Category: CANA News

The Jamaica Broilers Group (JBG) has secured a J$15.1-billion (One Jamaica dollar=US$0.008 cents) bailout in the form of a rescue package needed to stabilise the company after catastrophic losses in its US operations brought it to the brink of collapse.

The financing deal, led by NCB Financial Group, announced late Wednesday, is designed to provide the distressed agribusiness with the liquidity and strategic runway to execute a rigorous turnaround plan.

The package comprises a combination of new loans and a complex bond restructuring arranged by NCB’s corporate and investment banking teams

The proposed solution includes $6.4 billion in loans from National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited (NCBJ), in addition to NCB Capital Markets (NCBCM) arranging $8.7 billion in multi-tranche bonds extending up to 14 years.

The NCB team also led negotiations with other domestic creditors of JBG in resetting financial covenants and modifying the collateral security package.

This is expected to provide JBG with the stability and runway required to execute its recovery strategy, reinforce internal controls, and return its operations to sustainable performance, while supporting the continued growth of its local operations.

The bailout follows the discovery of severe accounting problems in the company’s US segment, which led to massive losses. In contrast, JBG’s Jamaican operations have remained profitable, a key factor in securing the financial support.

JBG is one of Jamaica’s most significant indigenous agribusiness companies, with a critical role in national food security, employment, and rural livelihoods,’ said Angus P Young, CEO of NCBCM in a release accompanying the development.

‘Our support is grounded in the strength of the company’s core Jamaican operations and the decisive corrective actions now underway. We are encouraged by the approach being taken to address the matters identified in the group’s US segment and have designed bespoke financing solutions aligned with JBG’s specific recovery and capital needs.’

The financing package is contingent upon the execution of this corporate overhaul. In response to the conditions of the bailout, Group President and CEO Christopher Levy outlined the specific steps being taken.

‘We are implementing a disciplined turnaround plan that places governance, oversight, and operational efficiency at the core,’ said Levy. ‘We have strengthened leadership, restored financial controls, engaged auditors with specialised sector experience, and brought our US operations under the direct supervision of the group’s Jamaican based leadership. With NCB’s support, we are confident in our ability to regain momentum and rebuild shareholder value.’

JBG has played a central role in Jamaica’s agricultural and food production landscape for decades, supplying poultry, eggs, feed, and other essential agribusiness services that support national resilience and rural communities.

‘With more robust corporate governance, transparency, and disciplined execution, we believe that JBG is well positioned to recover and deliver value to stakeholders and the wider economy,’ Young added.

‘This $15.1-billion deal is a tangible demonstration of the scale and range of NCB Financial Group’s capabilities.’

West Indies Under-19s defeated Tanzania Under-19s by five wickets in the third match of the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup here at the High Performance Oval on Thursday.

Scores

TANZANIA U19s 122 in 34 overs (Dylan Thakrar 26, Darpan Jobanputra 19, Khalidy Juma 12, Acrey Hugo 10; Vitel Lawes 3-23, Micah McKenzie 2-15, Shaquan Belle 2-23).

WEST INDIES U19s 124-5 in 21 overs (Tanez Francis 52, Jewel Andrew 44; Augustino Mwamele 2-17, Raymond Francis 2-23).

Anisa Mohammed and Lee-Ann Kirby played starring roles with both bat and ball to propel Trinidad and Tobago Women to an impressive 16-run win over the Windward Islands Women when the T20 Blaze continued here on Thursday.

With their side in dire trouble at 39 for six at the end of the 12th over, Mohammed and Kirby forged a 54-run partnership for the seventh wicket to get them up to 95 for seven in their 20 overs.

The duo then returned to share five wickets between them as the Windward Islands were bowled out for 79 in 19.3 overs, with the result giving T and T their first win of the competition, while dropping their opponents’ record to 0-2. The Windward Islands were in total control early on after sending T and T in to bat, with Carena Noel grabbing the wickets of Djenaba Joseph and Karishma Ramharack to leave them struggling at 17 for two.

T and T found themselves in real trouble at 39 for six following the quick dismissals of Samara Ramnauth for five, Ameila Khan for two, Britney Cooper for eight and Kirbyina Alexander for a duck.

However, Mohammed and Kirby, the only two players to score in double digits for T and T, rescued them in a match-winning partnership that changed the complexion of the match.

Mohammed ended unbeaten on 29 from 30 balls with four boundaries, while Kirby’s 28 came off 29 balls and contained two sixes and a four.

Noel ended with 3-15 for the Windwards while Holly Charles supported with 2-12.

Defending a small target, Mohammed ran riot among the Windward Islands’ top order, claiming three of the first five wickets to fall to see them slip to 58 for five.

She bowled Earnisha Fontaine for a duck with the third delivery of the innings, had Zaida James caught and bowled for seven and bowled Ashlene Edward for 10.

Samara Ramnauth then ran through the middle order with Kirby cleaning up the tail, as T and T claimed the last five wickets for just 21 runs to end up comfortable winners.

Mohammed finished with 3-10, Ramnauth claimed 3-12 and Kirby snared 2-8.

The Trinidad and Tobago government Wednesday signalled its intention to follow its counterpart administration in Jamaica and introduce

Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs), as the country seeks to take advantage of the reduction in murders and other crimes during a state of emergency (SoE) that is expeted to end at monthend.

Jamaica established ZOSOs under the 2017 Special Security and Community Development Measures Act, to tackle high crime in specific areas through enhanced security and community development and regularly extended by Parliament.

Attorney General John Jeremie, speaking at a news conference said the Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration intends to advance the ZOSO legislation, designed to target crime ‘hot spots’ without resorting to a SoE, which he acknowledged had ‘yielded tangible benefits.

Ketia and her husband are both teachers. Before Hurricane Melissa swept through the Caribbean this past October, they were able to support their three children. However, when, the storm struck, their coastal community of Petit GoSve was among the most affected.

‘I lost everything I owned: my furniture, my car, everything I had in my home,’ lamented Ketia.

Ketia and her family are among approximately 225,000 people receiving assistance from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in the wake of the storm. She is receiving assistance from a voucher system which allows families to purchase goods from selected retailers – a programme which supports those affected by the storm while also helping stimulate the local economy.

‘The shop is using an electronic system which records the transactions which are happening, and WFP pays the retailer,’ explained Channon Hachandi, head of Supply Chain for WFP Haiti.

‘It’s a good method to support affected families, because instead of going to receive assistance at a distribution, the recipient is acting like a normal shopper, going to the market.’

Even before Hurricane Melissa, more than half of the residents in the most affected regions were already facing acute food insecurity, an indication of the acute humanitarian crisis that Haiti has been facing for many years.

The storm killed more than 40 Haitians, and many others lost their homes, businesses and belongings. In a region highly dependent on small-scale agriculture, there was widespread damage to farmland and a near total loss of harvests.

WFP provided assistance before, during and after the hurricane. Together with the government, the agency sent 3.5 million early warning text messages via cellphones, and provided cash payments to people to help them prepare and mitigate the effect of the hurricane.

During the storm itself families who relocated in temporary shelters were provided with rations. Immediately after, as families assessed the devastation, food rations for 15 days were distributed.

To help the community rebound, the response has evolved, through provision of cash and vouchers thus giving families what WFP described as ‘the dignity of choice’.

Right now, approximately 10 per cent of Haitians receiving assistance after Hurricane Melissa are benefitting from the voucher programme- an approach WFP aims to expand.

Wilfred Nkwambi, Head of Programmes at WFP in Haiti, emphasized that vouchers are more than simply a means of feeding people – they are a breath of fresh air for the local economy.

‘In this shop alone, the owner employs eight additional people for these distributions. In this part of Petit GoSve, there are five other shops, employing a total of 40 people, mostly women and young people. Not only is it good for the recipients, but also for the city’s merchants and local producers,’ explained Nkwambi.

At the same time, WFP employs day labourers for logistics, generating additional income for local families. This approach benefits everyone, transforming aid into an engine for economic recovery.

Placing dignity and choice at the heart of intervention demonstrates humanitarian assistance can be synonymous with resilience for the Haitian people, according to WFP.

‘Thanks to the food voucher distribution, we won’t go hungry in the coming weeks, and we have the chance to start rebuilding our lives,’ said Ketia, as she loaded her groceries onto a motorcycle taxi and headed back to her family.

Antigua and Barbuda is hosting the 2026 Midwinter Convention of the National Bar Association (NBA), the largest and oldest network of predominantly Black attorneys, judges, law professors, and legal professionals in the United States.

The January 14-19 event brings together judges and lawyers from across the United States to engage in meaningful collaboration with legal practitioners from Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Caribbean region.

‘Through panel discussions, educational sessions, and professional exchanges, participants will explore shared legal challenges, comparative jurisprudence, judicial administration, and the evolving role of the legal profession in advancing justice, accountability, and the rule of law,’ according to a statement issued by the NBA.

Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment Minister, Charles ‘Max’ Fernandez, said Antigua and Barbuda is pleased to welcome the NBA and that hosting the event ‘reinforces Antigua and Barbuda’s strategic focus on the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) sector and our ongoing efforts to position the country as a premier destination for high-level international meetings.

‘This Convention highlights our capacity to successfully host globally respected professional organizations while facilitating meaningful dialogue, knowledge exchange, and long-term partnerships,’ he said.

The convention is being coordinated by Antiguan-born Beverly Benjamin-George, a highly respected attorney and long-standing member of the NBA, who has been instrumental in planning and executing this international gathering, ensuring that logistical, professional, and cultural elements are seamlessly integrated.

Founded in 1925, the National Bar Association was established at a time when Black lawyers were excluded from membership in the American Bar Association. Now marking over 100 years of service, the NBA has grown into a global organization with more than 60,000 members, affiliates, and supporters.

For more than a century, the NBA has been at the forefront of advancing civil rights, judicial independence, professional excellence, and equal access to justice in the United States and abroad.

The Barbados Women’s team opened their Cricket West Indies (CWI) Twenty20 Blaze campaign with a hard-fought, tense three-wicket victory over Trinidad and Tobago at the Arnos Vale Playing Field on Tuesday night, chasing down a modest target with nine balls to spare.

Winning the toss and opting to field first, the Pride’s bowlers applied immediate pressure, restricting Trinidad and Tobago to a below-par 97 for 5 from their full 20 overs.

The low scores seem to be the trend, at least in the opneing round, as only the Leeward Islands team was able to get past the 100 run mark in the second match of the triple header.

The innings never found momentum, with only veteran batter Britney Cooper providing stability with an unbeaten 33 from 38 deliveries.

She found brief support from Karishma Ramharack, who uncharacteristically opened the innings and scored a brisk 21, with two fours.

However, the batting unit struggled to build partnerships against a disciplined Barbados attack, led by off-spinner Naijanni Cumberbatch, who was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 2 for 18.

In reply, Barbados seemed to be cruising at 45 without loss, thanks to a brisk start from openers Eboni Brathwaite, who weighed in with 26, and Trishan Holder, who contributed 16.

The chase, however, dramatically unravelled in the middle overs. Leg-spinner Brianna Harricharan orchestrated a stunning collapse, taking a remarkable 3 for 8 in her four overs.

Her intervention triggered a slide that saw Barbados lose seven wickets for just 49 runs, stumbling from 45-0 to a precarious 94-7.

With nerves frayed, it fell to experienced Shamilia Connell, who stood tall with a defiant 16 not out, to anchor the final stages.

Displaying cool-headed determination, she guided her team across the line at 99-7 in the 19th over, securing a vital first win for Barbados in the competition.

In a stunning and brutally frank critique on the popular Mason and Guest radio show, two respected former West Indies figures have launched a scathing attack on Cricket West Indies (CWI) for reportedly considering asking Nicholas Pooran to reverse his international retirement for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

The comments from former selector Roland Butcher and former opener Philo Wallace condemned the very idea as ‘divisive,’ ‘a dangerous precedent,’ and a move that would ‘tear that team apart.’

Butcher, known for his measured analysis, did not mince words. ‘I would not be bending over backwards chasing that player to come in to play.

The fact that he’s retired suggests that he doesn’t want to play. If he doesn’t want to play, well, that’s fine.’

He argued passionately that such a move undermines the entire squad ethos. ‘It sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of the team and for any young player coming forward,’ Butcher explained. ‘You’re going to go chase (a retired player) to select them in front of a young player who is really desperate to play and working his socks off to play.’

His most damning assessment was reserved for the potential locker room impact. ‘I think it is divisive, and it will tear that team apart. Get by with the best that you have, but you don’t tear the whole unit apart because of a few people.’

Philo Wallace echoed and reinforced Butcher’s sentiments with equal force. ‘I would not ask Pooran to come and play for the West Indies again. If a man retires, he retires. If you’re retiring from international cricket, that means you don’t want to play international cricket.’

Wallace questioned the very foundation of the selection system, whether it must resort to recalling retired players. ‘We can’t be so bad at selecting players that we can go ask Pooran if he wants to come and play in a World Cup. It doesn’t look good for West Indies cricket.’

He pointed to the wealth of active, striving talent across the region as the rightful pool for selection. ‘You have players who have played all around the world, who are looking to make a mark, to get in the eyes of coach (Daren) Sammy. I think you need to give those players a chance. If their performances merit selection, they should be selected.’

Both agreed the reported approach sets a ‘bad precedent,’ with Wallace adding that the official responsible ‘should take stock of themself and not repeat it.’

The fierce criticism from such authoritative voices places CWI under intense scrutiny as World Cup preparations intensify, raising serious questions about selection philosophy, team culture, and the message sent to the next generation of West Indian cricketers.

In an exclusive interview on the Mason and Guest radio show Tuesday, West Indies Under-19 Head Coach Rohan Nurse issued a ringing endorsement of his team’s preparations and singled out two of its youngest stars for special praise following a dominant warm-up victory over Japan.

The fixture, part of the ICC U-19 World Cup preparations, saw the Caribbean side post a formidable total, built on the back of spectacular centuries from 16-year-old Shamar Apple and 17-year-old Tanez Francis.

The performance was the kind that coaches dream of, heading into the real stuff, which starts on Thursday against Tanzania.

‘It was a very good opportunity for the batters to spend some time in the middle,’ Nurse stated. ‘We’re pleased to have two of the younger members of the team batting throughout.’

He highlighted the contrasting but equally effective styles of the centurions. Francis, the young Antiguan from Jennings, displayed immense grit and maturity, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 122 from 148 balls.

‘He showed good character and the ability to bat through the innings and manage it well,’ Nurse said.

At the other end, the prodigiously talented Apple unleashed a breathtaking assault, smashing 124 from just 65 deliveries at a strike rate of 190.10.

His whirlwind knock included ten fours and eight sixes. ‘Apple played his natural game, which propelled him,’ Nurse remarked, admiringly.

The coach provided insight into the two teenagers’ backgrounds. Apple, who models his game on mentor Sherfane Rutherford, has already caught the eye of senior selectors, having been part of the Guyana Harpy Eagles squad for the recent Super50 Cup.

‘He has natural, very good ball-striking ability, and it’s just about guiding that raw talent,’ Nurse explained.

Francis, a ‘very, very hard worker,’ earned his place after strong performances against England and in regional age-group tournaments.

‘He does provide a very good foil for a lot of the other batters,’ Nurse noted, emphasising the value of his stability at the top of the order.

The bowling attack mirrored the batters’ dominance. R’Jai Gittins produced a brilliant spell, claiming 4 for 8 from four overs, while Vital Laws supported with 3 for 28 from eight.

The performance was particularly welcome after a rain-affected first warm-up game denied the bowlers time in the middle.

Nurse acknowledged the challenging conditions the squad is adapting to, with the intense heat, humidity, and high altitude.

‘The oxygen in the air is a bit thin, and it is taking a little bit of time to acclimatise,’ he admitted, but praised the players’ and staff’s diligent work ethic in overcoming these hurdles.

With two comprehensive warm-up performances under their belt, Coach Nurse believes his young charges are ready. ‘We are well prepared,’ he affirmed. ‘Pretty much, now is the time.’

The dream of a first-ever World Cup finals appearance for Suriname remains alive, but the path has grown more perilous.

After a stunning collapse in their final qualifying group, the national team, affectionately known as ‘Natio’, must now navigate a high-stakes playoff route, and they will do so under a new, high-profile Head Coach, Henk Ten Cate.

The optimism in Suriname was palpable just months ago. A resounding 4-0 victory over El Salvador in November had Natio on the brink of automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

However, dreams turned to despair with a 3-1 defeat to Guatemala, coupled with Panama’s 3-0 win over El Salvador.

That result saw Panama snatch top spot in the group, condemning Suriname to a second-place finish and the uncertainty of the intercontinental playoffs.

The immediate fallout saw the resignation of manager Stanley Menzo. In response, the Surinamese Football Association (SVB) moved decisively, announcing an agreement on December 14 with the experienced Dutch coach Henk Ten Cate, tasking him with securing the nation’s World Cup ticket.

Ten Cate, whose distinguished resume includes head coaching roles at Ajax and assistant positions at European giants FC Barcelona and Chelsea, has assembled a formidable support staff.

He has been joined by former Netherlands internationals Winston Bogarde as an assistant and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who brings experience from managing in England and coaching with the English national team.

In his official unveiling to the Surinamese press on Monday, Ten Cate left no room for doubt about his mission.

‘I am very honoured to be taking on this job. I only accepted because I am convinced Suriname will qualify for the World Cup. We’re going to make it. That should be everyone’s goal.’

Embracing the national motto, ‘Bribi na Krakti’ (Believe in your Strength), Ten Cate projected unwavering confidence.

‘I believe that if you focus on achieving a goal together, you’ll go far. We have plenty of quality, both in the staff and the squad. We have a goal, and that goal is the World Cup.’

Acknowledging the significant logistical hurdles, Ten Cate outlined his immediate plan. With the crucial first playoff match against Bolivia in Monterrey, Mexico, on March 26, and the squad dispersed across global leagues, there is no time for a pre-camp.

‘I’ll have to do it with personal phone calls and Zoom meetings with the squad of about 30 players,’ he explained.

Preparation is already underway, focusing on opponent analysis, travel, and accommodations. However, the team will not arrive in Monterrey until March 22 or 23, leaving just days to acclimatise and train together.

‘That’s a disadvantage, but we have so much quality that we have to get the job done.’

Ten Cate’s strategy is clear: instil belief and focus on Suriname’s own strengths. ‘We’re going to focus on our own quality, not that of the opponent. Our quality should be sufficient. My message is one of positivity, and that should carry us through to the World Cup.’