Category: CANA News

Haitian-American New York State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn has condemned Wednesday’s fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis by an United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, describing the incident as ‘horrific.’ ‘Today’s event in Minneapolis was nothing short of horrific,’ Bichotte Hermelyn, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

‘Due to a federal ICE agent’s negligence, a woman is unable to return to her family,’ added the chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party. ‘This incident serves as yet another instance of the federal government overstepping boundaries and asserting excessive authority.

‘Justice must be served for the innocent woman who lost her life and her grieving family by holding accountable both the ICE agent involved and the Trump administration, whose decision to deploy ICE in Minneapolis led to this tragedy,’ Bichotte Hermelyn alleged, extending condolences to the victim’s family and the city of Minneapolis ‘as they try to make sense of today’s events.

‘Additionally, I support and stand with (Minneapolis) Mayor Frey and (Minnesota) Governor Walz in their efforts to fight back against the federal government’s involvement and advocate for changes related to ICE within their city,’ she said.

US House of Representatives’ Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement that the unidentified ICE agent ‘shot and killed an unarmed woman who was not the target of an immigration enforcement action.

‘I pray for the loved ones of the victim and stand with the people of Minneapolis during this difficult time,’ he continued. ‘The American people must reject this cruelty and extremism.’

Reports indicate that Good, a US citizen and mother of three, was shot in the head, while in her SUV, by the ICE agent in front of a family member in a residential neighborhood about a mile from where George Floyd was killed by police in 2020.

ICE agents are in Minnesota as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

CRICKET-ICC-Greaves among trio nominated for ICC’s Player of the Month awardThe medium pacer also contributed with the ball, taking five wickets in the series.

He will face stiff competition from New Zealand fast bowler Jacob Duffy and Australia’s left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc.

Duffy was the leading wicket-taker in the home Test series against the West Indies, claiming 23 wickets at an astonishing average of 15.43 in three matches, which helped New Zealand claim the series 2-0.

His imperious form in the final month of 2025 helped him become the highest-wicket taker in a calendar year for New Zealand across formats, with 81 wickets, surpassing Richard Hadlee’s record of 79 set back in 1985.

Meanwhile, Starc was instrumental during the Ashes series in December, taking 16 wickets and scoring 139 runs in three Tests.

He was Player-of-the-Match in the second Ashes Test, contributing 77 runs and taking eight wickets to set up Australia’s win.

Starc also made a key batting contribution of 54 runs and four wickets in the Ashes-clinching third Test in Adelaide, helping Australia seal the series.

West Indians Deighton Butler and Zahid Bassarath are among 21 match officials named by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to officiate at the upcoming Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

The 51-year-old Butler and Bassarath, 42, are two of 17 umpires who will participate at the event in Namibia and Zimbabwe from January 15 to February 6.

Butler, who was appointed to the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires in 2024, has officiated in 22 international matches: 14 T20Is, five WODIs, two WT20Is and one ODI. Bassarath, meanwhile has stood in 14 T20Is, eight WODIs, five WT20Is and one ODI.

The four match referees appointed for the tournament are Dean Cosker (England), Prakash Bhatt (India), Graeme Labrooy (Sri Lanka) and Neeyamur Rahul (Bangladesh).

Speaking on the appointments, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said: ‘This ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is a tremendous opportunity for rising stars in the game to shine, but it is also an invaluable reward system for up-and-coming match officials.

‘We hope that this will be the perfect springboard for their careers as we see them progress in their officiating journeys.’

Bronx, New York Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson has welcomed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s appointment of Jamaican-born Kamar H. Samuels as chancellor of New York City public education system.

Samuels, who served as superintendent for Manhattan’s District 3 and Brooklyn’s District 13, was appointed to lead the nation’s largest school district on January 1.

‘On behalf of our borough, we want to congratulate Kamar H. Samuels on his appointment as our next chancellor of New York City Public Schools,’ Gibson, the daughter of a Trinidadian father, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) on Wednesday.

‘With decades of experience as a veteran educator, school leader, and public school parent, Chancellor Samuels brings a deep understanding of the public education system to this role.

‘His dedication to academic excellence, culturally responsive learning, and student achievement aligns with our fundamental belief that every child in New York City deserves access to a safe, inclusive, and high-quality education that provides pathways to good-paying jobs and future careers,’ she added.

‘With our administration investing more than $85 million in capital funding for our borough’s schools, continuing our collaboration with the New York City Public Schools Chancellor will be essential to ensure our scholars continue to have the resources and opportunities they need to excel academically,’ Gibson continued.

‘I look forward to advancing this partnership with our new Chancellor to further invest in our schools, eliminate barriers to academic success and achievement, bridge the digital divide, and equip our youth with the resources they need for a successful future,’ she said.

A veteran educator with more than two decades of experience and New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) parent himself, NYCPS said Chancellor Samuels has ‘devoted his career to advancing student achievement, strengthening instructional practice, and building schools that are safe, academically rigorous, and truly integrated.’

NYCPS said Samuels is focused on the core priorities that make schools successful and on engaging closely with educators, families, and students.

‘He believes schools should reflect what makes New York City unique, embracing our rich diversity through learning experiences grounded in cultural understanding and respect,’ it said. ‘He leads with the conviction that all children deserve schools where they feel safe and valued, are challenged academically, and are prepared to thrive in college, careers, and life.’

NYCPS said Samuels was born in Jamaica, where he attended Jamaica College in St. Andrew, before continuing his education in New York City at Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY).

He began his career in NYCPS through the NYC Teaching Fellows programme as an elementary school teacher in the Bronx.

NYCPS said Samuels’ early classroom experiences shaped his belief that ‘high expectations, meaningful support, and family partnership are essential to student success.’

Samuels went on to serve as principal of the Bronx Writing Academy (MS 323), followed by senior leadership roles in NYCPS central offices, including executive director of District School Design and senior director of Partnerships and Initiatives, NYCPS said.

In these positions, it said Samuels provided strategic guidance on school design and supported equitable access to high-quality academic programmes.

Dr Cassander Titley-O’Neal, a Virgin Islander and Director of the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands (NPTVI), has been appointed as a Commissioner to the Sargasso Sea Commission by the Government of Bermuda. The appointment was authorised under the Hamilton Declaration, an agreement established following two years of negotiations among governments with interests in the Sargasso Sea region and high seas conservation.

The declaration was initially signed by the governments of the Azores, Bermuda, Monaco, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Virgin Islands later joined the agreement alongside the Bahamas, Canada and the Cayman Islands, with the Dominican Republic becoming the most recent signatory.

Titley-O’Neal said she welcomed the appointment and looked forward to contributing to the work of the body.

‘I am very pleased to have been appointed to this Commission. I look forward to beginning work, sharing my expertise and learning from my colleagues to achieve the Commission’s goals,’ she stated.

Titley-O’Neal holds a PhD in marine biology from the University of New Brunswick in Canada, a Master’s degree in applied marine science from the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom, and a Bachelor’s degree in marine biology with a minor in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in the United States.

The Sargasso Sea Commission is comprised of independent international and local experts who serve three-year terms overseeing the stewardship, conservation, health, productivity and resilience of the high-seas ecosystem.

Jamaican national footballer Shaniel Buckley has copped the prestigious US Junior College Player of the Year award for 2025.

The 20-year-old midfielder/forward earned the accolade after scoring 23 goals and providing 10 assists for Daytona State College last year.

Buckley, who is headed to Florida State University (FSU) this fall, also took home the NJCAA Tournament MVP and Offensive MVP awards. FSU is the former school of another Reggae Girl, Jody Brown, and are the reigning NCAA Division 1 national champions, having won their fifth title last fall.

She has represented the Reggae Girlz from the youth level and has 11 caps and two goals at the senior level.

Buckley last represented Jamaica in November during the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers, coming off the bench to score two goals in the Reggae Girlz 18-0 thumping of Dominica.

Shai Hope smashed a superb, unbeaten century to propel the Pretoria Capitals to an exciting 15-run victory over Durban’s Super Giants when the SA20 continued here on Wednesday.

Opening the innings, the Barbadian bludgeoned 118 off just 69 balls, hitting nine sixes and nine fours and was the cornerstone of the Capitals’ imposing total of 201 for four in their 20 overs after being sent in at Kingsmead.

Faced with a challenging chase, the Super Giants were led by an unbeaten 97 from Jos Buttler but were eventually dismissed for 186 in 19.4 overs. Hope dominated an opening partnership of 101 in 11 overs with Connor Esterhuizen, who made 37 off 28 balls, while fellow Barbadian Roston Chase, who made 24 off 15 balls, was relegated to the back seat during an 85-run partnership for the second wicket.

He brought up his century off 60 balls by guiding Gerald Coetzee to deep point for two runs in the 17th over.

Buttler then tried his best during his 52-ball knock, which contained nine fours and five sixes, but he received little support with only opener Marques Ackerman (27) scoring more than 20.

Gideon Peters was the Capitals’ best bowler with 3-35, while Lungi Ngidi ran through the lower order to finish with 3-39.

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has announced the accommodations that will be made for Jamaican students who have been negatively affected by Hurricane Melissa for the May-June sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). final adjustments were disclosed on Wednesday at a CXC press conference.

CXC Registrar Dr. Wayne Wesley said due to the devastation and dislocation caused by the hurricane, the Council of CXC has approved an agreed plan of action with the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information in Jamaica.

Wesley said the examinations will be administered in their normal formats for all schools, while those negatively affected by the hurricane will be offered the flexibility of using the Modified Approach, aspects of which were previously announced by the Education Ministry.

‘Modifications and adjustments will be facilitated for Jamaican-based candidates with respect to school-based assessments. Secondly, late registration has been accommodated for candidates from schools negatively affected without any late fee requirements. Thirdly, CXC will extend the timeline for submission of SBAs for schools negatively impacted to June 15, 2026 without any late fee requirements. Then, all candidates based in Jamaica will receive their results in August 2026 with the rest of the region. In other words, there will be no delay,’ Wesley revealed.

Additionally, where candidates register and pay for their examinations but no longer feel ready to sit the examinations, they can seek a refund or defer to another session in 2027.

Meanwhile, the CXC’s Director of Operations in Examinations Services, Dr. Nicole Manning, said schools in the parishes of Manchester, St. Elizabeth, Hanover, Westmoreland, Trelawny, St. Ann and St. James will be offered the flexibility of the Modified Approach in the assessments.

She noted that the schools in these seven parishes will have until next week Wednesday to indicate which of the formats they will be utilising.

‘We will work with our local registrar to ensure that we can identify these schools and we will manage accordingly.. The submissions from the schools will be required by January 14th. So by January 14th, we will know the schools who will be doing the full normal assessment versus the Modified Approach. Along with that, it was identified by the ministry that you do have special cases, very special cases outside of those seven parishes where students and schools may have had some devastation, and CXC will take that into consideration and offer, provide that provision in terms of the facilitation of the use of the modified approach,’ she explained.

The Ministry of Education said learning loss among the external examination cohort can be mitigated if teachers and principals adhere to the curriculum guidelines.

Belizean authorities are moving to clamp down on the use of drones amid concerns that they pose a security risk for aircraft.

The Department of Civil Aviation has launched a public consultation on the new rules for drones and according to the Director of Civil Aviation, Nigel Carter, the operational directive will replace the current patchwork of approvals, require licensing, limit where drones can fly, and align Belize with international standards.

‘The primary area of concern is aircraft safety. In Belize, aeroplanes often operate at about 500 feet even when en route. We have to be very careful not to mix manned and unmanned aircraft in the same vicinity, lest we reduce the level of safety,’ Carter said.

The new rules will cover recreational and commercial drone use, as drones have become essential tools for farmers, surveyors, and businesses using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map land, monitor crops, and manage fields more efficiently.

But drone operators are raising red flags because these rules aren’t optional. They say that the directive would carry the full force of law, and noncompliance could result in penalties.

The drone operators have called an emergency meeting for this week to discuss the situation even as Carter explained that the public consultation process is a key part of implementing the rules.

‘We are receiving information and concerns from the drone-operating public. After reviewing those, we will meet with operators to explain where we stand on each issue,’ he said, adding ‘if we don’t protect manned aviation, it could be disastrous. It could have severe socioeconomic impacts on Belizean society.

‘So the Department of Civil Aviation, in keeping with its international obligations for keeping the skies safe over Belize, is in the process of implementing an operational directive.’

He said that the Civil Aviation is now receiving information, or concerns from the drone operating public which is what the intent of the consultative process ‘for us to understand and hear people, after which we will review those concerns and then we will meet with the drone operating public to basically explain to them where we stand on each of those concerns.’

The proposed directive would set clear, mandatory rules for all drone use in Belize, replacing the patchwork of approvals now in place. It would standardise licensing and operating limits, while bringing Belize’s drone laws in line with international aviation standards used in the United States, Europe, and by global aviation authorities.

‘The primary area of concern is safety, aircraft safety. We have a very unique operating airspace. If you go to the US, the airplanes take off in the vicinity of the airport, and they immediately go right up to 30,000 and they operate at 30,000 feet.

‘In the Belize airspace, in many instances, the airplanes at about 500 feet even when en route. And so we have to be very careful not to create a mix of manned and unmanned aircraft in the same vicinity, lest we could reduce the level of safety.’

The Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat Wednesday said it is offering a three-level crop protection training programme aimed at building knowledge and practical capacity across the food production and processing sector in the region.

It said that the programme, which will begin on January 26, will also support safer, more effective, and more sustainable pest management practices.

The Secretariat said that the training programme is being held as CARICOM builds capacity to achieve the goals of its food security initiative – Vision 25 x 2025 + 5 that is aimed at reducing the region’s food import bill by 25 per cent.

CARICOM said it intends to achieve the goal by boosting regional agriculture, improving trade, and creating economic opportunities, focusing on priority products and climate-smart farming, supported by investments in infrastructure such as transport and storage.

The programme is being conducted in collaboration with the Trinidad-based Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and COLEAD, a private sector not-for-profit organisation that is devoted to inclusive and sustainable agriculture.

‘The course is designed to meet the needs of professionals such as farm managers, horticultural producers; production managers, nurseries managers, crop protection managers, packing managers, service providers, and expert trainers,’ the CARICOM Secretariat said, adding that participants will benefit from progressive learning via introductory concepts to advanced integrated pest management strategies across three levels.

It said that the introductory level introduces the concept of crop protection, helping learners understand key issues, categories of plant pests and diseases, and the role of chemical control within a crop protection strategy.

‘The intermediate level deepens understanding of pest management by exploring harmful organisms, pest population dynamics, epidemiology, plant diseases, weed competition, and herbicide resistance, with a focus on maximising field and post-harvest yields.

‘The advanced level focuses on improving pest population management on farms through observation and sampling methods, intervention thresholds, integrated pest management techniques, and case-study-based strategy development.’