office.

While six political parties and independent candidates, numbering 96, are facing the electorate for control of the 30-seat Parliament, political observers say the poll is a straight fight between the country’s two oldest political parties – the incumbent Barbados Labur Party (BLP) and the main opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP).

The Supervisor of Elections, Sherland Turton, in a statement headlined ‘Prohibited Devices’ has said that while ‘voters are assured that there will be privacy’, polling booths ‘will be positioned so each voter will enter the booth with his or her back to the Presiding Officer’.

The polling stations opened at 6.00 am (local time) and will close 12 hours later.

Turton is also reminding voters that all communication devices including smartwatches, smartphones, and smart pens, will be prohibited inside the polling stations.

But she said that the new regulations, ‘there will be privacy, so that the secrecy of the vote will be maintained’.

For the first time in Barbados’ political history, the election is being monitored by observer groups the the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Commonwealth.

Mottley had invited the observers so as to maintain the country’s long-standing reputation for democracy and integrity, while rejecting opposition calls to postpone the poll.

All the political parties on Tuesday night sought to woe voters ahead of the polls with Mottley telling BLP supporters thsat ‘there will not be arrogance’ in the party, which had won all 30 seats in the last two general elections.

For its part, the DLP speakers said ‘we have to restore the balance in this country, we have to go to the polls and allow our voices.and we declare we are taking back our country’.

The EBC has reminded voters to ensure that they bring along their national identification cards to the polling station where they are registered to vote, adding that a valid passport or driving licence may also be presented as official identification.

Employers have also been told that workers must be allowed ‘a reasonable period of not less than one hour.

‘Employers must not make any deductions from wages, salaries or any other remuneration, or impose upon any elector any penalty due to their absence for the period of voting.’

Shai Hope has delivered a stark warning to his West Indies teammates after their 30-run victory over England at the Wankhede Stadium, stating that there are no second chances in World Cup cricket.

The West Indies captain cut a satisfied figure after watching his side topple England in Wednesday’s ICC T20 showdown, making it two wins from two in the group C action.

But with qualification margins razor-thin, Hope made it clear that complacency will not be tolerated.

‘This is World Cup cricket. It’s not like a bilateral series where you can go one down and then come back and win 3-2,’ Hope said. ‘You’ve got to make sure you try to execute as precisely as you can, especially from the jump. There’s not really a second or third game that you could come back and hope for the best.’

The Caribbean side delivered a polished performance, but their captain is already looking ahead.

‘I can’t really put too much stress and emphasis on the past. The results that we’ve had previously are something we can’t necessarily control. Now we’ve got to focus on what’s in front of us.’

What’s in front of them is a group stage campaign that suddenly looks promising. Two wins from two. Table-toppers. But Hope knows better than most how quickly fortunes can shift in this tournament.

‘It’s just nice to get two wins in our first two games. The aim is to continue that trend. Hopefully, we can get nice, smooth sailing through the rest of the group stage games.’

If there was smooth sailing to be found in Mumbai, Hope found it. The West Indies skipper spoke with genuine affection about a venue that seems to bring the best out of his side.

‘It’s one of those grounds that when you come here, you just feel like playing cricket,’ he said. ‘You can say the same for most venues in India, but something about here at Wankhede just brings a different vibe, a different energy. It’s a very nice ground to play at. It’s just nice to get a win here as well.’

The win was built on collective effort, but one man drew special praise from his captain. Sherfane Rutherford’s impact with the bat did not happen by accident, Hope revealed.

‘He’s always a hard worker, especially when it comes to his batting. He is always very diligent with the way he goes about his preparation. He would bat from the start of the session all the way through to the end if he’s really working on something.’

Hope’s voice carried genuine warmth when discussing a teammate whose methodical approach is now paying dividends on the biggest stage.

‘I don’t think that has changed from the time he came into the team all the way till now. It’s just nice to see when guys are putting in that hard work in the nets, that preparation, that the success follows.’

‘It was very good to see Sherfane coming in and making an impact once again today. It was good to see the batters putting their hands up.’

Hope also had high praise for his bowlers, including countryman Roston Chase, who came into the team to bolster their stocks.

‘Roston is one of those utility players you can call on anytime. We brought him in as a tactical change with all the left-handers England have in their team, and that decision paid off for us today, as Roston contributed with the bat and the ball.

Representatives from 19 Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) of the European Union and the United Kingdom Monday began a five day workshop here as part of the ongoing activities of the Green Overseas Programme (GOP) dedicated to energy transition and climate change resilience.

The organisers said that the GOP supports OCTs in their transition towards more resilient development models in the face of climate change. It promotes capacity building, experience sharing and cooperation between territories on key themes such as water management, climate resilience, energy transition and climate finance.

The international workshop organised by the GOP will combine targeted training sessions with a peer-to-peer space for exchanging on shared challenges and concrete solutions related to water management, ranging from drinking water supply to ecosystem protection and adaptation to climate change.

‘In many island territories, water is a limited and fragile resource. Declining rainfall, more frequent and prolonged droughts, saline intrusion into groundwater and increased flood risks are making water management increasingly complex. These challenges have direct impacts on daily life, agriculture, economic development and ecosystem preservation.

‘The GOP’s Barbados workshop aims to address these issues by focusing on practical and territory-specific approaches, through the sharing of operational experiences, existing initiatives and solutions that can be transferred from one territory to another.’

The organisers said it is designed to encourage concrete and operational exchanges and that the workshop is be structured around territorial presentations, thematic panels and collective exercises, enabling participants to compare practices and discuss their on-the-ground realities.

It brings together primarily representatives of OCT governments and public administrations, alongside water service managers, engineers, public operators, environmental and climate experts, as well as a limited number of representatives from international organisations and local elected officials.

Barbados was selected as the host territory due to challenges widely shared across many OCTs, including limited water resources, strong dependence on groundwater, high tourism pressure, population growth and visible impacts of climate change.

‘To address these issues, Barbados has implemented a range of initiatives to better manage and valorise its water resources. During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to discover several local initiatives through site visits, including desalination facilities, wastewater treatment plants, flood protection infrastructure and wetlands.’

Representatives of Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) countries meet here in April with only four years remaining until the deadline for achieving the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 6:C.

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) said that the April 13-16 meeting is to review progress and challenges in the implementation of the 2030 agenda in the region.

ECLAC said the meeting will feature a series of global, regional, and national action dialogues and that during the global action dialogues, to be held on April 14, senior officials from the United Nations and other stakeholders will exchange views on the follow-up to international commitments adopted in 2025 at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the Second World Summit for Social Development and the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

In addition, a session will be held at the 2026 United Nations Water Conference schedule for the United Arab Emirates from December 2 to 4, this year.

‘This crucial event aims to accelerate progress towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6)-water and sanitation for all-by 2030, by fostering political will, investment and innovation,’ ECLAC said.

It said the regional action dialogues will begin on April 14, with the presentation of the ninth report on regional progress and challenges in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, delivered by ECLAC executive secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs.

Representatives of countries, civil society, the private sector, and academia will have the opportunity to exchange experiences on progress in the implementation of SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy; SDG 9 : Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities; and SDG 17; Partnerships for the Goals.

Meanwhile, during the National Action Dialogues, to be held on April 16, two peer-learning sessions will be held.

The first will focus on exchanging successful national experiences in order to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs, and the second will be aimed at sharing good practices and challenges in the preparation of the Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) that countries will present in July at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in New York.

The global, regional, and national dialogues will bring together high-level representatives of the governments of the 33 countries Latin America and the Caribbean as well as from other regions of the world, ECLAC added.

The Netherlands-based deepwater ocean-infrastructure expert, SBM Offshore, says it has completed a transaction with ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd, for the purchase of FPSO ONE GUYANA.

In a statement, SBM Offshore said that the agreement with the affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation, comes ahead of the maximum lease term which would have expired in August 2027.

FPSO ONE GUYANA is the fourth and largest FPSO that SBM Offshore operates in Guyana and builds on the excellent operational performance of FPSOs Liza Destiny, Liza Unity and Prosperity.

‘The transaction comprises a total cash consideration of US$2.32 billion. The net cash proceeds have been primarily used for the full repayment of the US$1.74 billion project financing and as such materially decreased SBM Offshore’s net debt position.’

SBM Offshore said that the FPSO ONE GUYANA has been on hire since August 2025 and that ‘it will continue to be operated through the integrated operations and maintenance model, combining SBM Offshore’s and ExxonMobil Guyana’s expertise and experience, and delivering outstanding operational performance.

‘The impact of the transaction will be included in the Company’s 2026 guidance as part of the Full Year 2025 Earnings release, scheduled for February 26, 2026,’ SBM Offshore said.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne says ‘powerful countries’ including the United States, should take use China as an example in treating with small vulnerable countries as he praised the Asian country for its ongoing relationship with Antigua and Barbuda.

Browne, speaking at a ceremony marking the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Horse on Sunday night, said that the geopolitical shifts that have taken place within this hemisphere have resulted in countries being intimidated.

‘I think it is an example of how powerful countries should treat with small vulnerable countries. China is not intimidating us; China has never made any demands of Antigua and Barbuda to do anything that is not in our self-interest.

‘You would also recognize that above and beyond the cooperation that is taking place at the governmental level, they are also enhancing people-to-people exchanges. For example, nearly 300 Antiguans and Barbudans have been given an opportunity to travel to China to experience the Chinese culture and to seek to have a formal cultural integration and diversity,’ Prime Minister Browne told the ceremony that was also attended by Governor General, Sir Rodney Williams.

Browne said that China remains ‘very respectful’ of Antigua and Barbuda as a sovereign country despite the differences in size, adding ‘I think this is a good example of how countries, including the United States, should treat small vulnerable countries.

‘China does not have any restrictions on Antigua and Barbuda; not even visa restrictions as we now have visa-free access to China. China does not have any sanctions on Antigua and Barbuda and I think this is how small and large countries should cooperation,’ he added.

Prime Minister Browne said that given the current frosty nature of the relationship between countries, he would not be surprised if sometime in the future Antigua and Barbuda is called upon to distance itself from China.

‘I say to you this must not happen. We must continue to stand with China; if not out of gratitude, then in the interest of international cooperation,’ he said, adding that he is also mindful that there are constant shifts in the international relationship and nations fall in and out of favour from time to time.

‘What happens if we choose sides and then the parties become friends again; we would be left out in the cold,’ Prime Minister Browne said, reiterating that Antigua and Barbuda’s foreign policy mantra is ‘Friends of all, enemies of none’.

In his remarks, the Governor General spoke of the enduring relationship between the two nations, a relationship built on mutual respect, cooperation and shared aspiration for development, prosperity and friendship.

‘Antigua and Barbuda values highly its friendship with the People’s Republic of China. We appreciate the many areas of cooperation that have strengthened our ties over the years, in infrastructure, education, health, culture and people to people exchange,’ he said.

Foreign Affairs Minister, E.P Chet Greene described the friendship between the two countries as a bridge across the vast Pacific, connecting citizens here with their Chinese counterparts in the common pursuit of development and dignity.

‘We reflect with profound gratitude. The generosity of the Chinese people, mirrored in tangible cooperation, has been a catalyst for social and economic advancement across our Antiguan and Barbudan society.

‘From empowering infrastructure that connects our communities, to investments in human capital and cultural dialogue, this partnership is a cornerstone of our progress. For this steadfast collaboration, we offer our deepest and most abiding appreciation,’ Greene stated.

Chinese Ambassador, Jiang Wei, told the ceremony that last year, cooperation between China and Antigua and Barbuda had deepened.

‘Chinese float was showcased in Carnival’s parade. Agricultural experts cultivated delicious fruits and vegetable. Booby Alley Housing Project has taken shape. Nearly 300 people from Antigua and Barbuda went to China for training, and beautiful beaches in Antigua and Barbuda have attracted more and more Chinese tourists.

‘We are deeply impressed by the long-standing friendship between China and Antigua and Barbuda, and proud of the achievements of this bilateral relationship,’ the diplomat said.

President of the Chinese Association of Antigua and Barbuda Li Yucheng, who said he has been living in Antigua and Barbuda for more than 30 years said he has witnessed the relationship between Antigua and Barbuda gets stronger with each passing year.

‘Because of that relationship, we have seen the Big Creek Bridge, the Multi-Purpose Cultural Centre, the new terminal at the VC Bird International Airport and the recent developments at the St. John’s Harbour. We also have visa-free travel. I am happy to see all those developments.’

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Monday said that the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) continues to provide a strong anchor for macroeconomic stability in a shock-prone region.

The independent member countries of the ECCU are Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

An IMF delegation has ended a visit to the sub-region, indicating that the post-pandemic growth has been supported by tourism and construction, while inflation has moderated in line with global trends.

‘Over the medium term, ECCU economies are expected to converge toward modest pre-pandemic average growth, with downside risks dominating amid elevated global uncertainty,’ the delegation said, adding that to manage these risks while supporting resilient long-term growth and safeguarding the quasi-currency board, policies should prioritise stronger fiscal sustainability and accountability aligned with the regional debt target, alongside measures to strengthen financial system resilience and intermediation.

It said structural reforms should focus on improving trade connectivity and competitiveness, addressing skills mismatches, enhancing regional frameworks to scale up transformative capital investment, and strengthening regional data provision to support evidence-based policymaking.

According to the IMF delegation, the ECCU region has sustained a robust post-pandemic expansion.

It said strong tourism arrivals and ongoing infrastructure investment supported regional growth at an estimated three per cent in 2025. Inflation further moderated in line with global fuel and food trends, with so far limited direct impact from shifts in United States trade policies. Fiscal outcomes, however, have lagged economic performance. With union-wide public debt reduction stalling, partially reflecting the impact of recurring external shocks, several members are increasingly at risk of not meeting the 60 per cent of gross domestic product regional public debt target by 2035.

The IMF said that the financial system remains broadly stable, but there are legacy bank balance-sheet weaknesses, and vulnerabilities in the nonbank sector, where supervision remains fragmented.

‘The ECCU’s external position is assessed as weaker than the level implied by fundamentals and desirable policies, while financing of persistently elevated current account deficits remains heavily dependent on continued foreign direct investment inflows,’ the IMF said, adding ‘nonetheless, the ECCB’s reserve position has remained stable and the currency-backing ratio high, supporting confidence in the union’.

It said looking ahead, economic momentum is expected to moderate, with risks tilted to the downside.

With tourism operating near full capacity, average regional growth is expected to slow to around 2.5 per cent over the medium term amid persistent productivity constraints, adverse demographic trends, and limited fiscal space for public investment.

‘The outlook is subject to sizeable downside risks as evolving trade and travel barriers and ongoing geopolitical tensions amplify the region’s long-standing vulnerabilities, notably its heavy dependence on tourism and imports, exposure to natural disasters, persistently high public debt, and reliance on uncertain Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) inflows,’ it added.

The IMF said that uneven progress in debt reduction underscores the need to strengthen union-wide institutional mechanisms to reinforce fiscal sustainability and resilience.

It said ECCU-wide attainment of the 60 per cent of GDP regional debt target remains elusive and increasingly at risk by the 2035 target date.

‘While this partly stems from the region’s high exposure to recurrent external shocks and sizeable social and development investment needs, it also reflects that most ECCU members have not yet operationalized national fiscal frameworks that effectively align their annual budgets with the regional debt target.

‘A union-wide, time-bound commitment to implementing such rules-based frameworks, grounded in harmonized design principles, would strengthen fiscal discipline, support sustained debt reduction, and better equip the union to navigate future shocks.’

The IMF said that this should be complemented by more robust peer reviews of members’ fiscal performance and debt reduction strategies at the ECCB Monetary Council, strengthened public accountability through the establishment of independent oversight committees, a clearer specification of the public debt target perimeter, and collaborative efforts to address data gaps and strengthen technical capacity underpinning macro-fiscal projections.

It said that deeper policy coordination would help preserve space for priority investment amid ongoing debt reduction and recurrent shock-related spending pressures.

Priorities include scaling back costly tax exemptions, especially in tourism, and strengthening social safety nets to reduce reliance on distortionary, untargeted fiscal responses to shocks. The effectiveness of the layered post-disaster financing frameworks after Hurricane Beryl in 2024 offers important lessons to strengthen the union’s collective fiscal resilience to natural disasters.

In the longer term, further centralisation of fiscal accountability, funding and risk-contingency mechanisms would future proof the union’s resilience and development prospects.

‘Over time, as sovereign funding structures mature and impose greater market discipline on public finances-including through a transition toward market-based debt issuance-moving to a centralized fiscal oversight and accountability framework would help underpin confidence.

‘This could open avenues for pooled financing to help overcome constraints stemming from members’ small scale and high vulnerability to shocks, including in rebuilding access to international capital markets. Similarly, a regional stabilisation fund could reinforce national contingency frameworks and safeguard fiscal continuity in periods of stress,’ the IMF added.

Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls were dominated by the Australia Diamonds for the second straight match to concede their netball series here on Sunday.

The number one ranked Australians secured a comfortable 73-41 victory over the third ranked Sunshine Girls at Perth’s RAC Arena, to assume an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match series.

It followed Thursday’s victory by the Aussies, who romped to a 72-41 win in the opening match.

Gezelle Allison led the scoring for the Sunshine Girls with 16 goals from 18 attempts, while Simone Gordon added 13 from 19. Captain Shanice Beckford finished with 11 from 15 and Kestina Sturridge chipped in with one from one.

Australia took charge from the opening whistle, rushing out to a 20-8 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended their advantage to 15 (35-20) by the half.

The hosts control the contested thereafter, outscoring Jamaica 19-13 in the third period to take a commanding 54-33 lead heading into the final quarter.

Sunshine Girls head coach, Sasher-Gaye Henry-Wright pointed to a slow start as a major factor behind the heavy defeat.

She, however, maintained that the team had made some progress from the first game.

‘I think the girls gave a much better performance than they did in game one, but we still fell short of the objectives that we set out for in this game.

‘We really wanted to hit some scoring marks for our quarterly scores but, unfortunately, we didn’t meet those targets. We really wanted to limit Australia to under 15 goals in each quarter and we only achieved that once,’ Henry-Wright said.

‘We also wanted to score more goals than we did in the first game, but I think our start is an issue and we definitely want to work harder on that.’

The Suriname Association of Journalists (SVJ) has implemented its first ever accreditation badges to professional journalists in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country that it says is ‘a huge step for Surinamese journalism’.

SVJ president, Naomi Hoever said that the initiative is intended to help protect and maintain journalistic standards, especially at a time when press freedom and trust in the media are under pressure.

‘This step is in line with that. It shows that we, as a profession, are taking responsibility,’ she told the ceremony on Sunday night.

‘In the past, there was less proliferation. However, in recent years, we’ve seen a lot of people consider themselves journalists, so as an association, we had to draw the line somewhere,’ Hoever said, noting that although the SVJ has been in existence for 35 years, this is the first time a formal accreditation system has been introduced.

The accreditation badges are the result of more than three and a half months of intensive work by the Accreditation Preparatory Committee, and at the inaugural phase only members of the SVJ were accredited.

‘The profession is bound by rules and standards that have been agreed upon worldwide. With this accreditation, we give professional journalists a seal of approval that makes it clear: these people work according to those rules,’ Hoever said.

‘When something goes wrong, the entire profession gets a bad name, while sometimes it’s just people who aren’t journalists, but just happen to be holding a microphone’ she said, noting that with the accreditation system, the SVJ therefore explicitly wants to ‘separate the wheat from the chaff.’

The accreditation is primarily aimed at members of the SVJ with a key criterion being that journalism must be the primary profession.

‘You can’t have a side job where journalism is a side issue. It has to be your primary source of income,’ Hoever said, describing the introduction of accreditation as ‘a huge step for Surinamese journalism’.

President of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM), Harvey Panka, who is also a SVJ member, said the ‘SVJ is one of many ACM members, but organizations that last 35 years are not often seen,.

‘We see organizations come and go. The fact that the SVJ has survived through it all deserves respect,’ he said, praising the association’s role in informing society and continuing to train journalists.