Category: CANA News

A senior Caribbean Community (CARICOM) official has positioned deeper regional integration as a strategic response to an increasingly fragmented and uncertain global trade environment, as global rules-based systems weaken and economic nationalism intensifies.

Ambassador Wayne McCook, Assistant Secretary-General, CARICOM Single Market and Trade, was a panelist discussing Prospects for International Trade in 2026 in the Context of the Changing Global Geopolitical and Economic Landscape – Impact on Trade and the Challenges and Opportunities for the Caribbean and Latin America.

The discussion was held on Wednesday, at the World Trade Centre here.

Contextualising the region’s position, McCook said: ‘For our Region, the scars of the immediate past are visible. The devastating passage of Hurricane Melissa encapsulated the dual challenge we face: the existential threat of climate change and the inherent economic vulnerabilities of our CARICOM Member States. Simultaneously, we have navigated dramatic shifts in global trade, driven largely by an intensified ‘America First’ trade policy that has significantly impacted our exports, value chains and supply chains through a suite of unprecedented tariff measures.’

Against the background of what he described as ‘a truly tumultuous 2025’ for international and regional trade, he highlighted CARICOM’s ‘oneness’ and its resilience to navigate the ‘choppy waters’ of the 21st century.

McCook warned that the erosion of multilateral trade norms is no longer theoretical, but already affecting investment, supply chains, and growth prospects worldwide.

According to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), global foreign direct investment fell by 11 per cent in 2024, marking a second consecutive year of decline, with further weakness expected in 2026. Global trade growth has slowed dramatically, falling below one per cent in 2025, even as uncertainty and geopolitical rivalry reshape supply chains.

Despite these headwinds, CARICOM’s trade performance has shown resilience. Between 2023 and 2024, CARICOM exports grew by 32 per cent to US$34.7B, with exports to the United States increasing by 86 per cent. However, recent data reveals uneven impacts across Member States.

The Assistant Secretary-General pointed to the recent steps toward full free movement of people by Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines as tangible progress toward a more integrated Community.

‘Fundamentally, CARICOM integration should be seen as a strategic response to a shifting global order,’ he emphasised.

Addressing prospects for international trade in 2026, he advanced a multi-pronged strategy focused on strengthening intra-regional trade, strengthening existing relationships while diversifying global partnerships beyond traditional allies, and deepening economic integration. Central to this approach is the CARICOM Industrial Policy and Strategy (CIPS), and the 25×25+5 food security agenda aimed at reducing food import dependence and boosting regional production.

Within the next two months the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) will make a decision as to whether Dwight Yorke will stay on as head coach of the men’s senior team.

This was revealed by Director of Media Communications at the TTFA, Shaun Fuentes, who said both parties had been in discussions on the way forward.

Yorke was hired in November 2024 and given the mandate to help T and T qualify for the 2026 World Cup. However, he failed to meet those lofty expectations with T and T crashing out in the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers.

Speculations have been swirling since T and T’ the end of the campaign, with many suggesting that the 54-year-old Yorke would be sacked. However, in an interview on Isports on i95.5 FM on Thursday, Fuentes said a head coach would have to be in place in the next few months.

‘Clearly it has to come before the window in March.I know there has been some level of dialogue between the TTFA and Dwight in terms of the next steps. The president did come out on Boxing Day and say that he had all intention of hopefully continuing this programme with Dwight’s involvement, but it is left to be seen what can be facilitated.

‘We have to be honest about it. This is not a World Cup cycle for the next two years and there are going to be some changes that may need to be made, but anyone who knows how football occurs at the elite level, at that FIFA level; if you want to stay in the top 100 or you want to be in the top 50, there has to be a level of some maintenance across the board,’ Fuentes said.

‘Obviously Nations League will take place this year around September. We have the FIFA series and then we obviously we will try to hope to get a couple friendlies around the World Cup period because teams are always looking for opposition, but we need to start focusing from now if it is we really want to give ourselves a chance of qualifying for another World Cup.’

Fuentes maintained that money would be a deciding factor on whether Yorke stayed on.

He said the TTFA needed to source additional sponsorship which would allow it to invest heavily in the team.

‘It has to be one of the biggest concerns and not just for Dwight and his staff. We’re talking about having proper training camps, flying players in from different parts of the world, being able to pay players a decent match wage, being able to host them in proper hotels and of course run the other national teams, so it really is a bit of a strain on the TTFA now.

‘The hope would have been that qualifying for the World Cup would have taken care of a lot of these bills and where we faltered there now, we have to revisit our discussions with corporate T and T,’ Fuentes said.

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Friday, January 30, 2026.

UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations Security Council has extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) for one year to 31 January 2027, even as it condemned Haitian authorities Thursday for the lack of progress in achieving a political transition.

PORT OF SPAIN – Independent legislator, Senior Counsel Sophia Chote, Friday described as ‘draconian’ the failed Law Reform (Zones of Special Operations) (ZOSO) Bill in the Senate earlier this week, denying also making any approach to a senior government legislator for personal favours in exchange for supporting the measure.

KINGSTOWN – Some reinstated public sector workers are accusing the government of Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday of reneging on a promise to provide a bonus to them as had been outlined during the campaign for the November 27 general elections last year.

PARAMARIBO – Health Minister André Misiekaba is urging the population to take precaution after the country recorded one death and 134 cases of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus outbreak.

BELMOPAN- Prime Minister John Briceño says Belize is looking to deepen cooperation with Guyana in agriculture, tourism, and education as it the country hosts President Irfaan Ali over the weekend.

SPORTS:

HARARE – West Indies were officially eliminated from semifinal contention at the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup after Sri Lanka defeated South Africa in their Super Six, Group 1 encounter on Thursday.

ExxonMobil Friday said its operations in Guyana continue to deliver results never before seen in its industry and have set new standards for operational excellence.

The US-oil and energy giant said gross production reached roughly 875,000 barrels daily in the fourth quarter, with first four floating production storage and offloading units producing 100,000 barrels per day above investment basis.

‘Our most recent project, Yellowtail, came online ahead of schedule, raising gross production in the fourth quarter to roughly 875,000 barrels per day. Altogether, our first four FPSOs are now producing 100,000 barrels a day above the investment basis, reflecting operational performance to date and the value of this advantaged asset,’ ExxonMobil chairman and chief executive officer, Darren Woods told the company’s 2025 fourth quarter earnings call.

Woods said the company had the technological capabilities needed to extract Venezuela’s high-cost heavy crude, but made no new commitments to evaluate reentering the Central American country where the United States earlier this month toppled its leader, Nicolas Maduro, and charged with him drug related charges in a New York federal court.

Following the invasion, President Donald Trump has urged US companies to invest in the country so as to revive the oil industry.

Woods said ExxonMobil is considering exploration in the Stabroek Block nearer the border with Venezuela if there would be less military presence there.

‘Obviously, with the developments in Venezuela, perhaps we’ll see an opportunity to, with less naval patrols, that’ll make it a little more friendly environment. So we’ll see how that goes, but we’ve got plenty of work ahead of us here,’ said Woods, who had earlier said that the company had recovered ‘a substantial amount’ of the money it was owed after its Venezuelan assets were nationalized in 2007.

The Venezuelan navy had over the years chased out two seismic research vessels from Atlantic waters off the Essequibo Region. The first occurred in 2013 when the MV Teknik Perdana was detained while doing work in the Roraima Block for the United States-based Anadarko Petroleum. This was followed by a similar incident in 2018 involving the MV Ramform Tethys vessel, which belongs to Norwegian company Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS), that was doing work for ExxonMobil.

Responding to a question from a representative of the investment banking company, Morgan Stanley, Woods said despite the force majeure- suspension of activities because of security risks- he was very hopeful of being able to begin work there.

He also indicated that ExxonMobil was preparing its plans to eventually explore for hydrocarbons in that area.

‘In the short term and in the longer term, we’ll get into that additional acreage and see what the opportunity looks like. We’re pretty optimistic. I think one of the advantages of force majeure is it pauses the clock, and so we will have an opportunity to do what we need to do in that portion of the block when it’s available to us,’ Woods said.

‘We still think there’s opportunity in that space to explore in the block that we can currently access,’ he added.

Looking ahead, he described the eventual ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award that settled the land boundary between Guyana and Venezuela as a ‘critical milestone’ for deciding on the company’s future work in the Stabroek Block off the Essequibo Region.

‘The portion of the block that’s under force majeure as a result of the border dispute remains there, and I think, from my perspective, one of the unlocks with respect to that region will be the ruling that comes out of the International Court of Justice, that’s the process that Guyana has been going through with Venezuela to align on the border, to resolve the border dispute,’ he said.

With the exploration licence for the Stabroek Block scheduled to expire in late 2027, Woods said the company was studying its seismic data and learning from the development wells to identify additional targets and drill.

He said the company would have to relinquish ‘pieces’ of the Stabroek Block based on a very well-inform understanding of the geology and the opportunity sets.

During the 2025 fourth quarter earnings call, Woods said that 2025 was a year of exceptional execution and technology-driven differentiation for the oil and energy giant.

‘ We continue to deliver strong safety and reliability performance, reflecting the commitment and operating discipline of our workforce. We’ve already achieved our 2030 emission reduction plans for GHG emissions and flaring intensity.

‘As of 2025, we’ve reduced our corporate GHG (green house gasses) intensity by more than 20%, reduced upstream GHG intensity by more than 40 per cent, and reduced corporate flaring intensity by more than 60 per cent. We expect to reach our 2030 methane intensity reductions by the end of this year.’

Woods said that the fourth quarter and full-year 2025 financial results reaffirm that the company’s transformation is driving improved earnings power across a broad range of metrics.

‘Over the past five years, our annualized shareholder return of 29 per cent has led the industry, supported by US$150 billion of distributions to shareholders during that period. ‘Earnings, cash flow, and return on capital employed remain among the strongest in the sector, with higher upstream earnings per barrel and structurally higher returns,’ he added.

The Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) advisor in Neglected Infectious Disease, Ana Lucianez Perez, says several countries in the Americas, including the Caribbean, are making important progress in addressing leprosy in the region.

She said Chile, Uruguay, most of Central America, and parts of the Caribbean are reporting none or low numbers of new cases and moving closer to elimination milestones.

Ana Lucianez Perez

‘PAHO and its partners have focused on strengthening early diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance, while also addressing stigma, preventing disability, and reaching Indigenous and other marginalized populations,’ Perez said, as the region joins the international community in observing World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day 2026

But she said that while there has been progress, Brazil continues to face a significant burden, reporting more than 100 new cases each year and accounts for over 90 per cent of cases in the Americas.

‘This underscores the need to sustain efforts, improve data quality, and focus interventions where they are most needed,’ she said.

The PAHO official said that one of the biggest challenges confronting ministries of health in colleccting and managing high quality data on NTDs, is that the diseases mostly affect people living in remote, rural, or underserved areas, where health services and trained personnel are limited.

‘Simply reaching these communities can be logistically complex and expensive.

On top of that, access to diagnostics is often limited, surveillance systems may be weak, and data collection can be fragmented.

‘All of this leads to underreporting. And when the data aren’t reliable, the true burden of disease stays hidden, making it harder to advocate for the funding and human resources that are really needed.’

PAHO said that every January 30, the world marks NTD providing a moment to shine a light on a group of preventable and treatable diseases that continue to affect millions of people, particularly those living in conditions of poverty and with limited access to health services.

PAHO estimates that more than 200 million people in the Region of the Americas are affected by one or more NTDs, including Chagas disease, leprosy, leishmaniasis, trachoma, schistosomiasis, and others that disproportionately impact vulnerable and underserved populations.

It said that these diseases usually carry a heavy health, social, and economic burden, and often cause lifelong disability, stigma, and hardship.

Perez said Improving surveillance and data quality has been central to the most effective approaches to preventing and eventually eliminating NTD in several countries.

‘For example, better monitoring has played a key role in eliminating lymphatic filariasis in parts of the Americas over the past decade. Strong surveillance allows countries to document when transmission has been interrupted, guide mass drug administration, and meet the requirements for verification.

‘Ultimately, this is what enables countries to receive WHO validation for eliminating a disease as a public health problem, meaning the country has reduced transmission to a level where the disease no longer poses a major public health threat.’

She said in recent years, NTDs have gained greater visibility due to various strategies, such as PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative, which aims to eliminate more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions by 2030, including twelve from the NTD group. ‘This regional push has helped prioritise resources, align national plans, and accelerate progress toward elimination goals for diseases like trachoma, onchocerciasis, human rabies transmitted by dogs, and several others.’

Asked why NTDs less visible in public health systems and public policy decisions, the PAHO official said that NTDs often cause chronic illness, long-term disability, and stigma rather than immediate death.

‘Because of that, they don’t always attract the same attention as more acute or high-profile diseases. Take leprosy, for example. If it isn’t diagnosed and treated early, it can lead to lifelong physical impairments and social exclusion.

‘These impacts are devastating for individuals and communities, but they’re not always captured by traditional health indicators, which contributes to NTDs being overlooked in policy discussions.’

Jamaica’s world champion hurdler Danielle Williams will lead a seven-member contingent to compete at Sunday’s 118th Millrose Games-World Athletics Continental Indoor Tour Gold event at the Nike Track and Field Center in New York City.

Williams, the world leader in the 60m hurdles this year, is unbeaten over three races so far this season and ran 7.87 seconds at the New Balance indoor meeting in Boston last weekend. Her compatriots, Olympic Games bronze medallist Megan Simmonds and Oneka Wilson will also line up in the race.

Sprinter Ackeem Blake, who also won at the New Balance meet, is set to contest the men’s 60m along with 200m specialist Bryan Levell.

Kemba Nelson is also down to contest the women’s 60m, while Natoya Goule-Toppin will race over the women’s 1000m as well.

The leader of the political party, Patriotic Front, Mickela Panday is calling on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to either name the Independent Senators she accused of seeking personal favours in exchange for legislative support, or withdraw the allegation entirely.

Mickela Panday

Panday said the Prime Minister’s comments, made in a social media post following the defeat of the Law Reform (Zones of Special Operations) Bill, amount to a serious accusation of corruption that cannot be left vague or unresolved.

In her post, Persad-Bissessar claimed, ‘During the debate, two of the President’s Senators approached a senior Government Senator seeking personal favours in exchange for support and for securing the remaining votes needed for passage. Those requests were rejected. From that moment, it was clear the Bill would not pass. They know who they are. They must live with that shame.’

The Prime Minister also added, ‘My Government will not buy votes. This is why I warn about the fake ‘eat-a-food’ elite. They do not care about decent, hardworking citizens, only self-interest and privilege.’

In response, Panday said the remarks go far beyond political rhetoric and strike at the integrity of Parliament.

‘These are not casual remarks. They are a direct allegation that Independent Senators attempted to trade personal favours for legislative support,’ Panday said.

The Patriotic Front leader added, ‘That is a serious claim and one that cannot responsibly be left vague. If the Prime Minister is asserting that public officials sought inducements in exchange for votes, then she must explain precisely what was requested and name those involved so the matter can be properly assessed by the relevant authorities.’

According to Panday, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, corruptly soliciting a gift, loan, fee or advantage as an inducement for a public officer to act, or refrain from acting, is a criminal offence.

‘In Trinidad and Tobago, this is not a matter for insinuation or public shaming without accountability,’ she said. ‘It applies to agents of the State and public bodies and carries penalties including significant fines and imprisonment.’

She added that if the Prime Minister has evidence, it must be placed before the relevant authorities rather than remaining in the realm of social media commentary.

‘If evidence exists, it must be presented. If individuals are involved, they must be identified. If a crime is alleged, it must be investigated,’ Panday said.

‘Until the Prime Minister provides specifics of what was requested, by whom and when, this allegation remains unresolved and deeply troubling. Claims of corruption cannot live in social media posts. They belong in the light of accountability, evidence and the rule of law.’

Panday said the country is now awaiting disclosure or clarification from the Prime Minister.

‘Name them or withdraw the allegation,’ she added

If proven, any attempt by a senator to seek personal favours in exchange for a vote could breach several laws in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has hailed its former president, Dr William Warren Smith as a ‘distinguished Caribbean citizen, development practitioner and proud son of Jamaica’ following his death on Friday. He was 72 years-old.

Smith served as the fifth president of the region’s premier financial institution, from May 1, 2011 to April 30, 2021, following his election in October 2010 and re-election for a second term in 2015.

Smith first joined CDB in 1985 and was seconded by the bank in 1987 to set up the corporate planning function at the regional airline, LIAT (1974) Limited. He subsequently served as the airline’s chief executive officer, before returning to CDB in 1998. The cause of his death has not been made public.

Dr. William Warren Smith (CMC Photo)

The CDB said that during his decade at the helm, he guided the institution and its Borrowing Member Countries (BMC) through an era marked by profound global and regional shocks, including two major global crises that heavily impacted the Caribbean.

‘Dr. Smith was a mentor and a guide to me at many critical junctures during my career. He devoted his life’s work to the proposition that Caribbean people deserve strong, modern institutions that are fully on their side,’ said CDB President, Daniel M. Best in a statement.

He said when Smith assumed office as CDB president n 2011, he guided the institution through some of its most challenging moments ‘with steadiness, resolve, and an unwavering belief in what the Bank could and should represent for the region.

‘He demanded excellence from those around him because he believed deeply in our collective responsibility to serve the Caribbean with integrity, rigour, and purpose. His legacy lives on in the institution he helped strengthen, the people he shaped, and the development path he helped chart for our region,’ Best added.

He said the Caribbean has lost a ‘giant of the development movement.

‘However, the work he began is now ours to carry forward as we strengthen the institution he helped shape and advance the Caribbean future he believed in so deeply,’ Beat said as he extended ‘deepest condolences to his wife and family, his friends and former colleagues’.

The CDB said the Jamaican born Smith had also championed good governance, sound economic management and strong regional institutions as foundations for inclusive development. It said colleagues across the Bank remember him as a thoughtful, principled leader whose decisions were always anchored in his deep commitment to the people of the Caribbean.

‘Under Dr. Smith’s stewardship, CDB strengthened its role as a trusted partner for the region, mobilising resources to support sustainable growth, resilience building and social and economic transformations across its member countries.

‘His leadership placed renewed emphasis on climate resilience, disaster risk management and innovative development financing, working with partners to design instruments that helped Caribbean states respond to and recover from natural hazards and external shocks,’ the CDB added.

Smith received a degree in Economics from Cornell University in 1974 and then went on to acquire a Master’s in Agricultural Economics. In 1985, he completed a PhD in Resource Economics and Public Policy.

In 2016, Smith was appointed to the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Commander in Jamaica and received the honour for distinguished public service and for service to the Caribbean in the field of finance.

The Caribbean Development Bank will, in the coming days, work with Smith’s family to share further information on arrangements to celebrate and honour his life and contribution. A condolence book will be available for signing at the Bank’s head office from Monday.

Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, has defended the integrity of the recently opened Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge (BJDRB) after a truck, driven by an unlicensed driver was involved in a fatal accident on Thursday.

Edghill, who has since expressed condolences to the family of the man who died as well as those injured a result of the accident, said that a full investigation is underway.

A section of the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge

The accident occurred during the morning hours when a truck, reportedly experiencing a sudden loss of power and brakes while crossing the bridge, began rolling backwards uncontrollably into vehicles behind.

Edghill said a team of three engineers and a senior mechanic had been sent to the area to inspect the truck and determine the cause of the accident.

‘They will write a report that will be signed, and it will become official evidence, but it is clear that the truck was defective,’ Edghill said, adding that the truck driver was unlicensed.

He said that the extent of the damage to the river crossing will be assessed and that in addition to the criminal and court proceedings to be initiated by the police, the owner and operator of the truck will be held responsible for covering the cost of the damages.

Edghill noted that ‘damage to public property will not go unnoticed, we’ve been saying that if you damage public property, you have to pay,’ insisting that the bridge itself was not at fault for the accident.

Edghill is urging drivers to exercise extreme caution when operating their vehicles and to ensure they are properly licensed.

The Ministry for the Status of Women Friday has condemned the murder of a 19-year-old university student, whose body was found at a clinic in Pétion-ville, a commune and a suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince, on Monday.

In a statement, the said at its request, the Government Commissioner has since taken over the case of Neissa Tima, a financial management student at Quisqueya University.

According to her parents, injuries were visible on her body, and the clinic indicated she had died before arriving.

The Ministry for the Status of Women said that an autopsy has been ordered, and a travel ban has been issued, regarded as an essential measure to ensure the availability of those involved and to preserve the integrity of the