Category: CANA News

Outgoing British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, says the United Kingdom has joined the Global Biodiversity Alliance (GBA) which aims to mobilise international financing and technical expertise to protect the planet Earth.

‘It feels right that we should join the Global Biodiversity Alliance,’ she said Friday night at a farewell ceremony in her honour, adding ‘this is a very important initiative in slowing down the global biodiversity loss’. Launched in July, 2025, the Guyana-led GBA seeks to mobilise resources in keeping with the provisions and principles of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Guyana estimates that the world invests just US$200 billion per year in nature, but US$700 billion is needed to meet the targets set by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

Miller said that President Irfaan Ali, who was also present at the ceremony, will be travelling to London next week ‘for further discussions’ on the GBA.

‘This is a very important initiative in slowing down the global biodiversity loss,’ she said.

President Ali told the ceremony that the GBA’s five pillars are advancing the global goal of conserving at least 30 per cent of land and oceans by 2030, embedding biodiversity in national and corporate planning through measurable indicators, unlocking innovative finance, including biodiversity credits, green bonds, and debt-for-nature swaps, empowering Indigenous Peoples and local communities-the guardians of nature-and institutionalising monitoring and transparency through the Global Biodiversity Product and the Gross Biodiversity Power Index.

Then UK Foreign Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy, had also added his voice to the need for support in a number of areas to counter biodiversity loss and had congratulated President Ali for launching the GBA and bringing together such a ‘group of powerful advocates for nature in Guyana’.

The National Conference of Actors for New Governance (NCANG) in Haiti has written to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett, seeking the intervention of the 15-member regional grouping in ‘the immediate creation of the mediation and transfer of power committee,’ amid efforts to remove Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime within 30 days.

The NCANG in its January 23 letter to Barnett, a copy of which has been obtained by the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), said that together with several Haitian civil society organizations, they wanted to alert CARICOM ‘of the gravity of the national crisis and the rapid deterioration of the political and social situation’ in the French-speaking member CARICOM state. ‘With the expiration of the mandate of the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) approaching on February 7th, 2026, it has become imperative to establish a Mediation Committee. This committee must serve as an impartial and inclusive framework to initiate negotiations among Haiti’s various stakeholders, with the goal of reaching consensus on the new governmental structure that will replace the CPT,’ the letter noted.

Earlier this month, the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group (EPG) had warned that it is ‘vital that stakeholders, civil society and the people of Haiti reach a consensus before 7 February 2026,’ adding that ‘a failure to do so could lead to unwanted repercussions’

The EPG, comprising the former prime ministers of St. Lucia, Jamaica and the Bahamas, said time is, therefore, of the essence and that it has continued to render its good offices to Haitian stakeholders as they address ‘the myriad political, security and institutional challenges facing Haiti at this time’.

Haiti has been without an elected head of state since July 2021, when President Jovenel Moise was assassinated at his private residence overlooking the capital, Port-au-Prince. Since then criminal gangs have been seeking to overthrow the provisional government and have taken control of a vast section of the capital.

The mandate of the CPT ends on February 7, this year in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement of April 3rd, 2024.

Earlier this week, a resolution for Fils-Aimé’s dismissal had the support of five members of the CPT, before advisor Smith Augustin finally reversed his decision and refused to sign.

In a correspondence addressed to the members of the Council, President Pro temper and Coordinator of the CPT, Laurent Saint-Cyr, said he was opposed to any resolution aimed at calling into question governmental stability ahead of February 7, when the council is provisionally scheduled to step down.

But on Friday, two CPT members, Leslie Voltaire and Edgard Leblanc Fils, told a news conference that they intend to proceed with a plan to remove Prime Minister Fils-Aime within 30 days following established procedures, despite United States warnings that such a move would have consequences.

‘We are the ones who appointed Didier Fils-Aime in November 2024. We are the ones who worked with him for a year, and it is up to us to issue a new decree naming a new prime minister, a new government and a new presidency,’ Voltaire told reporters.

The CPT was appointed in 2024 to oversee a move towards Haiti’s first election in a decade, but this has been repeatedly pushed back due to a collapse in security amid a bloody conflict with powerful, heavily armed gangs.

Prime Minister Fils-Aime, speaking at a police event in Port-au-Prince on Friday, warned that neither ‘criminals wearing ties or criminals wearing flip flops’ would dictate the law and warned that anyone who stood against the police or the state would face a firm response ‘without weakness, without compromise’.

The US Charge d’Affaires, Henry Wooster, who was also at he police event, said it was ‘essential’ that Fils-Aime stay on to safeguard the fight against gangs.

Last Thursday, Washington warned the CPT against making changes to the troubled country’s government .

In a statement posted on X, the U.S. Embassy here wrote that ‘The United States would consider that any person who supports such a destabilizing initiative, which favors the gangs, would be acting against the interests of the United States, the region, and the Haitian people, and will take appropriate measures accordingly.’

On Friday, a US spokesman said that US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, spoke by telephone with Prime Minister Fils-Aime during which he emphasised the importance of the prime minister remaining in his post to ensure stability.

He also insisted on the CPT’s dissolution by the end of its mandate, threatening ‘a steep cost’ for politicians deemed to be corrupt.

But Voltaire told reporters that there would be a ‘pause’ to allow Haiti’s political groups to come up with an acceptable solution for the succession, and that the council would decide on a governance structure if no consensus was reached.

Both Voltaire and Fils dismissed the comments by the United States as disrespectful to the country’s sovereignty.

In their letter to CARICOM, the NCANG said that they ‘respectfully request CARICOM’s active support to ‘encourage the participation of all components of Haitian society, including the diaspora, human rights organizations, and women’s groups, ensure the legitimacy and transparency of the process, so that the decisions are accepted by both the national and international community.

‘The seriousness of the crisis and the short timeframe demand immediate action. Without a strong mediation framework supported by regional partners such as CARICOM, there is a significant risk of escalating tensions and jeopardizing the transition toward renewed governance.

‘We therefore ask you to consider this request with the utmost urgency and to accompany us in this historic process for Haiti’s stability and peace,’ the NCANG wrote in the letter.

Meanwhile, Amos André, president of the National Congress for the New Haiti (CNO-NH), is urging the creation of a joint mediation and transfer of power commission to resolve the current crisis.

In a statement sent to various stakeholders, André said he hopes the stakeholders would accept the invitation and that the proposed commission could be composed of five or seven members.

‘Given the gravity of the situation and the urgency of the moment, we reiterate our appeal to the moral, spiritual, and patriotic forces of the country to commit themselves so that this mediation produces the expected results and that the transfer.

‘We also ask our international partners and friends to assist us in this endeavor so that Haiti may regain security, stability, and the path to collective progress,’ André said.

The United Nations’ top human rights official has raised alarm over what he described as the growing dehumanization of Caribbean and other migrants in the United States, warning that current immigration enforcement practices are undermining due process, family unity and basic human dignity.

High Commissioner Volker Trk on Friday said individuals suspected of being undocumented migrants are being surveilled, arrested and detained – sometimes violently – in locations ranging from hospitals and places of worship to courthouses, schools, markets and private homes.

The UN rights chief said he was ‘astounded by the now-routine abuse and denigration of migrants and refugees.’

He warned that fear generated by such federal operations is rippling through communities, with children missing school and medical appointments, out of concern that their parents may not return.

‘Those who dare to speak up or protest peacefully against heavy-handed immigration raids are vilified and threatened by officials, and on occasion subjected to arbitrary violence themselves,’ Trk said.

He said numerous migration policies now being implemented by US authorities are resulting in arbitrary and unlawful arrests and detentions, as well as flawed removal decisions.

He expressed concern that enforcement actions often lacked sufficient individualized assessments.

The UN said US immigration enforcement is primarily carried out by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a federal agency responsible for identifying, arresting, detaining and removing non-citizens deemed to be in violation of immigration law.

Trk stressed that while national governments have the authority to establish and enforce migration policies, those powers must be exercised in full accordance with the law.

He said failure to respect due process, risks eroding public trust, weakening institutional legitimacy and violating individuals’ rights.

Trk also deplored Washington’s use of large-scale enforcement operations, raising concerns that force has at times appeared unnecessary or disproportionate.

He noted that, January 7, 2026, a woman was fatally shot in Minnesota’s largest city, Minneapolis, during an operation involving federal officers.

‘Under international law, the intentional use of lethal force is only permissible as a measure of last resort against an individual representing an imminent threat to life,’ said Trk, highlighting the human cost of these practices, particularly for families.

He cited cases in which parents were detained or transferred between facilities without adequate information being provided about their whereabouts or access to legal counsel, making it difficult to maintain family contact or pursue legal remedies.

‘I call on the administration to end practices that are tearing apart families,’ said the High Commissioner.

He also called for independent and transparent investigations into a reported rise in the number of deaths in ICE custody.

The UN said at least 30 deaths were reported last year, with six more so far this year.

Trk also expressed deep concern over what he described as ‘dehumanizing narratives’ used by some government officials to portray migrants and refugees.

‘I call on leaders at all levels in the US to halt the use of scapegoating tactics that seek to distract and divide, and which increase the exposure of migrants and refugees to xenophobic hostility and abuse,’ he said.

He also recognized the efforts of a wide range of public officials, community groups and civil society representatives across the US, who are working to uphold dignity, fairness and accountability in the treatment of migrants and their communities.

Trk underscored that US’ history has been ‘shaped profoundly’ by the contributions that migrants, from all parts of the world, have made and continue to make.

‘Demonizing migrants and refugees collectively as criminals, threats, or burdens on society – based on their origin, nationality or migration status – is inhuman, wrong, and it goes against the very fabric and foundations of the nation,’ he warned.

A 69-year-old United States national, who had been reported missing in Guyana, is alive and well.

Retired Registered Nurse, Mary Jones said she had decided to visit Guyana because ‘a lot of things were happening in my country that I wasn’t too happy about and so I thought let me come here and try a new country’.

Jones said that she had been contacted by her property broker informing her of a report on the Demerara Waves Online News and that she immediately contacted the US Embassy’s American Citizen Services where officials asked her to complete documents that allowed them to share her whereabouts.

Jones said she was later referred to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to report that she was alive and that since here arrival here, she has stayed at a number of locations.

‘I’m 69 years old and so I make decisions myself,’ she said, adding that she is awaiting a response from her sister who was informed that she is safe.

The woman said her sister reported her missing, prompting Social Security to stop her payments. However, she said cheques would once again be issued in February.

The Gloucester Police Department in New Jersey when contacted, confirmed that the American Embassy in Guyana had informed them that the woman was alive and well in Guyana.

‘I did call the (Gloucester) Police Department and they told me to call the Police Department in Guyana and record that I’m okay and the Police Department in Guyana forwarded it to them,’ the police spokesman said.

The Demerara Waves Online News had reported on Thursday that Jones did not return to her New Jersey home from a trip to Guyana and was last heard from by family members on October 3, 2025.

In a statement, Gloucester Township Police said officers received the missing person report at on October 28.

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance drew says his administration has taken a policy decision that pregnant Haitian women and children will not be deported from St. Kitts and Nevis.

‘In 2019, under the former administration, Haitians were deported, including pregnant women and a child. We have taken the position that we will never do that,’ Prime Minister Drew told a radio programme.

Drew, who is also the chairman of the 15-member regional integration grouping of which Haiti is a member, said that under his leadership, the twin island Federation has never and will never engage in the dehumanisation or mistreatment of Haitian nationals.

Prime Minister Drew was responding to public questions and concerns regarding the exclusion of Haiti from a recently negotiated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) related to the relocation of third-country nationals.

Several CARICOM countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis, have signed an agreement with the United States government to facilitate third country refugees so as to mitigate scenarios where Washington cannot return these individuals to their state of birth or origin.

The regional governments say, the agreement which is non-binding and is at the complete discretion of the governments, establishes a framework for co-operation and does not trigger any immediate transfer and future engagements. They say the agreement is orderly, transparent and consistent with the laws, policies and national interest of their individual countries.

Prime Minister Drew told the radio audience that his administration’s position must be understood within the broader context of St. Kitts and Nevis’ humanitarian record, particularly when compared to actions taken under the former administration.

He said that since assuming office, his administration has adopted a deliberately humane approach, prioritising the protection of vulnerable individuals and rejecting policies that would place lives at risk.

‘When children and pregnant women arrived here, my decision was clear. Get the pregnant women to the hospital immediately. Get the children checked. We are not deporting them,’ he said.

Prime Minister Drew said the twin island Federation has, per capita, accepted one of the largest Haitian populations in the Caribbean, providing free access to education, healthcare, and social support, often at significant cost to a small state with limited resources.

‘We are very accepting and progressive towards Haitians,’ he said, stressing that Haiti’s exclusion from the specific agreement should not be interpreted as a rejection of the Haitian people, but rather as a reflection of capacity constraints and national security responsibilities.

He reiterated that the government remains fully committed to working through regional and international mechanisms to support Haiti’s long-term stability.

Guyana has signed a GUY$7.2 billion (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents) concessional agreement with Japan to upgrade water treatment infrastructure in Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara.

Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Hugh Todd, and Japanese Ambassador to Guyana, Dr Akima Umezawa, signed the agreement that Todd later described as a powerful milestone, underscoring nearly six decades of a strong and productive relationship between the two states. He said Japan has consistently supported Guyana’s development, with a clear focus on human capital and improving the quality of citizens’ lives and that this approach aligns closely with the government’s people-centred development model.

Todd said that access to reliable water infrastructure is fundamental to building a competitive and resilient economy and that Diamond is a rapidly growing community and emerging hub in Region Four, where expanding populations require upgraded public services.

Todd also highlighted the importance of water to national and global development goals, referencing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Six, which focuses on clean water and sanitation.

‘If we are going to improve the quality of life of every citizen, then water is vital, it is essential for life, and it is universal,’ Todd stated.

Ambassador Umezawa said that access to safe water is a fundamental human need, essential for life and health as a basic human right.

‘This project is aimed at not only creating safer and sustainable drinking water but also enhancing a healthy life environment, which contributes to the development of Guyana,’ he added.

The Belize government says it has launched the 2026-30 National Rural Development Strategy (NRDS) which it says establishes a coordinated, evidence-based framework to advance inclusive, resilient, and sustainable rural transformation across the country.

Minister of Rural Transformation, Oscar Requena, said the strategy serves as a critical roadmap for enhancing livelihoods, expanding economic opportunities, and addressing long standing development challenges facing rural Belize. The Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development and Local Government (MRTCDLG) said that the strategy constitutes a major milestone of a consultancy which it led with support from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and that the development of the NRDS was executed through a comprehensive three-stage process.

The first stage focused on a strategic diagnosis, utilising mixed research methods and over 40 expert interviews to identify 16 structural challenges across social, economic, and environmental dimensions.

This was followed by the second stage, which prioritised participatory design through eight community dialogues across all six districts, ensuring the strategy was informed by the voices of over 190 rural stakeholders.

The process culminated in stage 3, consisting of technical consultations and the final validation of a roadmap that identifies 14 lines of action and 32 flagship initiatives.

The NRDS launch was attended by several government ministers and other stakeholders, including Prime Minister John Briceño, who in his address reaffirmed his government’s strong support for the strategy.

Briceño said that rural development must be closely linked to climate resilience, noting the urgent need for decisive action as climate change continues to impact Belize’s rural communities.

The event was also attended by representatives from Clio Consulting, who provided a technical overview of the strategy’s vision and methodology.

The NRDS 2026-2030 defines a bold 2030 vision centered on four strategic axes: Partnership, Prosperity, People, and Places. By targeting these pillars, the strategy aims to overcome critical constraints currently hindering rural growth, including land insecurity, high financial costs, market failures, and infrastructure gaps in roads and basic services.

‘The framework also integrates two transversal approaches: Inclusion (focusing on Gender, Youth, and Culture) and Climate Change Resilience, ensuring that development remains sustainable and equitable,’ the ministry said in a statement on Friday.

It said the launch provides the ministry and its partners with a structured framework to empower rural communities and ensure they remain at the forefront of Belize’s national development.

Police are invesitigating the cause of an accident that resulted in the deaths of the well-known Spiritual Leader, Andrew Irving, and two other people late Thursday night.

They said the accident occurred along the new Wisroc Public Road in Linden, the capital of the Upper Demerara-Berbice region.

Irving was the front seat passenger of the car that slammed into the back of a parked container truck along the newly built road. The driver of the car and a woman who was in the back seat also died. Their identities have not yet been released.

Venezuela Thursday night launched a campaign designed to mount international pressure regarding the return of President Nicholas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were detained by the United States when it invaded the South American country on January 3 this year.

The Venezuelan Embassy here said that the campaign is being conducted under the hashtag, #Bring Them Back# with Ambassador Carmen Velasquez describing the US invasion as a ‘sad day’ in the history of her country. The Maduros have pleaded not guilty to drug and weapons charges and are due to make another court appearance in a Federal Court in New York in March 17. Maduro insists that he was kidnapped by the United States with President Donald Trump indicating that Washington will ‘run’ the country for for foreseeable future.

‘I would like to thank you for your presence here tonight, so that together in prayer, we can send a strong message for peace and dialogue to prevail in Venezuela, Latin America and the Caribbean. Very importantly, let us pray for the swift and safe return of President Nicholas Maduro and Cilia Flores to Venezuela,’ Velasquez said.

The Venezuelan diplomat said that she was in Caracas on the night of the US military action and was at her home was in the same area and being awaken by the sound of explosions.

She said she her first thought was that the sound came from a fireworks display, but as the explosions continued she looked outside her window to see the explosions and she heard the helicopters overhead.

The Venezuelan diplomat also spoke of seeing drones firing rockets at various targets. Among the audience on Thursday were the Cuban Ambassador, Sergio Martinez, the new Chinese Ambassador Jiang Wei, local diplomats and members of the Venezuelan community in Antigua and Barbuda.

The Cuban diplomat, who addressed the event, thanked his Venezuelan counterpart for organising the event as a mark of respect for those who died ‘defending the sovereignty of Venezuela’.

Martinez described the US military action in Venezuela as ‘a brutal attack’ adding that those who were killed will not be forgotten.

Pastor James Warner of the All Saints Fellowship of Believers offered prayers for Venezuela and its people as the members of the audience lit candles and held them up as a mark of respect for those who sacrificed their lives and for the safe return of the Maduros.

The Embassy said it has opened a Book of Condolences and is inviting members of the public to sign it as a show of solidarity with the people of Venezuela.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) says the value of goods exported from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) grew by an estimated 6.4 per cent in 2025, an improvement over the 4.7 per cent increase recorded in the previous year.

According to the latest edition of the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) report, titled ‘Trade Trends Estimates for Latin America and the Caribbean,’ the expansion was driven by higher export volumes, while prices improved only marginally.

It said that regional exports were boosted mainly by higher sales of metals, especially gold, copper, and silver, and solid performance in the agro-industrial sector, with gains in products such as coffee, cocoa, fruit, and meat.

Several manufacturing sectors also stood out, including data-processing machinery, medical supplies, vehicles, and plastics.

‘Despite the challenging global environment, Latin America and the Caribbean’s recent export performance has shown remarkable resilience,’ said Paolo Giordano, Principal Economist in the IDB’s Productivity, Trade, and Innovation Sector, who coordinated the report.

The analysis identified signs that the region may be entering a phase of sustained trade growth, although the balance of risks remains moderately tilted to the downside, and the outlook continues to be shaped by a highly uncertain environment.

The report notes that countries in the region need to promote reforms and attract investments to improve productivity and make their economies more competitive in international markets. In particular, they need to reduce trade costs and support exports and investments to ensure that international trade remains a major driver of economic growth.

Increases were observed across all subregions, though dynamics varied. In South America and Mesoamerica, the expansion of exports accelerated, driven by faster growth in volumes. In Central America, shipments posted strong growth, but momentum weakened in the second half of the year.

In the Caribbean, aggregate results masked pronounced volatility and significant disparities across countries.

According to the report, the growth in export values for the Bahamas was minus 0.3 per cent this year, down from minus 6.4 per cent, Barbados minus 8.3 per cent last year from minus 1.2 per cent in 2024, Belize minus 8.7 per cent last year from 12.7 per cent, Guyana 18.3 per cent as against 137.6 per cent, Jamaica minus 6.2 per cent last year from minus 6.3 per cent, Suriname 70.4 per cent from minus 40.2 per cent and Trinidad and Tobago 5.6 per cent last year from 3.5 per cent the previous year.

The IDB report said that total imports in Latin America and the Caribbean also gained momentum. External purchases increased by 6.1 per cent in 2025, up from 3.2 per cent in 2024, in line with the rebound in domestic demand and the evolution of world trade, the report estimated.

The report said that prices for the region’s main export commodities followed different paths in 2025. In the agriculture sector, coffee prices rose 49.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2024 (January-November), while soybean prices fell 6.7 per cent year-on-year and sugar prices declined by 17.4 per cent. Gold prices rose by 42.2 per cent year-on-year in the same period, and copper prices averaged a 12.9 per cent increase.

Iron ore prices dropped by 7.8 per cent, while oil prices dropped by 14.3 per cent year-on-year between January and November.

The IDB report said that exports continued to expand in the Caribbean, but at a more moderate pace: the 41.2 per cent expansion of 2024 gave way to a 14.6 per cent rise in 2025. This growth was highly volatile and concentrated in a few countries.