Category: CANA News

Caribbean-American Democratic legislators have been observing the fifth anniversary of the January 6 attack on Washington, saying that the impact is still deeply felt in American political life and political governance.

‘An attack on The Capitol, during the certification of a Presidential Election, was not simply a moment of disorder; it was an assault on the rule of law and on the peaceful transfer of power,’ New York State Assembly Member, Brian Cunningham, the son of Jamaican immigrants, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

‘Although the trauma continues to affect the victims, the deadly insurrection against our Capitol has become far too normalised, and is charging our highly polarised political environment,’ added the representative for the 43rd Assembly District in Brooklyn, New York.

‘We have seen a steady decline among some Republican voters and leaders in their willingness to strongly condemn what took place. Polling over the past several years shows a significant drop in the share of Republicans who view January 6 as unacceptable. That erosion of moral clarity is troubling.

‘The individuals who stormed the Capitol do not represent every Republican voter, but it is undeniable that the movement was inflamed and encouraged by the President, who has since been returned to office. The fact that Trump helped fuel this, and is now in the very office he encouraged supporters to viciously attack, shows just how unresolved this trauma remains for the country.’

Cunningham said the allegations that the elections are fundamentally insecure are not grounded in fact.

‘In truth, January 6 demonstrated the opposite: that our institutions, and the people who safeguard them, are resilient,’ Cunningham said.

‘Even after a violent mob sought to intimidate lawmakers and halt the certification process, the Electoral College votes were counted in the very same chamber, on the very same night. Our system held.’

Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Yvette D. Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, said the deadly insurrection of January 6, 2021 was not merely an attack on a building, but a direct assault on members of Congress, law enforcement, staff, and the foundations of democracy itself.

‘Today, we honor the extraordinary bravery of the US Capitol police and other law enforcement officers who protected our democracy and saw to it that the attempt to overturn the 2020 election results failed,’ said the representative for the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn.

‘We also remember those officers who tragically lost their lives and the more than 140 others who were seriously injured in the line of duty-many of whom continue to bear lasting physical and psychological wounds from that day.

‘Five years later, it is not lost on our Caucus that the efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election with false claims of illegitimate voting occurred during a year when we saw historic participation from Black voters in Georgia and other battleground states,’ Clarke said, adding that participation resulted in Democratic victories up and down the ballot, as well as the election of the first Black woman as Vice President.

‘This anniversary makes clear that the fight to protect our democracy is far from over. It continues because there are ongoing efforts to distort and minimise the events of January. 6th. It continues because the same bad actors who spread lies, fostered corruption, and violated the law in an attempt to overturn the will of the people remain active. And it continues because persistent efforts to disenfranchise Black voters still threaten the promise of equal participation in our democracy.’

Democratic Congressman Adriano Espaillat, the first Dominican Republican-American to serve in the US House of Representatives, recalled that he had submitted testimony during a special hearing led by Congressman Thompson and the Members of the January 6th Select Committee.

‘Today marks the solemn fifth anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol, a violent insurrection incited by Donald Trump, as thousands of his supporters attempted to stop the peaceful transfer of power,’ said Espaillat.

‘I was there, prepared to discharge the duties of my office and certify the election like we have following every general election since our nation’s founding 250 years ago. Thankfully, as a result of the extraordinary bravery of the US Capitol Police and other law enforcement, their attempt to overturn the 2020 election failed.’

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, told a news conference on Tuesday ‘we gather here on the steps of the United States Congress, the citadel of our democracy, to commemorate the solemn five-year anniversary of the violent insurrection incited by Donald Trump to overturn the results of a free and fair election.

‘On that fateful day, hundreds of brave, courageous and dedicated Capitol police and DC officers stood on these very steps and across the Capitol grounds to defend the Congress, the country and the Constitution. They were outnumbered by a violent mob, but never overwhelmed by the seriousness of the moment.

‘For more than five hours, they were forced to engage in hand-to-hand combat, confronting thousands of bloodthirsty rioters who were unleashed by Donald Trump. They were beaten with pipes, whipped, assaulted by bear spray and pummeled by Confederate flagpoles. They were bloodied but unbowed. We owe these heroes an eternal debt of gratitude and will never forget their service and their sacrifice,’ said Jeffries, who represents the 8th Congressional District in New York.

A High Court has dismissed the attempted murder case against three men, who were separately detained under two states of emergency (SoE) in 2025, after police again failed to comply with court orders.

The men – Shane Benito, Kishon Edwards and Kellon Sorais- had been re-charged in the attempted murder of a man on May 2, 2024, at Turtle Beach, Heritage Park, in Tobago.

Benito, was among 50 individuals detained under ministerial preventive detention orders during the state of emergency, which was declared on December 30, 2024. He was detained under a ministerial preventive detention order on January 31, 2025, and a subsequent order was made for his detention at the Remand Prison in Golden Grove, Arouca, on April 5, 2025.

The SOE ended on April 13 and Benito is reportedly detained by Venezuelan authorities.

Edwards and Sorais were both detained under preventive detention orders and are alleged to be members of the Rasta City/Seven Gang. They were reported to have conspired to murder a police officer and members of a rival gang.

In dismissing the charges on Tuesday, Master Indira Chinebas, noted that the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act had been in force for over two years giving sufficient time for all stakeholders to become familiar with the law and the consequences of non-compliance.

‘There is an order in place. It can’t be that the courts, in 2026, are being dragged back to preliminary inquiries,’ she said, noting that the matter had previously been discharged, re-laid, challenged and overruled, yet there was still no explanation for what had occurred.

‘Sufficient time was given to resubmit the file and prepare for the sufficiency hearing,’ she said, adding that her court routinely granted extensions within reason, but none had been sought by the prosecution in this matter.

Chinebas said that the police’s explanation of administrative mishaps was not an acceptable justification for the delay, and accordingly discharged the three men.

Her ruling followed submissions from police constable Subero, who said there was some ‘confusion’ surrounding the resubmission of the file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) after the attempted murder charge was re-laid in 2025.

In March 2025, another master had discharged the men after police failed to comply with scheduling orders.

Subero explained that although an indictment had previously been filed, when the charges were re-laid in April 2025, and new scheduling orders were issued by Chinebas, the file was not submitted to the DPP to facilitate the filing of a new indictment against the three men.

In asking the court for a two-week adjournment to allow for the indictment to be filed, Subero also conceded that it was unlikely the state would be ready to proceed with the January 20 sufficiency hearing.

Defence attorney Keron Ramkhalwhan, told the court that the explanation by the State was unacceptable, particularly in light of its admission that it would be impossible to file the indictment in time for the sufficiency hearing.

He had at a previous hearing, argued that the re-laying of the charges not only undermined the integrity of the judicial process but also placed his clients in a perpetual state of legal jeopardy, exposing them to repeated prosecutions without finality.

‘This is especially egregious where, as in the present case,’ Ramkhalwhan said, adding that the re-laying of the charges constituted an abuse of the court’s process and offended the principles of fairness, legal certainty and finality in litigation.

‘The court’s processes must not be manipulated to give the prosecution multiple opportunities to rectify its own failings, particularly at the expense of an accused who has been lawfully discharged.

‘The proper course available to the police officers is to appeal the decision,’ he said, adding ‘accordingly, this court must determine whether it is seized with jurisdiction to adjudicate the current charges, having regard to their prior discharge by the master.

‘In this regard, I submit that the decision of the police officers to re-lay the same charges that were discharged is an abuse of process and/or contrary to law and/or ultra vires the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act.

‘In other words, this court has no jurisdiction to treat with the present charges laid. The charges as laid ought to be dismissed forthwith,’ Ramkhalwhan said.

Suriname has denied reports that the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country will no longer be allowed to export fish to the United States.

In a statement, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries (LVV), said that the ban applies exclusively to the SK driftnet fishery and to catches by Venezuelan vessels and that all other fisheries will continue to have access to the US market. The LVV said that the report that Suriname will no longer be allowed to export fish to the United States starting January 1, this year is ‘incorrect’ and that the US import ban applies only to fish from the Surinamese coastal driftnet fishery (SK driftnet fishery) and to red snapper caught by vessels sailing under the Venezuelan flag.

The ministry said that it felt compelled to inform the public correctly after recent reports incorrectly stated that Suriname is completely barred from exporting fish to the US.

‘This information is incorrect and creates a distorted picture of the situation,’ according to the statement.

The United States applies the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to the import of fish and fish products, requiring exporting countries to demonstrate that their fishing practices have measures comparable to those in the US for the protection of marine mammals, such as dolphins.

The assessment is known as a comparability finding and is conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The authorities here said that Suriname has received a positive comparability finding for almost all fisheries with the exception of the SK driftnet fishery , which the NOAA concluding that the net lengths used in this fishery do not comply with US regulations and that insufficient measures had been taken to prevent marine mammals from becoming entangled in the nets.

The LVV said that Suriname has since taken various corrective measures and that implementation is in full swing, noting for example, the use of acoustic deterrent devices, known as pingers, has been made mandatory to keep dolphins at bay. In addition, net lengths are being adjusted to current standards, and a comprehensive monitoring program is being developed.

It said that this programme will be reinforced with Electronic Monitoring (EM), which allows catches and fishing activities to be digitally recorded and monitored. The ministry acknowledges that these measures entail additional costs for the sector and that the LVV says it is actively seeking funding and collaborative programmes to provide support where possible.

The LVV said that all information about the measures taken has now been shared with NOAA, in the hope of still obtaining a comparability finding for the SK driftnet fishery.

The LVV said that export to the US is currently prohibited for red snapper caught in Surinamese waters by Venezuelan vessels.

‘Although these vessels operate from Suriname, they fly the Venezuelan flag. Venezuela, as the flag state, is responsible for requesting a comparability finding , but has not yet submitted an application or provided any information to the US authorities. As a result, fish from these vessels cannot be exported to the US,’ the ministry said, adding that it is closely monitoring developments in Venezuela and continues to focus on consultation and cooperation to find solutions.

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines government says it has approved the return of public officers who were deemed to have abandoned their posts under the Vaccine Mandate of 2021.

A statement issued by the Service Commissions Department in this regard ‘interested persons are asked to resume duties, in person, to their Heads of Departments or to the Office of the Chief Personnel Officer by 30th January 2026’.

Last month, newly elected Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday said that his Cabinet and the Public Service Union had begun discussing benefits and payments for those workers, suggesting that the workers would only be paid up to February 2023, when the court first ruled on the matter.

‘. they’re entitled to their benefits and to be put back in the position that we’re in at the time when they were fired,’ he said.

In November 2021, hundreds of public sector workers lost their jobs for failing to take a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine as the then-Unity Labour Party (ULP) government of Dr. Ralph Gonsalves had mandated.

The three main labour rights organisations representing public sector workers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines sponsored a lawsuit against the government challenging the mandate.

In March 2023, the High Court ruled that the government’s actions were illegal and that the workers never ceased to hold their jobs.

The government appealed that decision and the Court of Appeal upheld the government’s action in a 2-1 decision in February 2025.

The workers have since received permission to have the London-based Privy Council rule on the matter, and the union’s legal team said it is in the process of filing the case there.

However, long before the court’s initial ruling, the Gonsalves administration, had urged the workers to return to work, saying they would not lose their pensions and other accrued benefits.

Some workers responded, but others refused to reapply for their jobs, saying that they had not abandoned their jobs, as the government had claimed, and the appeal court later ruled.

In the statement, the Service Commissions Department said ‘Cabinet has further advised that final arrangements are being made for suitable positions for all persons who have already resumed duties within the Public Service’.

Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders, Wednesday said that the government is aware of the public concern following reports that citizens may, in limited circumstances, be required to post a visa bond when applying for a visitor visa to the United States.

In a statement, Sr Ronald said that it is important to clarify several points, noting that ‘no bond applies to holders of existing US visas’ and that ‘those visas remain valid on their current terms’.

He said while Antigua and Barbuda has been included in a US Visa Bond Pilot Programme, ‘this measure applies only to a very narrow category of new visa applicants who qualify under limited exceptions while existing US visa restrictions remain in place.

‘The bond does not apply to all travellers, and it does not guarantee or deny the issuance of a visa,’ Sir Ronald said, adding that ‘it is important for the public to understand the context in which this information emerged’.

The diplomat said that no government on the list, including Antigua and Barbuda, was advised in advance of the announcement by Washington.

‘Indeed, the announcement was made without prior notice even to US Embassies accredited to the affected countries. This understandably contributed to uncertainty and concern, which the Government is now actively addressing through direct engagement.’

On Tuesday, the US State Department said Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica were the only two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries whose citizens will now have to post a bond of up to US$15,000 when applying for a visa to enter the North American country.

The US State Department said that the measure comes into effect from January 21, this year and the only other Caribbean country named is Cuba. The majority of the countries whose citizens would need to post the bond are from Africa.

‘Any citizen or national traveling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The amount is determined at the time of the visa interview,’ the State Department said in a statement.

‘The applicant must also submit a Department of Homeland Security Form I-352. Applicants must agree to the terms of the bond through the Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform Pay.gov. This requirement applies regardless of place of application,’ it added.

It said that the applicants should submit Form I-352 to post a bond only after a consular officer directs them to do so.

‘Applicants will receive a direct link to pay through Pay.gov. They must not use any third-party website for posting the bond. The U.S. Government is not responsible for any money paid outside of its systems,’ the State Department said, adding that ‘a bond does not guarantee visa issuance.

The State Department said that ‘as a condition of the bond, all visa holders who have posted a visa bond must enter and exit the United States through the designated ports of entry.

‘Not doing this might lead to a denied entry or a departure that is not properly recorded,’ it said, naming the port of entries as Boston Logan International Airport , John F. Kennedy International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport.

The State Department said that in a case where the visa bond terms have been broken, the Department of Homeland Security will send these cases to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to determine if there was a breach’.

Sir Ronald said that the United States authorities have indicated that the purpose of the bond is to encourage compliance with US immigration laws, particularly timely departure from the North American country.

‘In that context, we must be candid: there have been instances of overstays and charges on the US public purse, including unpaid hospital bills, by a small number of our nationals, and these actions create difficulties not only for the individuals concerned but for all Antiguans and Barbudans who travel legitimately.’

Sir Ronald said that on the instructions of Prime Minister Gaston Browne, he has ‘re-engaged directly with the US State Department at the highest levels’ and that a formal diplomatic note has been submitted, setting out Antigua and Barbuda’s record clearly and firmly.

‘That record shows that our country’s visitor overstay rate is consistently low, significantly below that of many countries not subject to bond requirements. We have also emphasized Antigua and Barbuda’s long-standing cooperation with the United States on immigration compliance and security matters.

‘Our objective is straightforward: to ensure that Antiguan and Barbudan passport holders are treated no less favourably than nationals of other CARICOM countries, and that visa processing for our citizens continues on fair and reasonable terms.’

Sir Ronald said that discussions are ongoing on removing restrictions for visas on legitimate Antigua and Barbuda travellers.

‘These negotiations ere serious, measured, and persistent. While outcomes in international affairs are never guaranteed, there is room to expect reason to prevail. The Government is working strenuously to achieve a correction of this measure.

‘In the meantime, we urge all citizens traveling abroad to respect immigration laws fully and to meet all personal obligations, as the conduct of a few can affect the many,’ Sir Ronald said, adding ‘the government will continue to keep the public informed and remains fully engaged in defending the interests of Antigua and Barbuda and its people’.

A cross-sectional study evaluating hypertension control using the HEARTS approach in primary care in Trinidad and Tobago is among articles published in a special issue of the Pan American Journal of Public Health which explores the role of primary health care in addressing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said that the special issue is dedicated to strengthening primary health care to address NCDs in the Americas, including the Caribbean.

Apart from Trinidad and Tobago, the special issue, supported financially by the government of Denmark through the World Health Organization (WHO), brings together studies and experiences from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Peru.

Topics include implementation of clinical guidelines, integrated care models, and the influence of social determinants on treatment adherence, highlighting the importance of a person- and community-centered approach.

PAHO said NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases, are the leading cause of death in the Americas, causing six million deaths in 2021, nearly four out of 10 of which were premature, affecting people under 70 years of age.

In addition, it is estimated that more than 250 million people in the Americas are living with an NCD and require ongoing care to better manage their condition.

PAHO said that evidence shows that NCDs can be effectively controlled and quality of life improved, and that a significant portion of premature deaths could be prevented through more accessible, effective, and higher-quality primary care services.

‘This special issue documents, through a series of scientific articles, the progress, challenges, and lessons learned from initiatives led by ministries of health, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and PAHO to improve the screening, diagnosis, treatment, and management of NCDs at the primary care level.’

PAHO said a central focus is its Better Care for NCDs initiative, which includes the HEARTS initiative and has contributed to improved management of hypertension and other NCDs in primary care across multiple countries in the region.

It said the articles show that investing in primary care for NCDs is a feasible, necessary, and cost-effective strategy, and a key component in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of reducing premature NCD mortality by one-third by 2030.

Forestry officials have condemned the killing of at least five boas or Tete Chien snakes by members of the public, saying ‘this extreme cruelty to wildlife is unacceptable and constitutes a major offence’.

The Forestry Department said it is in receipt of a ‘very disturbing video, circulated on social media’, showing the killings of the snakes, adding that the St. Lucia boa is listed as ‘Protected Wildlife’ under the Wildlife Act.

The Department said that the St. Lucia boa (Boa orophias) is a non-venomous snake that is endemic to the island and that the animal poses no threat to humans.

‘As a matter of fact, boas predominantly prey on rats which poses a greater concern for public health through the spread of Leptospirosis’.

The Forestry Deaprtment said that in the video the boas were bludgeoned to death with a stick. Additionally, a large rock was hurled at the animals to ensure their death.

‘The Forestry Department categorically condemns such irresponsible and indiscriminate killing of our protected and endemic wildlife and will in no way condone such illegal acts perpetrated by members of the public. The Forestry Department will therefore seek all legal avenues to ensure that the perpetrators of such wildlife crime receive the maximum penalty for their illegal actions.’

The Department gave no date as to when the killings occurred noting that a ‘person commits an offence who for the purpose of killing or capturing any protected or partially protected wildlife, using any live animal or any decoy or appliance whatsoever’

The Forestry Department said it is collaborating with the police on the matter and with their assistance ‘an immediate arrest will be effected and charges will be laid against the perpetrators of this horrific and disturbing wildlife crime’.

The Forestry Department said it is seeking the maximum penalty, as per the Wildlife Act, of EC$5000 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) per animal killed or imprisonment or both.

The Department said it is also aware that in some communities the snakes are being ‘hunted, stewed and sold as a delicacy’ warning ‘this too is an offence against the Wildlife Act, and anyone caught hunting, purchasing or selling boa meat or stew will be prosecuted under the law.

‘The Forestry Department will not tolerate the indiscriminate killing and persecution of protected wildlife.

‘Our indigenous biodiversity plays a very important role in conditioning our environment so that the environment in return can provide the ecosystem services and functions that are necessary to support and sustain human lives and livelihoods’ the Forestry Department said, adding ‘it is therefore the duty of all to help conserve nature and use its resources in a sustainable and responsible manner’.

More than a century after he grabbed the mace, which represents the British monarch in Parliament, and without which the proceedings cannot take place, Stanley Kendrick ‘Stalky’ John, KC, has been sworn in as the new Governor General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

John succeeds Dame Susan Dougan, who retired from the post on Monday after six years, bringing to an end 50 years of public service, including more than 30 years in education.

At the swearing in ceremony, John said he is embarking on the new journey ‘impressed’ by the mood among Vincentians at home and in the diaspora.

‘Clearly, we are at the threshold of a new era,’ the 74-year-old head of state said during the installation ceremony at Government House.

‘You are tired of the focus on partisan rivalries between the political parties, the political tribalism which takes place at the expense of our national interests, you now express a desire to experience a healing of our nation,’ said John, a former parliamentary representative for East St. George.

‘Hence, you have charged the Honourable Prime Minister and his cabinet, this new administration, all of them committed patriots, to embark on this magnificent venture; fostering of a government for all the people.’

John said the people’s expectations emanate from ‘a deep desire for an effective, meaningful and civilised manner in which to address the challenges that confront Vincentians in improving the social and economic conditions of our nation.

‘In concluding these remarks, I repeat, we are off to a commendable start in that direction; let us pray to Almighty God for guidance and work together as one people, towards achieving this admirable goal,’ he said.

John was a senator for the St. Vincent Labour Party (SVLP) from 1984 to 1989, its leader from 1992-94 before becoming the parliamentary representative for East St. George under the Unity Labour Party (ULP) from 1998 to 2001 that governed the island for the past 25 years until it was defeated in the November 27 general elections last year.

But, during his stint as a legislator, John made headlines when he grabbed the mace, which represents the monarch in Parliament, and without which the proceedings cannot take place.

Some political observers have noted the irony of that act, which occurred more than a quarter century before John would become the monarch’s representative in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

In 2015, John mounted the platform of the then-opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), and has been appointed head of state under the NDP administration that won last November’s poll.

‘Today, I feel so humbled as I reflect on the resolve and clarity, which the people of this nation exemplified in exercising their democratic right in the recently held general elections,’ John said at the installation ceremony.

He said that what was especially telling was the unanimity of purpose made evident in the impressive mandate they bestowed upon their new administration.

‘That command imposes an immense responsibility on those who have been elected and appointed, to serve in Parliament and in the executive branch, on behalf of the people. The positive feeling of assurance is pervasive, that the Honourable Prime Minister and his Cabinet are off to a brilliant start and will continue to address with earnestness, the legitimate expectations of the populace.’

The Governor General said there is ‘the expectation that those persons who have been elected and appointed, charged with the important constitutional role of providing the ‘People’s loyal Opposition’, will acquit themselves with aplomb in the true traditions of our Westminster-style parliamentary democracy.

‘That they will work to keep the government, in all aspects, alert to the proper fulfilment of its obligations to the nation and that they will do so within the parameters of our constitutional processes,’ he added.

The Jamaica government says it will be taking ‘strong action’ to preserve the integrity of the Overseas Employment Programme

Labour and Social Security Minister, Pearnel Charles Jr., who was scheduled to meet with the the Permanent Secretary to discuss the issue, said ‘we will always have to protect the programme from attack’.

Charles said that he had received a note from some anonymous person on WhatsApp earlier this week, ‘sending me a TikTok of myself inviting them to call me to get on to the farm work programme.

‘I have received other similar notes of that nature, and I want to make it very clear. to the entire country, that we are going to take strong action to preserve the integrity of the Overseas Employment Programme,’ he said.

‘So all and any who are involved in any activity outside of the scope of the law, consider this a final warning. you will find yourself behind bars. We have already reached out to the relevant authorities, and I hope the message goes out to the media that we are very serious about preserving the integrity of the programme and why we are so serious about it,’ Charles said.

The minister, speaking during a send-off ceremony for seasonal agricultural workers departing for Canada, said that the programme is of critical importance, particularly in light of the recent passage of Hurricane Melissa, which adversely affected parishes in western Jamaica.

‘The opportunity for our Jamaicans to have gainful, lawful employment and to be able to support themselves and support their families is important to us. The partnership and the strength of the collaboration is important to us,’ Charles said.

The first batch of 98 farm workers left here on Tuesday, while another 85 are scheduled to leave from Norman Manley International Airport on Wednesday. Of the 183 workers, 22 will be participating in the programme for the first time.

Meanwhile, Charles noted that this year marks 60 years of partnership between Canada and Jamaica in the implementation of the programme.

‘Many farm workers will tell you that their children have gained tertiary education because of their hard work on the farm work programme. I want to encourage all who are here and who are repeating, in terms of this journey, to stay focused,’ he said, adding that ‘sometimes when you are on track, (obstacles may arise) to distract you. these can come in many different ways and (forms).

‘It could be a fellow farm worker; it could be a supervisor; it could be just somebody in the community. Stay focused. This opportunity is yours to make or to break. For those of you who have the experience and have been here for some time now, you have a responsibility to make sure that the younger ones are guided,’ Charles added.

Since January 1, 2025, a total of 15,156 workers have benefited from employment opportunities in Canada and the United States, representing an increase of 687, compared to 2024.

Charles said that of the total number, 59 per cent participated in the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme, three per cent in the Low-Skilled Programme, and 38 per cent in the US Programme.

‘These figures represent much more than just mere statistics. These figures represent livelihoods, children that have been supported, and communities that have been strengthened,’ he added.

Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell says he is concerned about the level of gambling or game of chance in Grenada and wants to see a holistic approach be adopted whereby focus is not only on the revenue gained but also on the impact of those who are vulnerable to the habit.

‘I do have significant concerns about the level of domestic gambling that is going on in Grenada and it is something that has to be addressed holistically. You see values matter and if people are left to think the only way in which they can exit the financial challenges that they have is through gambling then you know we are guaranteeing to them that they will never come out of it,’ Mitchell said.

Mitchell said that while he respects individuals rights to choose how they want to live their lives, he is of the opinion that as a society there is need to have some consensus as to what values are and what are the merits and demerits.

‘Gambling is a demerit and gambling addiction if one suffers from it could be highly destructive,’ said Prime Minister Mitchell, who made it clear that he was not referring to the one time bingo or other games of chance but to those described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as highly addictive.

‘Fortunately for us it is persons who are off limited financial means who find themselves gambling and if they are to find themselves addictive then we have an issue,’ he said while pointing out that there are people who gamble between 12 to 14 hours daily.

‘It’s the accessible behaviour and patterns where they don’t care about their children, they leave the children home and they go gambling, they spend hours in the gambling area without realising that 12 hours have past, 14 hours have past.

‘We have to take a whole of society approach to decide what are the best avenues or options when maximising revenues that comes from gambling while at the same time protecting the persons who are most vulnerable from the activities of gambling,’ he said.

Besides private companies having promotional games of chance the biggest gambling outfit is the state operated Grenada National Lotteries Authorities, which is the leading provider of all lottery games and products in Grenada.