Category: CANA News

The ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) says it is opposed to the leader of the main opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Azruddin Mohamed, being elected as opposition leader in the Guyana parliament.

Speaker Manzoor Nadir, said a meeting will be held on Monday next week to decide on the matter and Mohamed, whose party won the second highest number of seats following the September 1 regional and general elections last year, is highly tipped to be elected as opposition leader.

But speaking on his weekly ‘Issues in the News’ programme on Tuesday night, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall told viewers that the ruling party is opposed to Mohamed being elected to the post because he is wanted in the United States on fraud and other related charges.

‘The party of Cheddi Jagan is proud to say that it has opposed and it stands in opposition to such a person being elevated to that high post,’ Nandlall said.

‘It is an indictment on our country, an indictment on the English-speaking Caribbean, for a US-sanctioned person, a fugitive offender, a person indicted by a jury in the United States of America for a number of international financial crimes, and whose extradition is being sought, to possibly become the Leader of the Opposition of our country,’ he said.

Nandlall such a development would also be an indictment on Guyana’s parliamentary system, the Constitution, and potentially the wider Commonwealth.

‘We are making history for all the wrong reasons,’ Nandlall added.

Mohammed, along with his billionaire businessman father, Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohamed, were sanctioned by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for allegedly smuggling more than 10,000 kilogrammes of gold worth more than US$50 million and in the process failing to pay the relevant taxes to the Guyana government.

Last October, a US Federal Grand Jury unsealed a 11-count indictment on the Mohameds for alleged wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering. Subsequently, the US requested his extradition to face trial for those alleged crimes.

Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman has set February 5 for the continuation of extradition committal hearings. The Mohameds are also challenging the validity of the extradition request in two separate civil cases in the High Court.

Nandlall said that the post Opposition Leader is the ‘alternative president of the country’ and that he is confident that the ruling party would be ‘absolved by history’ in its position regarding Mohamed.

‘Those who will vote to support him, they will be judged for their position. History will record whom they supported and the role they played. in placing such a person in that high constitutional office,’ the Attorney General said in reference to Monday’s vote.

In announcing the date for the election of the opposition leader, Nadir in a broadcast on the state-owned and government controlled National Communications Network (NCN) on Tuesday night said ‘if opposition members of parliament feel it morally right to elect an international fugitive, then the stain on our parliament and our country rests solely with them’.

Earlier this week, the leader of the minority opposition, Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), Amanza Walton-Desir, had threatened to boycott next Monday’s 2026 national budget presentation to Parliament if an opposition leader is not selected by that time.

Jamaica has launch a sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) feasibility study aimed at reducing carbon emissions and strengthening climate resilience in the sector.

The study, managed by UK International Climate Finance, will deliver the first structured, evidence-based assessment of Jamaica’s SAF potential. It will examine available feedstocks, existing energy and fuel infrastructure, aviation demand, export prospects, and the wider policy, regulatory and investment environment, while also addressing challenges of scale, cost and competitiveness.

Energy, Transport and Telecommunications Minister, Daryl Vaz, speaking at the official at the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) headquarters, said that the initiative marks the beginning of a national conversation on clean energy, Jamaica’s role in global aviation, and long-term climate resilience.

He noted that the study aligns with the government’s national development priorities, particularly supporting the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy and the development of a modern, high-performing transport and logistics ecosystem powered by clean energy.

Vaz said that climate action is not optional for Jamaica, particularly as a small island developing state vulnerable to climate change, citing the impacts of Hurricanes Beryl in 2024 and Melissa last year as stark reminders of the country’s exposure to climate risk.

He further noted that SAFs have the capacity to reduce lifecycle carbon emissions from aviation by up to 80 per cent.

‘The focus on sustainable aviation fuels and other clean energy solutions is, therefore, timely and strategic,’ Vaz said, noting that Jamaica must move decisively through policy alignment, targeted investments, and strategic partnerships.

He said that sustainable aviation fuels can be produced from renewable and waste-based materials, including used cooking oil, agricultural by-products and other sustainable feedstocks, and can be utilised in existing aircraft and airport systems without modification.

Vaz said SAFs present opportunities for job creation, new green value chains, investment in agriculture and waste-to-energy initiatives, improved energy security, and enhanced climate resilience.

He said that the findings of the study will, therefore, inform national decision-making, unlock investment opportunities, and position Jamaica to benefit from emerging global carbon and clean-energy markets.

JCAA acting Director General, Nicole Morgan, said that the launch represents more than the beginning of a technical exercise, describing it as a strategic moment of collaboration and inquiry.

‘(This) initiative. reflects both an urgency of our global climate responsibilities and the opportunity before us as a nation,’ she said, adding that from the JCAA’s perspective, the feasibility study is a natural extension of its role – not only as a regulator but also as a facilitator and advocate for safe, efficient, and forward-looking aviation

Jamaica Women defeated Trinidad and Tobago Women by three wickets under the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern method in the 13th match of the T20 Blaze here at the Arnos Vale Playing Field on Wednesday.

Scores

T and T WOMEN 76-8 in 17 overs (Djenaba Joseph 27; Stafanie Taylor 3-9, Vanessa Watts 2-13, Neisha-Ann Waisome 2-19).

JAMAICA WOMEN 79-7 in 15.2 overs (Chedean Nation 24, Stafanie Taylor 21, Abigail Bryce 12; Brianna Harricharan 3-17, Karishma Ramharack 2-13).

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Private Sector Organization (CPSO) says exports from the Africa Union to CARICOM could surpass one billion US dollar.

The CPSO has unveiled the result of a new study, which it says signals a major opportunity to rewire CARICOM import supply chains.

Antigua and Barbuda Foreign Affairs, Trade and Barbuda Affairs Minister, E.P. Chet Greene, highlighted the findings of the CPSO study at the opening of the AfriCaribbean Private Sector Webinar Series, titled ‘Unlocking AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment: Opportunities, Ecosystems and Private Sector Leadership’.

The webinar is the first in a four-part series designed to unlock concrete trade, investment, and business-to-business opportunities between the Africa Union and CARICOM. It is jointly organized by the International Trade Centre (ITC), the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the CPSO and the Africa Business Council (AfBC).

The virtual forum brought together government ministers, development institutions and over 200 business leaders and private sector firms from across Africa and the Caribbean, to explore pathways for expanding commercial ties between the two regions.

Greene, delivering the feature address at the webinar, said that the CPSO study, titled ”Africa Union-CARICOM Trade in Goods: Scope and Potential’, underscored that a shifting global trade environment has made stronger Africa Union-CARICOM economic relations an urgent necessity.

He said that rising protectionism, geopolitical uncertainty, and supply-chain disruptions are placing increasing pressure on CARICOM economies, where micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) account for the vast majority of businesses.

Greene said that strengthening Africa-CARICOM commercial ties is a strategic imperative, noting that successive Africa-CARICOM summits and the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) have established an important political foundation.

But he noted however, that the next phase must be driven by business.

‘Political leadership establishes the framework, but it is businesses that drive innovation, generate trade volumes, mobilize investment, and create employment,’ Greene said, adding ‘if AfriCaribbean integration is to succeed in practical terms, it must now be carried forward by the private sector’.

Citing the results of research conducted by the CPSO, Greene highlighted data showing that the Africa Union has the capacity to supply a wide range of goods competitively. The analysis indicates that deeper sourcing from the Africa Union could strengthen supply-chain resilience and reduce the Region’s vulnerability to external policy shocks.

Greene noted persistent constraints to expanding trade, including limited transport connectivity, high logistics costs, and fragmented payment systems, issuing a call for innovative approaches to financing, shipping and digital payments to unlock the full potential of the partnership.

CPSO chief executive officer and technical director, Dr. Patrick Antoine, presented findings from the recent CPSO Study, which identified up to US$1.6 billion in potential competitive opportunities for Africa Union exports to CARICOM.

The analysis also demonstrated that at least 13 Africa Union countries are each capable of supplying more than US$58 million in non-mineral fuel imports at prices typically averaging 60 per cent of current benchmarks.

Importantly, across the 579 product lines identified as competitively priced, the CPSO study found that for most products there are typically four Africa Union countries from which CARICOM can source imports at competitive prices, underscoring both the depth and diversity of available supply options.

Antoine also spoke of the importance of proactive private sector engagement, warning that shifting global policies in major markets require CARICOM firms to seek new commercial pathways and diversify trade relationships.

‘At moments like these, the role of the private sector becomes even more vital. We must be prepared to respond with agility and seize opportunities wherever they eme.

‘We in the CARICOM Private Sector have no option but to explore and execute on opportunities to navigate this ‘collective turbulence’. We in the CARICOM Private Sector choose not to whither; we choose not to retreat. Instead, we choose to engage, and to keep on engaging.

‘We choose to relentlessly confront the persistent challenges: challenges of ‘affordability’, trade concentration, and surmounting the inefficiencies of scale and size, with cooperation, integration and a laser sharp focus on ‘doing business’.’

CPSO member and chief executive officer of Goddard Enterprises Limited, Anthony Ali, shared with the audience practical lessons from his company’s direct engagement with Africa Union markets.

Ali acknowledged tat while there are challenges, substantial opportunities exist for local production partnerships in order to establish CARICOM brands in Africa, and Africa brands in CARICOM.

Ali said that successful entry into the markets in the Africa Union requires flexible models such as local production partnerships, licensing arrangements, and stronger institutional support to address financing and logistics gaps.

The forum was also addressed by Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre; Okechukwu Ihejirika, Chief Operating Officer of Afreximbank’s Caribbean Office; and Dr. Amany Asfour, President of the Africa Business Council.

They all underscored the need for stronger business-to-business linkages and data-driven collaboration.

West Indies elected to field after winning the toss against Afghanistan in the second T2oI here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

West Indies have made two changes with Ramon Simmonds and Alick Athanaze replacing Jayden Seales and Amir Jangoo, while for Afghanistan Fazalhaq Farooqi is in for Ziaur Rahman Sharifi

WEST INDIES: Brandon King (captain), Johnson Charles, Evin Lewis, Alick Athanaze, Shimron Hetmyer, Quentin Sampson, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Khary Pierre, Ramon Simmonds.

AFGHANISTAN: Rashid Khan (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Umpires: Ahmad Shah Pakteen, Muhammad Sabir.

TV Umpire: Izatullah Safi.

Reserve Umpire: Akbar Ali.

Match Referee: Hamimullah Hamid.

The Antigua and Barbuda government has again defended the decision to recruit health workers from Ghana, saying that it is an attempt to deal with a serious problem within the health sector.

‘As you can appreciate, if you have nurses who are overworked or burnt out, then this compromises patient care. We now have an opportunity to fix this issue and I want to thank the permanent secretary and the technical team for the valuable input they gave to this exercise,’ said Health Minister Sir Molwyn Joseph.

Sir Molwyn, flanked by top officials of the ministry, told a news conference that Antigua and Barbuda has always had a challenge with providing the adequate number of nurses to man the country’s health care system.

He said the situation has led to public comments indicating that nurses are overworked, burnt out and who face other challenges and that the decision to recruit nurses from Ghana is an attempt to address this serious problem.

Last week, the Gaston Browne government said it had agreed to contract over 100 nurses from Ghana, but insisted that it has not formally ended the programme where it has recruited health professionals from Cuba to work within the country’s healthcare system.

The United States has stepped up its call for Caribbean countries to end the health programme with Cuba, saying Washington ‘stands with those affected and continues to work for an end to the Cuban regime’s exploitative labour practices’.

A statement issued following the weekly Cabinet meeting said the government welcomes ‘the arrival of one hundred and twenty (120) nurses from the Republic of Ghana expected over the weekend of January 23, 2026, who will serve within the public healthcare system of Antigua and Barbuda.

‘Minister of Health, Sir Molwyn Joseph, announced that these nurses will be deployed primarily at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, as well as within community health clinics and schools, thereby enhancing both hospital-based and community-level healthcare delivery,’ the Cabinet statement added.

The Health Minister told the news conference that recruiting the nurses was the government’s way to solve a critical issue in the healthcare system and that he has no doubt that when the full complement of nurses is deployed in the system, then at all concerns regarding this valuable component of the system will be addressed.

The healthcare system requires 400 nurses to be considered sufficient to meet the demands. Currently, there are 260 local nurses, 33 Cubans with 120 Ghanaians due this month,

Permanent Secretary for Health, Stacey Gregg-Paige, who headed the team that traveled to Ghana to interview the prospective nurses, tld the news conference that the recruitment was done in collaboration with the Ministry of Ghana and that the recruitment is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding as well as a Service Agreement.

‘Both instruments were comprehensively reviewed and vetted by the Ministry of Legal Affairs, confirmed to be consistent with Antigua and Barbuda’s legal, regulatory, and policy framework, and formally accepted by the Government of Ghana.

‘Accordingly, this initiative is lawful, transparent, and structured, and operates fully within established public service, regulatory, and immigration requirements,’ she said.

Gregg-Paige said the recruitment mission was conducted in Accra from September 16-22 last year under the Ghana Labour Exchange Programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Special Initiatives, Office of the President.

She said 190 applications were received 32 were rejected due to incomplete documentation or ineligibility, 158 candidates were interviewed using a structured, competency-based process and 127 candidates were accepted as the most suitable to be vetted by the Antigua and Barbuda Nursing Council.

The Medical Director for the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, Dr. Shivon Belle-Jarvis, said a three-week programme of orientation has been planned for the nurses.

‘It’s important to understand that anyone going into a system has to go through an onboarding process whether you are coming from within the local system or from abroad.’

The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) says it has detained a vessel operated by the BOSAI Bauxite Company after the wake generated by the vessel caused damage to several small passenger boats. In a statement, the MARAD said that the boat, Motor Vessel BG Faith IMO 1061661, was operating on Monday between Georgetown and the BOSAI Bauxite Company’s wharf at Linden, a river port on the Demerara River in the northeast, known as the nation’s bauxite mining heartland, when the incident occurred.

It said that while no casualties or injuries have been reported, ‘the wake generated by the vessel caused damage to several small passenger boats operating in the area’.

MARAD said it has since launched an investigation into the incident ‘and will engage all stakeholders involved, with the view to having all damages remedied.

‘The vessel is currently moored alongside the Bosai wharf, where it is currently being detained,’ MARAD added.

Bosai Minerals Group Co., Ltd.(Bosai Group) has total assets exceeding US$3.5 billion, the sales revenue exceeded eight billion US dollars in 2024.

The French-based group has a network of over 10 large manufacturing subsidiaries and trading branches in China, Guyana and Germany.

St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew is due to arrive in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Tuesday for talks with the new Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday. Drew, who is also the chairman of the 15-member regional integration grouping, CARICOM, said he will be accompanied b officials from the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat.

The high-level meeting involves discussions with Prime Minister Friday along with his cabinet members and the primary objective of the meeting is to address regional interests and strengthen the cooperative bond between the two Caribbean countries.

St. Kitts and Nevis will host the next CARICOM summit February 24-27.

CARIBBEAN-CLIMATE-CANARI chairman urges Caribbean to ‘shock-proof’ climate justice strategiesThe event is being held under the theme ‘Towards climate justice in the Caribbean: building understanding and catalysing partnerships and finance,’ and will discuss issues including climate justice as a development, human rights and resilience priority for the region.

Springer said that the discussions were taking place against the backdrop of what he described as ‘truly seismic geopolitical upheaval’ which threatens to marginalise small states within the global multilateral system.

Springer said that the multilateral system is disappearing with ‘amazing speed’ and that while imperfect, it has historically provided small island states with a platform to be heard.

S[ringer said that the changing global landscape required a broader analytical lens and posed a central challenge for Caribbean policymakers and advocates.

‘How do we advance a climate justice agenda that is robust enough to survive current and future geopolitical shocks?’ Springer asked, noting that responding to climate change could not be limited to present-day activities alone.

‘We have to project forward and come up with a strategy that can survive these changes,’ he said, adding noting the escalating impacts of climate change across the region, pointing to increasing extreme weather events and a developing drought in the Eastern Caribbean.

He said this scenario is projected to extend well into the traditional rainy season.

‘These varied impacts justify the description that our heads of government have placed on climate change as an existential threat to the sustainable development of the Caribbean,’ he said, reiterating the ‘profound unfairness’ in the global climate system.

‘The wealthiest individuals and nations who contribute most . experience less impact and have greater capacity to adapt, while the poorest, less responsible communities suffer the worst effects and have the fewest resources to cope,’ Springer said, warning that this imbalance fuels ongoing social and economic inequality.

He said efforts to achieve climate justice must go hand in hand with protecting vulnerable livelihoods and prioritising those on the front lines of climate impacts.

‘We must listen to the lived realities of those on the front line of climate impacts,’ Springer said, emphasising the need to understand how climate change affects human rights.

Springer called for collective action grounded in care and solidarity, adding that climate justice must confront structural power imbalances and move beyond purely technical solutions.

‘Approaches to climate justice must move beyond technomanagerialist solutions and use an intersectional lens to expose root causes.climate justice must challenge structural power disparities and aim to reduce marginalisation, exploitation and oppression.’

The 2026 sugarcane harvest and milling season has gotten underway here, marking the start of a crop year defined by improved conditions, stronger coordination, and positive production prospects across Northern Belize.

‘In the face of disease, labour shortages, climate change shocks, rising costs, and delayed starts, you chose not to retreat. You chose to plant, to maintain, to prepare. You chose entrepreneurship over fear, keeping your families fed and your communities alive. Belize owes you a debt of gratitude,’ Prime Minister John Briceño said as he emphasised the importance of perseverance. Representatives of the government, the Belize Sugarcane Farmers Associations and the mill were present for the start of the harvesting with officials indicating that the 2026 season begins with healthier cane fields, improved harvest quality, and greater operational readiness throughout the industry.

They said that farmers, associations, millers, and technical partners have completed extensive preparation to ensure a timely, efficient, and productive harvest and milling process.

Enhanced field management practices strengthened disease monitoring, and favourable recent weather conditions have contributed to a more stable and promising crop. Early indicators point to improved cane quality and a smoother start to the milling season, supporting better outcomes for farmers and the wider economy.

The authorities say that a 2026 crop reflects a high level of coordination across the sugarcane value chain: from harvesting and transportation to milling operations.

‘This coordination continues positioning the industry for greater efficiency and resilience throughout the season.

‘As harvesting and milling commence, the 2026 sugarcane crop season opens with confidence, shared purpose, and optimism for a safe, productive, and successful harvest for all stakeholders.’

Last December, Prime Minister Briceño welcomed the one-year interim agreement reached between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) and the American Sugar Refinery/Belize Sugar Industries Ltd that allowed for the start of the new crop sugar season that the authorities hope will yield an estimated 1.3 million tonnes of sugarcane for milling.