Category: CANA News

The Guyana government says it will launch a national consultation in January to address the growing abuse of social media, particularly its impact on children and families.

President Irfaan Ali, speaking during an engagement with students on Tuesday, said that the initiative is not about restricting social media but about developing informed, balanced solutions through broad-based public input.

‘I don’t want to use the word ‘restricting’ social media, I want the consultation to tell us what we should do,’ Ali said, adding that a dedicated team is already being assembled and that he is personally reviewing international case studies, including approaches used in Australia, Germany, the European Union and the United Kingdom, as Guyana examines policy options suited to its own social and cultural context.

The head of state said that the issue of misinformation and excessive social media use is now recognised globally, with the United Nations declaring a fight against what it calls a pandemic of misinformation and disinformation.

‘Social media is not the problem. It is the abuse of social media,’ Ali said, noting that over the Christmas holidays, he heard the concerns of hundreds of parents about their children spending excessive hours online, often throughout the night and into the following day.

He recounted one parent’s experience of confiscating a device at midnight, only to wake hours later to find their child ‘crawling into the room like ninjas’ to retrieve it, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing families.

‘As parents, we all face the challenge of managing screen time,’ President Ali said, recounting his own experience during a recent visit to Silicon Valley in California.

He said that senior technology executives acknowledged the risks of excessive screen exposure, noting that many limit or completely restrict device use for their own children.

‘That tells us that everyone recognises this is a real problem,’ Ali said, saying that enforcement alone cannot address the issue, pointing instead to consultation, education and shared responsibility as the foundation for effective policy.

‘We want families, young people, churches and communities to be involved in helping us come up with the best possible solution,’ he said.

President Ali said the upcoming consultations will guide government action, ensuring that any measures adopted are balanced, inclusive and responsive to the lived realities of Guyanese families, while safeguarding children and strengthening social well-being in the digital age.

A veteran police officer has been placed on US$1,000 bail after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of libel after the prosecution said he unlawfully swore an affidavit earlier this year with the intent to defame a prominent businessman.

Delmar Taylor, 39, who broke down in tears years as he was arraigned before Deputy Chief Magistrate Kara Turnquest Deveaux on a charge of intentional libel. He is accused of making the defamatory statements against Derek Osborne, a partner and senior actuary at TELUS International Health Bahamas on July 17.

Taylor, who is due to re-appear in court on March 9, 2026, faces a the possibiliity of two years in jail if he is fond guilty at his trial.

Taylor, who has been a police officer for 19 years, has been suspended and placed on half-pay until his trial is completed.

President Irfaan Ali Wednesday administered the oath of office to the seven-member Teaching Service Commission (TSC) despite the absence of a leader of the opposition, whose ‘meaningful consultation’ is needed regarding the appointments.

Among those appointed is the Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain.

The Guyana Constitution stipulates that the TSC be made up of seven members with three of them being appointed by the President after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.

However, Guyana has been without an Opposition Leaders since the September 1 general elections that resulted in the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) being returned to power and the newly formed We Invest In Nationhood (WIN) party being the one with the second most seats in the National Assembly.

WIN leader, Azruddin Mohamed, have been seeking so far unsuccessfully to be sworn in as Opposition Leader, despite the new Parliament having officially met for the first time since the election in November.

While he did not address the issue during the ceremony, President Ali later told reporters that it was important for him to appoint the Commission even without consultation with the Leader of the Opposition as is required by the Constitution.

‘It is an important constitutional responsibility that has to be executed. The minister came to me and explained the importance for the system itself, and I don’t want a new term to start without having the commission in place to make important decisions that would allow the quality of teaching to improve, and also allow more opportunities to be given to our teachers,’ Ali said.

He told reporters that whenever an Opposition Leader is elected, as the President; he will fulfill his constitutional responsibility but made it clear that with or without an Opposition Leader, the work of the Government must continue.

A member of te coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) that had been the main opposition party in the last parliament, said the party had warned that in the absence of an Opposition Leader, President Ali would move to make unilateral appointments in breach of the Constitution.

‘This is precisely the kind of constitutional erosion we in the APNU have been warning about. A maturing dictatorship is unfolding before our eyes, fed and sustained by none other than President Irfaan Ali,’ Ganesh Mahipaul, an opposition legislator said in a statement.

He said the non-election of a Leader of the Opposition is no fault of the Opposition, as it is the Speaker of the Assembly, who was appointed by the Government and was one of the governing party’s candidates at the elections, who has been refusing to allow the election of the Opposition Leader to take place.

In his address, President Ali said the Minister of Education, Sonia Parag, had made out a case for the Commission to be reconstitution, and in doing so provided a statistical analysis of the vacancies, and the need for promotions and other advancements with regards to the teaching profession.

He said there are an estimated 2,700 senior vacancies within schools across the country.

‘Now, these are not senior vacancies that exist in the system in a traditional way, these are senior vacancies created also by this government so that we can have a more qualitative delivery of holistic education.

‘Several new positions have been created to facilitate the faster, upward mobility to teachers and for teachers. As you know, teachers in the traditional sense had to wait all their lives, close to retirement to become a head teacher sometime,’ Ali said.

Additionally, he said the Education Minister has advised that a second deputy head teacher in Grades A and B secondary schools would be appointed as well as 60 second deputies.

Ali said that the TSC is entrusted with safeguarding the integrity, professionalism and fairness of the teaching profession, and was created as an independent institution to ensure that appointments, promotions and disciplinary actions are based solely on merit, fairness and process.

‘An independent Teaching Service Commission helps safeguard professionalism, builds confidence among teachers that they will be treated justly and thereby assist in maintaining stable and high standards in national education.

‘It is for this reason that the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana at Article 209 (1) of the Constitution vests the Teaching Service Commission with ‘the power to appoint persons as teachers in the Public Service, and to remove and exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in such offices,” Ali added.

United States Senator Peter Welch, has expressed alarm at President Donald J. Trump’s mobilisation of National Guard troops, warships and fighter jets to the Caribbean.

The Democrat of Vermont is also urging Congress to enforce the War Powers Act before the United States embarks on another unauthorised war, lamenting that the Trump administration has not provided Congress with adequate information about its recent military strikes in the region.

He is also demanding transparency and accountability for attacks that have killed more than 100 people in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.

‘The question is: why are our warships, a carrier group, and support assets in the Caribbean? They are not there for drug interdiction. The reason they’re there is obvious, and it’s even acknowledged.

‘President Trump wants Venezuelan President Nicolas) Maduro gone. He wants regime change. As the president masses our forces for a war, as he and his associates have explicitly stated is one in which their goal would be the elimination of the Maduro regime, the president continues to refuse to come to Congress and seek Congressional approval for a military action, as is required under the War Powers Act.

‘All of us as elected members of the United States Senate have vested in us, under the Constitution Article I, the responsibility and exclusive authority to declare war,’ Welch said, adding ‘let us all accept our duty and demand that the executive be transparent, be accountable, and comply with the provisions of the War Powers Act, and come to Congress for our approval of the military action that is clearly underway.’

In October, Welch voted in support of a War Powers Act Resolution led by California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff ‘to stop Trump’s unconstitutional attacks in the Caribbean Sea’ and urged the Senate to question Trump’s legal authority to take the United States to war.

Welch said he also led ‘every Senate Judiciary Committee Democrat in demanding answers from the Department of Justice about the legality of military actions ordered by Trump’ that have now killed over 100 in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.

As he wages increased pressure on the Maduro government in Venezuela, Trump disclosed last Friday that the US military had struck an alleged coastal drug loading facility in Venezuela.

When questioned by reporters on Monday, after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu, Trump said ‘there was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs’.

Congressman Adam Smith, the leading Democrat on the US House of Representatives’ Armed Services Committee, noted on Tuesday that, with Trump’s latest action, he ‘clearly wants to drive Maduro from power.

‘What is Trump prepared to do next?. How far is he willing to take this effort at regime change in Venezuela?’

In an Op-Ed piece in the Orlando Sentinel this week, James Martin, a US national security expert, wrote that the US military strikes in the Caribbean Sea are ‘not only patently illegal, they are shortsighted and counterproductive to American interests.

‘While everyday Americans are working harder for less, Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth (US Defense Secretary) are lighting taxpayer money on fire for political theater, and they are wasting the time and talent of our men and women in uniform,’ said the US Coast Guard veteran and candidate for Florida’s 21st Congressional District.

Martin said that the Trump administration’s rationale for these strikes ‘is that Venezuelan gangs are narco-terrorists that are plying Americans with fentanyl, so they should be treated as enemy combatants.’

He said Fentanyl ‘is largely trafficked to the United States from Mexico by American citizens in the employ of Mexican cartels.

Jamaica is ending 2025 with a more than 40 per cent reduction in murders as compared to the same period last year, according to figures released by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

It said that for the period January 1 to December 27 this year, the island recorded 666 murders as compared with 1,142 for the same period last year, a decline of 41.7 per cent.

According to the JCF, Westmoreland, St. James, St. Andrew and St. Catherine North, which together had reported 439 killings last year, recorded a total of 234 murders, with the St. James recording the best figures with 56 murders, 61 less than 2024.

The police reported also that shootings across the country had declined significantly from the 1.003 figure posted last year to 692, a decline of 31 per cent and there was a mix bag as it related to crimes like rape.

There were 312 rape cases reported during the period this year as compared with 435 last year. But robbery inched up to 684 from the 634 figure last year and breakins reached 1,068 as against 913 last year.

Earlier this month, Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake reported that there were 310 fatal shootings by the police this year, and that while the incidents remain the subject of ongoing police investigations, it is important to place them in proper context.

‘It must be clearly stated that the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s preference is, and has always been, to preserve life and bring offenders before the court. The data for 2025 supports this unequivocally. To give context to the discussion, we have increased operations by over 70 per cent, this means that there were over 100,000 interactions between police and citizens over the year,’ he said.

Blake urged Jamaicans not to encourage criminals in challenging the security forces, hoping for fewer fatal shootings in 2026.

‘The Jamaica Constabulary Force remains committed to lawful measures and accountable policing, even as we confront increasingly armed and violent criminal elements. Our aim is justice, not confrontation, and the evidence shows that, whenever possible, life is preserved,’ he said in his Year in Review, adding that he remains ‘deeply proud’ of the men and women of the JCF.

” The results we are seeing in 2025 are the product of long hours, difficult decisions, professionalism, and exceptional support from our stakeholders,’ he said, adding that 2025 has been a year in which strategy, accountability and partnership have translated into measurable outcomes for the Jamaican people.

‘In 2017, our beautiful nation recorded in excess of 1,640 murders. At that time we had made the resolve that we would never get back there. That year we recorded the third-highest number of murders in our country’s history, and so we use that year as a benchmark year with which we measure our progress today.

‘At the start of 2025, we made a clear commitment to consolidate the gains of previous years whilst intensifying our focus on violent crimes, particularly murders and shootings. As we stand here today I can say with confidence that 2025 was a year in which hundreds of lives were saved and violent crimes significantly reduced. Murders are down by 43 per cent nationally,’ he added

The Jamaica Observer newspaper has confirmed that its audio visual manager and prominent sports journalist, Donald Oliver, died Tuesday after complaining of chest pains. He was 40 years-old.

The paper said that the Press Association of Jamaica’s (PAJ) Sports Journalist of the Year in 2015, previously worked at several other media establishments including CVM TV, TVJ and SportsMax, where he made his mark as a senior producer and high-profile commentator for over two decades.

Following the closure of SportsMax, Oliver joined the Jamaica Observer Media Group as audiovisual manager in August of 2025 and the Observer Executive Editor, Vernon Davidson, described Oliver as a consummate professional and a ‘wonderful human being’.

‘I never met Donald before he joined us at the Observer earlier this year. I had only seen and heard him on television doing what he does best – sports commentary,’ Davidson said.

‘It was very clear to me that he was a fountain of knowledge in a range of sports and his analyses were always insightful and extremely informative. I came to respect him for that,’ Davidson continued, adding ‘I was therefore thrilled when he joined us at the Observer as I knew his contribution would enhance our coverage of sports.’

He described Oliver’s sudden passing as ‘shocking’ adding ‘the media fraternity and Jamaica have lost a decent and extremely talented man. This one is tough.’

In a statement, the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) said it is deeply saddened by the passing of Oliver, and that he was widely respected across the media fraternity for his professionalism, meticulous preparation, and passion for telling the stories of Jamaican and Caribbean sport, particularly football and cricket.

The PAJ said that his work as a commentator, presenter, and producer helped to elevate sports journalism in the region and inspired a new generation of young broadcasters.

‘Mr Oliver’s work was recognised at the highest level, as he won several national journalism awards over the years, including the Best Television Feature/Documentary Award and the Hugh Crosskill/Raymond Sharpe Award for Sports Journalism.

‘We extend heartfelt condolences to his wife and family, his colleagues in the media, his many friends, and the countless viewers and listeners who welcomed him into their homes over the years. May his soul rest in peace,’ the PAJ added.

-The Trinidad and Tobago government is exploring the possibility of regional and international partners being involved in the re-start of the state-owned oil refinery that was shut down in 2018 when the former government said the cost of upgrading the refinery would have loaded the company with an unsustainable debt burden estimated at TT$12 billion (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) of which TT$5.780 billion is due in August 2019.

Energy and Energy Industries Minister Dr. Roodal Moonilal said the Kamla-Persad Bissessar administration is given serious consideration to the ‘Interim Report of the Refinery Restart Committee’ led by former energy minister Kevin Ramnarine, earlier this month.

‘I can indicate that quite recently I’ve had some dialogue as well with the Minister of Energy of Suriname Mr. Patrick Brunings, and that was a matter discussed as well because, as you know, they operate a smaller refinery in Suriname, and so we’re in discussions with Suriname. We have ongoing contact with Guyana,’ he said.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition is warning St. Lucians of the risk of using illicit drugs following the recent confirmation of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, referred to as MDMA, in the country.

In a statement, the ministry said that it is urging citizens and visitors to exercise extreme caution regarding the use of illicit substances, which it described as substances that are manufactured, sold, processed or used illegally, or used in a manner not intended for legitimate medical purposes.

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine

It said that recent intelligence has resulted in the St. Lucia Forensic Science Laboratory testing and providing confirmation in country of 3,4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) ‘more commonly called molly, ecstasy or crystals.

‘It is a controlled substance with known risks to human health. It is a recreational drug often used in social, night-life and party settings.

‘The appearance varies depending on how it has been produced for use. It may be in a crystal, powder, capsule or tablet form. In tablet form, it is produced in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes, often having logos, symbols, or pictures,’ the Ministry said in its statement.

It noted that MDMA is a synthetically produced drug which has stimulant effects and as such, for someone using it, there will likely be feelings of intense euphoria, such as excitement and happiness, enhanced sensory perception (touch, smell and sight senses become more sensitive and intense), emotional, social and sexual openness.

‘This often results in impulsive behaviour and poor self-regulation as individuals tend to act without normal thinking or control,’ the ministry said, noting that MDMA has varying health effects based on the individual’s size, weight and health and whether other drugs and alcohol are also taken around the same time among other factors.

‘In the immediate or short term use of MDMA an individual may experience a more rapid heartbeat, increased body temperature, sweating, dehydration, blurred vision, seizures, muscle tension, jaw clenching, brain swelling, nausea and/or vomiting. It may also become as extreme as loss of consciousness, paranoia, out of character behavior. Globally, deaths have also been reported.’

The ministry said the long-term use of MDMA may include dependence, liver damage, depression, memory and concentration deterioration informing the members of the population that ‘If you or anyone you know feels unwell, collapses, or has difficulty breathing after taking MDMA, seek immediate emergency medical attention at the nearest hospital or community health facility’.

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew says the precence of a set of professionals from the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) marks a significant milestone in the deepening of Africa-Caribbean relations through practical, people-centred cooperation in healthcare and education.

Prime Minister Drew told the official welcome ceremony that the initiative is a clear demonstration of purposeful partnership, moving beyond symbolism to tangible outcomes that benefit citizens directly.

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew with members of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC)

‘Words are cheap. Action speaks louder than words,’ He said, adding that the presence of the NTAC professionals in the twin island Federation reflects a deliberate commitment to results-driven collaboration between Africa and the Caribbean.

The professionals, who will reside and work in St. Kitts and Nevis for the next two years, will support national efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and education services, bringing deep experience, leadership, and technical expertise to key institutions.

Prime Minister Drew said the partnership underscores the broader historical and cultural bonds that unite Africa and the Caribbean and that the two regions share not only ancestry, but also a common legacy of liberation, resilience, and self-determination.

He told the ceremony of the lasting impact of previous Nigerian professionals, particularly in the health sector, had on the country, noting that their contributions significantly elevated standards of care and earned enduring respect across the Federation.

He said that the engagement with the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps aligns with the Government’s broader foreign policy direction, which prioritises meaningful partnerships with Africa and other developing regions, grounded in shared heritage and mutual benefit.

‘May your time among us be one of success and impact, and may it demonstrate, on the world stage, that Africa and the Caribbean can work together to build our own future,’ Prime Minister Drew said as he also reflected on the deep and enduring educational ties between the two countries, particularly in the training of medical professionals.

‘A lot of Nigerian doctors were trained right here in Saint Kitts and Nevis through the Windsor University School of Medicine. Presently, you have a Kittitian Nigerian Doctors Association in Nigeria. When I went there, they reached out to me, and I think it has to be at least hundreds of Nigerians who have trained here and have gone back, many of them to Nigeria, to contribute.

‘ So it is a symbiotic relationship. You have come as professionals and students came. They got prepared, and they went back to Nigeria. The bond continues to grow,’ said Prime Minister, who is also a medical practitioner.

Education Minister Dr. Geoffrey Hanley in welcoming the five professionals assigned to the education sector, said this ‘initiative reflects the enduring friendship and cooperation between our two nations, and it underscores the shared commitment of advancing education and health for the benefit of our people.

‘I also say to you that I’m also in discussion with your Ministry of Education for further support in the areas of autism, disabilities, and possible scholarships,’ he added.

Barbadians Jofra Archer and Jacob Bethell have been included in England’s 15-man provisional squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Archer has been named in the squad despite suffering a side strain in the third Test of the Ashes this month, which ruled him out of the remainder of the series.

It is hoped that the Archer will make a full recovery ahead of next year’s World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India from February 7 to March 8. The 30-year-old fast bowler left Australia on Boxing Day evening, after day one of the fourth Test in Melbourne, and is currently recovering in Barbados under the supervision of the ECB’s medial team.

He will miss the three ODIs and three T20Is in Sri Lanka, which starts from January 22, with Brydon Carse staying on after the 50-over matches to fill in. Archer is likely to join the squad in India ahead of their opening Group C match against Nepal in Mumbai on February 8.

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Bethell’s inclusion has come as no surprise. The all-rounder became England’s youngest ever captain when he was appointed to lead the Twenty20 International side against Ireland in September.

Since making his debut in 2024, Bethell has played 20 T20Is and scored 392 runs at an avergae of 30.15.

SQUAD

ENGLAND: Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood.