Category: CANA News

The Maya Leaders Alliance says it does not regard Thursday’s ruling by the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as a ‘setback’ but that the Belize government ‘is now more firmly on notice that it needs to adhere to the relevant standards and not just exercise its imaginations’.

Nearly a decade after the CCJ’s landmark ruling on Maya customary land rights , attorneys representing the Maya were seeking more clarity on the 2015 consent order.

But the court dismissed the application, saying the process it ordered is already underway and that the parties must continue working through the commissioned review panel. That panel is expected to help resolve several outstanding issues, including the identification of customary lands.

Following the virtual hearing, CCJ President , Justice Winston Anderson, said ‘we think that process is now underway and that it should be given every allowance to complete its journey. ‘We therefore do not think we ought to intervene at this point in the way asked for by the applicants and instead would encourage the parties to continue the parties towards the culmination of the product that we have all look toward for so very long.’

Senior Counsel Andrew Marshalleck so far a working draft of a document has been produced and there’s a review panel constituting two members appointed by the government, two members from the Mayas.

He said that the government is now seeking to add a representative from the third party, landowners.

‘That panel is supposed to review the draft, make recommendations on how to make it better and hopefully get the draft to a point where then it can be circulated to the wider public for consultation and input, and then eventually taken to the National Assembly.

‘So we’re at an early stage in the process where the comments on the draft are only taken from, directly from stakeholders involved, but the process also contemplates that after that it goes to everybody, so everybody can say what they think about it.’

Marshalleck said he doubts that there’ll ever be a situation where everybody is 100 per cent in agreement with it, given the nature of what is being dealt with.

‘There will, there’ll always be some unhappiness about it. There’s not complete happiness. You won’t reach that ideal, but it’s about reaching something that works for everybody,’ he added.

The spokesperson for the Maya Leaders Alliance, Cristina Coc, said that while did not get the ruling it asked for on Thursday, the court deliberations were able to moved their cause forward.

Coc said Maya communities have spent the last 11 years pressing for the CCJ’s consent order to be fully implemented, and she believes the court-appointed review process has stalled.

But she said that the court hearing reinforced one key point in that government cannot define Maya customary land rights on its own.

‘And I think that the justices, particularly Justice (Peter) Jamadar made it clear to them that this is not just about you imagining what Maya customary land tenure is. It exists. There’s a system there. Who best to know that system than the people who practice it themselves?

‘So I’m happy…I think that they are on notice. They know that they can’t just imagine for us what they think is best for us. I repeat my call to the ministers of government who are responsible for legislative drafting. You need to take an active role. ‘

She said that the Mayas want to have discussions with those doing the drafting, restating that the proposal of five acres per person is rejected ‘outright.

‘That is not our custom. That is not how we use land. What we propose to you is we have now completed a majority of our boundaries. We’ve harmonized our boundaries among each other. Are you prepared to come and validate that and see the evidence of our use and our land use patterns?’

Government and the opposition traded blame as to who is responsible for Thursday’s island-wide power outage that the government said was due to a suspected underground cable fault and explosion at the Blue Hill Power Station.

Prime Minister Philip Davis, who toured the Blue Hill Power Station with officials from the Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) apologised to the country, saying ‘we understand how disruptive and frustrating these outages are, especially in this heat,’ adding that the island-wide blackout is the result of ‘acts beyond our control’.

He said incidents like these remind the population of the state of play of BPL, adding ‘we inherited a very archaic and end of life, most times, system.

‘The only way to have it repaired is to replace much of what we are doing. Hence, replacement of our grid and the other components as necessary to ensure safe and reliable electricity through transmissions and distribution.

‘As I’ve indicated, it is incidents like this that demonstrate what we have inherited and we are fixing it. It is not a complaint by us, it is just that we have to fix what we have,’ he said, urging Bahamians to be patient with the government.

‘I’m frustrated as well. There will be growing pains to get to where we need to be because of what we inherited,’ said Davis, whose administration has promised a far-reaching energy reform plan which involves a series of power purchase agreements (PPAs), as well as the arrangement to upgrade the T and D system.

Prime Minister Davis said that he remains frustrated because the act of what caused these outages is not because of lack of maintenance, not because of the transformative work that is happening but rather because of factors beyond our control.

‘For example, the heat that we are experiencing. If you do your investigative reporting and understand what’s happening around the world, you will see that The Bahamas is not unique with what is happening…

‘Look what caused the blackout. It wasn’t because of the lack of effort on the part of BPL and the carrying out of initiatives that were started out under our transformative initiatives. It was because of acts beyond our control.

‘You have a transformer that blew up because of overheating of underground cables. Was that man’s fault? The excessive heat, the record heat that we are experiencing over the last several weeks. The month of May was hottest in history. Heat overbears our transmission and distribution system.’

But the main opposition Free National Movement (FNM) has aid the blame squaely at the feet of the government.

BLP leader Michael Pintard said when the party left office in September of 2021, Station A at BPL was online, providing 150 MW of power.

‘We had an additional 35 MW of power that came from the GE generators. Furthermore, we brought those assets that were already offline back online. So, generation was not an issue under the Minnis administration. As you went into the summer of 2020 and 2021, there wasn’t load shedding as we are now seeing it.’

He said New Providence residents have been experiencing frequent and often prolonged power outages for weeks, despite pledges from the government that BPL was prepared to handle summer demand.

The island-wide outage on Thursday is the second in less than a month and Pintard said that the PLP government is responsible for the current state of affairs.

‘They canceled the Wärtsilä deal. That contract for Station A was ended by them. And then, of course, they took the GE generators offline. We stabilized the transmission and distribution network. Was there more work to be done? Of course, we never denied that. In fact, we had planned a US$50 million upgrade.

‘That upgrade to the system was going to happen through the rate reduction bond, the same rate reduction bond that the Davis administration came in and canceled,’ he said, accusing the government of embarking upon a different route to solve what it said amounted to one billion US dollars in challenges at BPL.

The Opposition Leader said the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is to blame for the ‘chaos’ that is now being experienced at BPL, adding ‘they have had carte blanche.

‘In other words, nobody has been able to interrupt what they have done in terms of privatizing BPL, and yet they have not been able to provide cleaner power, more affordable power, or worst of all, consistent power for the Bahamian people,’ Pintard said.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Friday called on countries in the Americas, including the Caribbean, to strengthen protections for families against the growing digital marketing of breast-milk substitutes and other products that may undermine breastfeeding.

In a message ahead of World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7, PAHO said while breastfeeding remains one of the most effective interventions for protecting the health and development of infants and young children, the environment in which families make feeding decisions has changed dramatically.

It said personalized advertising on social media, influencers, algorithms, and artificial intelligence are creating new challenges to ensuring that parents and caregivers receive objective, evidence-based information.

Breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition for infants, strengthens their immune systems, reduces the risk of illness, and supports healthy growth and development. It also offers significant health benefits for mothers.

PAHO said in Latin America and the Caribbean, only 43 per cent of infants are exclusively breastfed during their first six months of life, well below the global target of 60 per cent by 2030.

According to PAHO, this gap is driven by multiple factors, including an increasingly sophisticated digital environment that can influence infant feeding decisions. It warns that many of these marketing strategies operate largely out of public view.

Companies are increasingly using digital tools to target pregnant women, new mothers, and other caregivers through social media promotions, influencer endorsements, and advertising embedded across digital platforms.

‘Breastfeeding is far more than an individual choice. It is one of the most effective ways to give children the best possible start in life,’ said Vanessa Garcia Larsen, Chief of PAHO’s Risk Factors Unit.

‘In the digital age, protecting breastfeeding also means protecting families from commercial practices that may influence their decisions.’

Data presented during a recent PAHO regional seminar show that only 45 per cent of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have adopted measures related to the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.

Only two countries, Brazil and Argentina, have achieved substantial alignment with the Code, while several Caribbean countries still lack specific legislation. In addition, regional monitoring identified potential violations across social media platforms, websites, and other digital channels, where most of the advertising reviewed was found.

‘Marketing and promotion of commercial milk formula products have evolved, and the digital environment remains a regulatory gap that has yet to be adequately addressed,’ said Mónica Mazariegos, a researcher at the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP). ‘Digital strategies allow companies to reach mothers, fathers, and caregivers frequently and with highly personalized advertising.’

Mazariegos noted that more than 80 per cent of advertising for these products occurs through digital channels. Studies conducted in Central America have found that exposure to such marketing is associated with a higher likelihood of purchasing and using these products, as well as an almost 50 per cent reduction in continued breastfeeding beyond 12 months.

The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes was adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1981 to protect breastfeeding and ensure that infant feeding decisions are not influenced by inappropriate commercial practices.

More recently, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution expanding the scope of the Code to better address digital marketing practices, including social media, content creators, influencers, and other online platforms.

Experts participating in the seminar agreed that responding to these challenges will require updating legislation to cover digital marketing, strengthening monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, using new technologies to detect violations, and enhancing regional cooperation to address advertising that easily crosses national borders.

They also highlighted the need to protect personal data and increase transparency around targeted advertising practices.

PAHO said it is also emphasizing that protection from the marketing of breast-milk substitutes must be complemented by breastfeeding support services, family counselling, and policies that enable women to breastfeed for the recommended duration.

It said that these measures are among the most effective interventions to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding.

‘The goal is to ensure that families have access to objective, evidence-based information that is free from undue commercial influence,’ Garcia Larsen said, adding ‘achieving this requires updated regulatory frameworks, effective monitoring systems, and greater transparency in the digital environment.’

World Breastfeeding Week 2026 will be observed under the theme ‘Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works’ and as part of the week’s activities, PAHO will host a virtual seminar on August 7 to share experiences and strategies for strengthening breastfeeding policies and support programmes across the region.

Lawyers representing Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday and his Foreign Affairs Minister Fitzgerald Bramble are expected to lay provide their legal arguments when the election petition case involving the two senior government ministers resume here on August 31.

Justice Gertel Thom adjourned the matter to that date with the former Trinidad and Tobago attorney general, Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan, telling reporters he is confident of the case to be argued on behalf of Prime Minister Friday and Bramble.

‘We feel very confident. We come back in the first week in September when we will present our evidence and thereafter in November, we will then wrap up and provide our legal submissions,’ he said.

But Senior Counsel, Stuart Young, the the former Trinidad and Tobago prime minister, who is leading the team for the two defeated candidates in the November 27 general elections that brought the petitions, said that his clients were equally confident of victory.

He said that the petitioners, Luke Browne and Carlos Williams remain confident that the High Court will apply the law fairly and that the evidence presented supports their position.

‘And I look forward to the next stage, which will be cross-examining the respondents’ witnesses. But when that time comes, you all will see,’ Young told reporters.

Browne is challenging the victory of the Bramble, who won the East Kingstown seat, while Williams is asking the court to declare the victory of Prime Minister Friday in the Northern Grenadines null and void.

Friday led the then opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) to victory in the November 27 general election last year, ending a 24-year rule by the ULP.

Browne is contending that Bramble was not qualified to be a candidate because he holds Canadian citizenship, while Williams has filed a similar petition against Friday.

After three days of evidence in the constitutional challenge which questions the eligibility of the two government parliamentarians to hold their seats in the House of Assembly will resume August 31 and will run until September 4, even as legal experts anticipate that the matter is not expected to be wrapped up before November.

On Thursday, the petitioner’s expert witness, Sarah McKins, the Canadian immigration expert attorney, gave evidence virtually after which she was cross examined by Ramlogan for most of the day.

‘We have cross-examined both petitioners and all of their witnesses and several remarkable things have emerged during intense interrogation in the witness box that we are looking forward to addressing the court on.

Ramlogan said his legal team remains confident that the evidence presented supports their case and that they expect to prevail. We are aware of the judgement. We think that it will be consistent with the democracy and the democratic will that manifested itself in the general elections and we are very confident that this matter is not going to detain us for much longer,’ he said.

But Young said he is confident in the strength of the petitioner’s case and expressed satisfaction with the testimony presented by the expert witness.

‘We’ve just completed …the first three days of the evidence of the petitions that are before the court dealing with a very, very important constitutional position. We the petitioners have now completed their evidence, including the expert, and I feel very confident,’ Young added.

Prime Minister Friday who has been present during the three days of court sitting, told reporters that his position on the matter has not changed.

‘In fact, I feel better that the further we go in this matter, the better I feel about it because I believe that our position is the one that is right in law. The people, what I would say to them is thank you for your support. Thank you for the mandate that you gave us on November 27(

‘So I’m going to be here every single minute of every day. I’m not making any cameo appearances and disappearing. I’m here to represent the people. Every minute of the day I’ll be in the court until this matter is vindicated,’ Prime Minister Friday said.

Former speaker of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Parliament, Jomo Thomas, speaking on his radio programme, said regardless of the High Court’s initial ruling, he is certain the matter will be appealed.

He told radio listeners that achieving constitutional clarity is a vital investment for the future of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

‘If we get clarity on the constitution… we can’t put a price to that,’ said the prominent attorney.

Adaejah Hodge of the Virgin Islands etched her name into Commonwealth Games history on Friday, capturing her first-ever gold medal in the Women’s 200m Final with a commanding performance at Scotstoun Stadium.

The 20-year-old sprint sensation, running out of Lane 6, delivered a masterclass in composure, clocking 22.07 seconds to secure the top spot on the podium.

The victory marks not only a personal milestone for Hodge but also the first Commonwealth Games gold in the 200m event for the Virgin Islands.

Hodge faced a stern test from Trinidad and Tobago’s Shaniqua Bascombe, who pushed hard throughout the race.

However, the young Virgin Islander held her form brilliantly down the straight, crossing the finish line comfortably ahead of her rival.

Bascombe took silver with a time of 22.35, while Jamaica’s Alana Reid rounded out the podium in third with 22.56.

The triumph adds another chapter to Hodge’s remarkable week in Glasgow. Just 24 hours earlier, she set the Commonwealth Games record in the semifinals, blazing to an astonishing 22.01 on July 30, a time that now stands as the new benchmark for the event.

While Hodge is the first Virgin Islands athlete to claim gold in the women’s 200m, she follows in the footsteps of fellow territory standout Kyron McMaster, the 400m hurdles specialist who has established himself as a double Commonwealth Games champion.

The St. Lucia government says it is strengthening the country’s national framework to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing, as officials review the findings of the 2025 National Risk Assessment.

It said that the exercise is being used to identify vulnerabilities, address deficiencies and prepare the country for the fifth-round mutual evaluation by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF).

The National Anti-Money Laundering Oversight Committee (NAMLOC) brought together stakeholders to examine the findings of the 2025 National Risk Assessment, which provides an evidence-based examination of the country’s exposure to money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing risks.

The assessment identified key vulnerabilities requiring further action, while highlighting opportunities to strengthen national safeguards and improve the country’s ability to respond effectively to financial crime risks.

NAMLOC chair, Juliana Alfred, said the report provides an important foundation for evidence-based decision-making and the development of effective action plans.

‘The report will highlight, of course, the risks that we face currently, the vulnerabilities that we have to address, and the opportunities that exist for us to build stronger safeguards. By us identifying our challenges, it allows us now to be able to make decisive decisions, set effective action plans, which will be guided on the basis of the evidence that we have collected.’

Alfred said that the National Risk Assessment represents the culmination of extensive work involving government agencies, private-sector stakeholders, NAMLOC and other stakeholders.

‘We want you to embrace this report as a tool. A tool for action. A tool that will allow us to prepare as we get ready for the fifth round, 2027-2028. It provides us an opportunity to work on the deficiencies that we have highlighted in the report, and to build on the work as well that the country has undertaken over the last few years.’

St. Lucia has also undertaken targeted initiatives, including a trade-based money laundering risk assessment workshop, aimed at deepening the understanding of emerging financial crime risks and strengthening measures to mitigate them.

Attorney General Leslie Mondesir said the latest assessment must provide a credible, accurate and evidence-based picture of St.Lucia’s risk environment.

‘Our objective is not to secure the most favorable ratings, but to ensure that the conclusions are accurate, evidence-based, and truly reflective of our risk environment. Where the evidence supports a conclusion, it must be clearly articulated. Where gaps, inconsistencies, or uncertainties exist, they must be identified and addressed.’

Mondesir said the assessment will help guide policy decisions, support the effective allocation of resources and strengthen national measures to protect the integrity of the country’s financial system.

He noted that the exercise is particularly significant as the country’s ability to understand its risks and demonstrate that those risks are being effectively mitigated.

‘The credibility of the final report will depend on the quality of the contributions made by the agencies and sectors represented here today. This exercise is particularly significant as we prepare for St. Lucia’s fifth round mutual evaluation.

‘The FATF methodology emphasizes not only the existence of laws and institutional frameworks, but also the country’s ability to understand its risks and demonstrate that those risks are being effectively mitigated.’

The findings of the National Risk Assessment are expected to support the development of targeted action plans, strengthen identified areas of vulnerability and help agencies address outstanding deficiencies ahead of the 2027-2028 evaluation period.

Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard says it has suspended its active search for three fishermen who have been missing at sea since July 16.

The men – Rowel Martin, Gregory Questelles and Cleofoster Jarvis – were last seen leaving Point Wharf aboard the fishing vessel Lady Madesha and were die to have returned two days later.

Acting Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard, Captain Vaughn Simon, said officials met with the families earlier this week to explain the decision and that the police are continuing their investigations and that ‘any further update beyond that …we can provide that to the public directly’.

He said the authorities have also been informed that a bucket believed to belong to one of the missing fishermen had been recovered on the eastern side of the island.

‘Police are looking into that because that that bucket with the items is in the custody of the police at the moment and we’ve asked them to go ahead and look into it to see what they can determine.’

Simon said that the Coast Guard has carried out extensive air and sea searches with support from regional partners, including the St. Kitts Coast Guard, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Guadeloupe and the Antigua and Barbuda Search and Rescue Team.

He said while the active search is now suspended if new information comes to light the search operations can resume and that the authorities continue to urge anyone with information that could help locate the fishermen or their vessel to contact the Coast Guard or the police.

Rowel Martin’s sister, Sandra Martin, said the family has grown increasingly frustrated as the search has continued without answers. She said that the bucket belonging to her brother, containing his mobile phone and food, was found on a beach in English Harbour.

For years, Devynne Charlton had collected silver and bronze, near-misses and what-ifs.

But on a humid Thursday evening at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, the Bahamian hurdle queen finally silenced every doubt.

Charlton, the pre-race favorite, delivered a masterclass in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, storming to victory in a blistering 12.33 seconds at Hampden Park.

The win marks her first gold medal at a major international outdoor meet, a crown that had long been missing from her glittering resume.

The race was over almost before it began. Charlton exploded from the blocks, establishing an immediate lead that she never relinquished.

Her technique was flawless, clearing all 10 barriers with the crisp efficiency of a seasoned champion, leaving the chasing pack in her wake.

The performance was so sharp that it nearly rewrote the Bahamian record books. However, the 12.33-second clocking came with a tailwind marginally over the legal 2.0 m/s limit, meaning the time will stand as wind-aided and her national record remains intact.

But for Charlton, the number on the clock was secondary to the colour of the medal.

‘I’ve waited for this moment,’ Charlton said post-race, beaming. ‘To finally do it on this stage, representing The Bahamas, it’s everything.’

The battle for the minor medals was a fierce one, featuring two of the sport’s biggest names. Charlton’s training partner, Megan Simmonds of Jamaica, secured the silver with a personal-best wind-aided 12.41 seconds, a testament to the powerful training camp they share.

Meanwhile, the world record holder and defending champion, Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, struggled to find her usual rhythm and had to settle for bronze in a wind-aided 12.60 seconds, a distant third on a night when Charlton was simply untouchable.

For the Bahamian star, the victory in Glasgow isn’t just a gold medal; it’s the definitive statement that on the biggest outdoor stages, she is finally the one to beat.

The Belize government says it has approved ‘a limited waiver of diplomatic immunity’ to facilitate an investigation by Canadian authorities concerning an alleged incident of a domestic dispute.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade said it had received a report from the State Representative of Belize to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) earlier this week, concerning the alleged incident.

While it did not go into details of the domestic dispute, the government said that it also received ‘a diplomatic request from the Embassy of Canada in Guatemala regarding the same incident.

‘The request sought Belize’s consideration of a limited waiver of diplomatic immunity to facilitate an investigation by Canadian authorities,’ the ministry said, adding ‘following a careful review of the request and the information provided, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade approved a limited waiver of diplomatic immunity and formally communicated this decision to the Embassy of Canada by diplomatic note’.

The ministry said it conducted the necessary checks to ensure the ‘safety and security of all parties involved’ and that Belize will continue to cooperate fully with Canadian authorities to resolve this matter.

‘The Government of Belize reaffirms its zero-tolerance policy toward all forms of gender-based violence,’ it added.

Thea LaFond leapt into the history books Thursday, capturing Dominica’s first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medal with a stunning performance in the women’s triple jump at the 2026 Games.

The Olympic champion soared to 14.60 metres to claim the title, completing her collection of Commonwealth medals after previously earning bronze in 2018 and silver in 2022.

‘It’s everything I’ve worked for,’ LaFond said after the victory. ‘To finally have the full set, bronze, silver and gold, it means the world to represent Dominica on this stage.’

The Dominican star led a Caribbean sweep of the podium, with Jamaica’s Ackelia Smith taking silver and Shantae Foreman earning bronze.

Back home, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit took to Facebook to celebrate the historic achievement.

‘Congratulations to Thea LaFond-Gadson on winning Gold in the Women’s Triple Jump at the 2026 Commonwealth Games,’ Skerrit wrote. ‘Another proud moment for Dominica! Way to go Champ!’

The Dominica Olympic Committee echoed the sentiment, calling the victory ‘another defining moment in Dominican sporting history and a testament to Thea’s consistency, dedication, and world-class talent.’

In a lighthearted moment following her triumph, LaFond joked about her post-competition cravings.

‘I definitely don’t need something from Tunnock’s like tonight,’ she told reporters with a smile. ‘I’m hoping for a caramel bar, one of those caramel chocolate bars.’

When reporters produced one on the spot, she beamed: ‘I love it, perfect accessory!’

The gold medal performance adds to LaFond’s growing legacy, which includes her Olympic title and now a complete set of Commonwealth Games medals: bronze at Gold Coast 2018, silver at Birmingham 2022, and gold in Glasgow 2026.