Category: CANA News

President of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), Kieron Edwards has revealed that Dwight Yorke will remain as head coach of the national team, despite failing in his bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Yorke was hired by the TTFA last November and given a mandate to qualify for next year’s World Cup. However, T and T finished third behind Jamaica and Curacao to miss out on their second ever World Cup appearance.

While speculation was rife that Yorke would lose his job, Edwards said the former national player will continue in his role as the TTFA was satisfied with the direction of the team.

T and T head coach Dwight Yorke

‘The most important thing was getting the fans involved in football.seeing the stadium packed supporting the team. Knowing the team would have done their very best to qualify.

‘What’s next? Are we going to scrap the programme that was done in the past? No, we are not going to scrap the programme, we continue to build on the programme. We are in discussions with coach Dwight Yorke and his staff currently in terms of next steps,’ Edwards said.

‘We look forward to the next step with this group and the group with coach Yorke and what we do. The future for T and T’s senior football is bright and we will look forward to 2026 and the continued progression with the amount of young players we have there.’

The TTFA president confirmed that the national team will compete against three higher ranked teams in the March FIFA window.

T and T will play against home team Uzbekistan, Gabon and Iceland in the FIFA series.

‘.We would have been granted the opportunity to take part in the FIFA series. It’s a series that’s done in the match window for countries to come together. Countries that would normally not be able to play against each other outside of qualifying for a World Cup.

‘That tournament will be a next step for TT. It helps us in terms of our push for the next four years in terms of moving up the rankings. All the countries that are taking part in that tournament will be above the ranking of TT,’ Edwards said.

The National Environmental Authority (NMA) has disputed media reports of more than 100,000 liters of oil had flowed into the Suriname River in Accaribo, approximately 9.3 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean.

In a statement, the NMA said that the incident was reported by the entrepreneur who owns the storage tank where the incident occurred and is disputing media reports that 100,000 liters of oil had flowed into the river.

A NMA employee observes oil spill

The NMA said that most of the oil had been contained and that the current estimate is that between 3,000 and 4,000 liters have leaked into the soil and the river.

The NMA said that the contamination is currently visible near the beach of the recreation resort operated by the entrepreneur and that to minimize the impact on nature, the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMA) immediately engaged a specialised company United Recycling and Rental to engage in the cleanup.

IN the statement, the NMA said the company is under strict supervision of the authorities and is carrying out actions in accordance with instructions to minimise the damage. It refers to Article 9 of the Environmental Framework Act, which establishes the general duty of care for the environment.

The law obligates everyone in Suriname to treat the living environment with care and to refrain from actions with adverse consequences. If environmentally harmful situations do occur, there is a strict obligation to report them to the NMA.

‘In this case, the company involved acted correctly by reporting the incident promptly and actively cooperating in the cleanup,’ the NMA added.

It said that companies working with hazardous substances are required to have a disaster plan and that such a plan must clearly outline the reporting procedure for environmental incidents.

United States legislators have condemned the Donald Trump administration for cancelling immigration applications and citizenship ceremonies for Caribbean and other immigrants.

Congressional Representatives Pramila Jayapal, the Ranking Member of the House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Immigration, Security, Integrity and Enforcement, and Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher of Texas have criticised the decision and are demanding answers after the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it would indefinitely pause the immigration process for nationals from the countries listed in Trump’s travel ban.

Congressional Representatives Pramila Jayapal

‘Without clarity on how long this broad pause will last, soon-to-be citizens will be left in limbo for perpetuity, and families will be forced to remain separated,’ they wrote in a letter to Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Joseph B. Edlow, director of USCIS. DHS oversees USCIS.

‘What is clear is that no amount of vetting, moral character, or commitment to this country and its democratic values is enough to satiate the Trump administration,’ they added, stating that, ‘based solely on immigrants’ country of origin, Trump’s USCIS is both pausing and canceling green card interviews, applications, naturalization interviews, and even oath ceremonies for immigrants who have completed rigorous vetting and have secured citizenship.

‘These are people who have followed every process and undergone extensive and repeated vetting to secure legal status. These naturalization ceremonies are a time of celebration, as soon-to-be US citizens welcome their friends and family to witness their achievement of becoming a US citizen. To deny this monumental achievement to those who have waited years, if not decades, to pledge the Oath of Allegiance,’ the two US legislators added.

They said delaying their naturalization through no fault of their own is a slap in the face to all those who have devoted their time and energy to become US citizens.

‘This sweeping action is unjustified, discriminatory, and inconsistent with our nation’s founding principles.’

The legislators are demanding answers on a timeline for when the pause will be lifted, any new background and security checks that are being run in the meantime, and a full report to the US Congress.

The letter was also signed by several Democrats, including leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Separately, Jayapal has condemned a new guidance issued by the Trump administration requiring USCIS to ‘supply Office of Immigration Litigation with 100-200 denaturalization cases per month’ to increase denaturalization of Caribbean and other immigrants.

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher

‘I am absolutely outraged by the Trump administration’s plan to denaturalize American citizens by the hundreds every single month and use the immigration system to terrorize immigrants across this country, including US citizens,’ she said.

According to reports, between 2017 and now, there have been just over 120 denaturalization cases filed in total.

‘These arbitrary numerical targets Trump has put out show that he is using the immigration system to go after anyone who disagrees with him, anyone who comes from countries he doesn’t like or decides to call ‘shithole’ countries, anyone he wants to terrorize into submission,’ Jayapal said.

She said Trump’s campaign of terror has never been about going after the ‘worst of the worst,’ and this latest move makes that crystal clear.

‘Every US citizen should be outraged by this. If he can do this to ‘them,’ he can certainly do it to you. As a proud naturalized citizen myself, one of only two dozen to serve in the United States Congress and now the top Democrat on the Immigration Subcommittee, I understand the deep meaning and privilege of becoming a US citizen.

‘I came to this country when I was 16, alone, and with nothing in my pockets, and spent 17 years on an alphabet soup of visas before becoming a US citizen. I treasure that moment to this day and take seriously my oath to this country – as so many millions of naturalized citizens do,’ Jayapal said.

Earlier this month, the San Diego, California-based Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) ‘unequivocally’ condemned Trump’s latest barrage of anti-Black, anti-immigrant attacks, including his recent remarks referring to Somali immigrants as ‘garbage’ and asserting that the US ‘does not want them in our country.’

‘His rhetoric, reported widely in national media, is not simply insulting-it constitutes state-sanctioned dehumanization and reinforces a longstanding pattern of xenophobic and white-nationalist policymaking,’ HBA Executive Director Guerline Jozef told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

She noted that, in his first term, Trump had referred to Haiti and African nations as ‘shit hole countries.’

‘This is structural, intentional, and violent,’ Jozef said. ‘Haitian Bridge stands firmly with Somalis, Haitians, African, Muslims, and all Global South communities targeted by this escalating campaign of discrimination’.

Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke also condemned what she described as Trump’s ‘racist attack’ on Somalia-born Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Somali immigrants in Minnesota.

‘Between falling asleep in his own Cabinet meeting, President Trump somehow finds the time to launch hateful attacks against Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Somali immigrants in Minnesota,’ Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York, told CMC.

Home Affairs Minister, Oneidge Walrond, Monday said at least 70 per cent of vehicles operating in Guyana do so operating outside the law regarding the use of tint on motor vehicles.

As a result, the government has announced that a fine of GUY$30,000 (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents) will be imposed on persons who flout the new regulations.

In a statement, Walrond said that when she assumed office, the legal position was clear and that no vehicle was permitted to bear tinted windows unless an exemption had been granted, and even then, the law allowed for a minimum of 65 per cent Visible Light Transmission (VLT).

‘Despite this clarity, the reality on our roads reflected widespread non-compliance, with over 70 per cent of vehicles operating far outside the legal limit. It was evident that our country had outgrown what was, in effect, a ban on tint, and that a more progressive, practical, and enforceable legal framework was necessary to reflect modern realities while safeguarding public safety.’

She said against this background that she has moved to have enacted the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Tint) Regulations 2025, which will come into force on January 1, 2026, as part of the government’s continued efforts to strengthen public safety, enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement, and provide greater clarity, consistency, and fairness for all road users.

‘Guyanese will be pleased to know that the new regulations allow all vehicles to carry some level of tint without the need for an exemption; introduce new clearly set permissible VLT standards; and establish a modern policing regime using approved tint meters, removing ambiguity and supporting fair, consistent enforcement nationwide.’

She said that as a result, from January 1, next year, no tint is permitted on the front windscreen, except for a visor which must not exceed six inches measured from the top of the windscreen.

In addition, the front side windows must have a minimum 25 per cent VLT, with rear side windows with a minimum 20 per cent VLT. The government said rear windscreen must have a minimum 20 per cent and that the use of mirrored or reflective tint is prohibited under the new regulation.

Walrond said the new regulations also provide for adjusted fines of GUY$30,000 for offences related to the installation or use of non-compliant tint, including for vehicle operators and businesses engaged in applying tint contrary to the law

‘These fines were carefully calibrated to serve as a deterrent without being punitive or excessive, and to reinforce compliance rather than create hardship,’ Walrond said, adding that the government will closely monitor compliance, enforcement patterns, and public impact during the implementation phase, and where necessary, further adjustments, including increases to fines, will be considered.

She said to support an orderly and fair transition, a three-month amnesty period will take effect from the commencement of the regulations.

‘During this period, the Guyana Police Force will establish voluntary tint testing sites across the country, allowing vehicle owners to test their vehicles and make adjustments where necessary without penalty.

‘I encourage all motorists to take full advantage of the amnesty period and to ensure compliance with the new standards as we move forward together in the interest of safer roads and stronger public trust,’ Walrond added.

Former energy minister Stuart Young Monday said reports that the Canada-based Nutrien plans to sells off overseas assets and redirects capital toward potash ‘will be a disaster’ for Trinidad and Tobago.

Young, who served as minister of energy and energy related industries in the last two People’s National Movement (PNM) administration, said that in 2024 Nutrien spent US$130 million on their Trinidad and Tobago plants.

‘This significant investment was based on the confidence that Nutrien had in Trinidad and Tobago and our energy sector’s management and outlook. The gas sector was being carefully managed, relationships were mutually respectful and Trinidad and Tobago’s interest was being looked after. It is a delicate balancing exercise understanding that we are competing globally against other countries that also have natural gas supplies,’ Young wrote on his Facebook page.

His statements follow local and international media reports that Nutrien, which has since shutdown of its ammonia and urea operations is retreating from nitrogen production and is seeking to sell off overseas assets and redirect capital toward potash.

Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal says talks with the multinational are ongoing and that he has taken note Nutrien ‘is now in the process of diversifying its production base.

‘They have taken decisions in relation to a global market and so on and we wish them all the best. We are still in touch with the Nutrien people concerning Trinidad ad Tobago, they have still expressed a commitment to work with us.’

The Canada-based publication, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, reported that in October, Nutrien ‘commenced a controlled shutdown’ of its Trinidad operations, which produced ammonia and urea used in nitrogen fertiliser.

The company said the decision came ‘in response to port access restrictions imposed by Trinidad and Tobago’s National Energy Corporation’, along with a lack of reliable and economic natural gas supply that affected financial performance.

Devan Mescall, Edwards Enhancement Chair in Business at the University of Saskatchewan, said the challenges in Trinidad went beyond economics.

‘I think that there were political challenges in the Trinidad and Tobago operation, where a new government there was trying to squeeze Nutrien and restrict its access to ports and force it into an unfavourable renegotiation of their agreements,’ Mescall said, adding ‘I think Nutrien realized that was not in their best interest and so ceased those operations.’

Since the Trinidad shutdown, Nutrien has accelerated divestment of non-core assets. Over the past year, the company has generated close to US$900 million through asset sales.

In December, Nutrien sold its 50 per cent stake in Argentina-based nitrogen fertiliser producer Profertil S.A. for US$600 million to Adecoagro S.A. and the Asociacion de Cooperativas Argentinas. Earlier this year, it finalised the sale of its ownership stake in Sinofert Holdings Ltd., a Chinese producer of nitrogen, phosphate and other fertilisers, for US$223 million.

In a statement following the Profertil sale, Nutrien president and chief executive Ken Seitz said the divestment was part of a move to simplify the company’s portfolio and boost earnings, and in its first-quarter results, Nutrien said the proceeds would be directed toward ‘priorities that are core to our long-term strategy’.

Young wrote that since coming to office in April, the Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration has destroyed confidence in Trinidad and Tobago’s energy sector.

‘If Nutrien’s unprecedented shut down of its plants (which they spent over one billion TT dollars on in 2024) turns into a withdrawal from Trinidad and Tobago it will be a disaster for us. Loss of thousands of jobs, loss of Forex, downgrade, continued deterioration and destruction of our delicate energy sector,’ Young said.

He said, additionally, the state-owned National Gas Company (NGC) gas sale contracts to the petrochemical companies at Point Lisas have been expiring and the government ‘has failed to negotiate any long term commercial gas sale contracts.

‘Companies will only invest if there is certainty of future gas supply and a level of confidence in the management of our energy sector, both of which are now gone’ Young said, adding that since coming to power, the new administration has ‘removed all of those individuals with the experience and competence to assist in managing our energy sector’.

Daren Sammy’s future as all-format head coach could hinge on the West Indies’ performance at the upcoming T20 World Cup, says renown cricket commentator Ian Bishop.

Sammy, who captained the West Indies to two T20 World Cup titles, has endured a tough start since becoming all-format head coach on April 1.

He has won just two series; a historic 2-1 victory over Pakistan in their One Day International (ODI) series in August and a 3-0 whipping of Bangladesh in October in their T20I series.

Daren Sammy

However, he has suffered Test and T20I losses to Australia, a Test series loss to India, an ODI series loss to Bangladesh, while New Zealand downed the regional side in their recently concluded T20I, ODI and Test series.

With the 2026 T20 World Cup set to be held in Sri Lanka and India from February to March, Bishop believes Sammy’s tenure could be tied to the West Indies’ showing at the marquee event.

Speaking during an interview on iSports i95.5 FM on Saturday, Bishop admitted that Sammy’s results thus far had been unflattering.

‘The results so far are not going to be pleasing reflection for Daren Sammy.

‘He started off with three very difficult series, but he knew that when he took the job against Australia in the Caribbean, against India in India and then against New Zealand in New Zealand, where we haven’t won since 1995; that’s 30 years of Test cricket where we haven’t won a game, so there will be disappointment certainly from a Test match point of view.’ Bishop said.

‘From a white ball point of view, the real proof is going to be the T20 World Cup next year. That is a team that has a lot of potential from a batting point of view if not from a bowling point of view, and so what are we going to judge him by? And I think it’s going to rest heavily on the white-ball component of the game that will come up in the next two months.’

The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) says it is providing a loan and grant financial package to Belize for a project being implemented by the Belize Electricity Limited (BEL).

It said together with the government of Canada, the innovative US$27.53 million loan and grant package will support the modernisation of the country’s grid through the Power VIII Project, which is an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and Grid Modernisation Programme.

The CDB said that this is the largest financing it has extended to BEL to date and the first provided on an unsecured, non-sovereign-guaranteed basis.

The CDB’s financing is comprised of a US$24.2 million loan from CDB’s Ordinary Capital Resources, as well as a three million US dollar grant from its Special Funds Resources under the government of Canada’s Supporting, Resilent and Green Energy (SuRGE) Initiative. CDB’s support for the initiative underscores its commitment to advancing a clean, resilient, and gender inclusive energy future for the region.

‘The bank is proud to support Belize’s transition to a smarter, more climate-resilient grid. The Power VIII Project directly aligns with our priorities for digital infrastructure, energy security, and climate resilience,’ said CDB portfolio manager, Alexander Augustine, who highlighted the importance of the project for the CDB.

‘BEL has always been a fundamentally solid company with a robust capital base, and has, over the years, demonstrated the institutional maturity and financial capacity required for non-sovereign-guaranteed financing.’

The initiative will improve real-time monitoring, outage response, voltage control, billing accuracy, and solar integration, while reducing losses and the environmental footprint. The project also includes feasibility studies for key transmission upgrades to strengthen grid resilience and future expansion.

‘Canada is pleased to support Belize’s efforts to modernize its electricity grid through this important partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank and Belize Electricity Limited,’ said Canada’s Chargé Affairs to Belize, Ricardo Martin González.

‘By contributing through the SuRGE initiative, Canada is helping advance cleaner, more reliable, and climate-resilient energy infrastructure that will benefit communities across the country. This milestone reflects our shared commitment to sustainable development, innovation, and a more inclusive energy future for Belize,’ González added.

BEL’s chief executive officer, John Mencias, welcomed the milestone, adding, ‘this significant achievement reflects both CDB’s confidence in BEL and the strength of the partnership we have built over many years of collaboration going back to the early 1970’s.

‘It represents a landmark milestone for both our institutions that signals CDB’s trust in BEL’s financial stability, governance and management, and strategic direction, and, by extension, is a strong endorsement of Belize’s broader energy development trajectory.’

The Power VIII Project, now underway, will roll out over three years, deploying 115,000 smart meters nationwide supported by advanced communications and analytics. In addition to CDB financing the project will receive a US$330,000 SuRGE grant, and US$7.05 million in counterpart funding from BEL.

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, says Haiti will not negotiate with criminal gangs that are seeking to overthrow the provisional government in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

‘The government’s fight is against gangs. The government’s fight is to secure the country. The state will not compromise. The state will not negotiate with criminals,’ Fils-Aimé said as he visited the Haitian National Police (PNH) headquarters in Clercine, which is part of the greater metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince and is known for being close to the airport and experiencing significant gang activity.

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé (left) is greeted on his arrival at the PNH headquarters on Sunday.

The authorities said that Fils-Aimé, who was accompanied the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Patrick Pélissier, the Secretary of State for Public Security, Mario Andrésol; as well as the Acting Director General of the Haitian National Police (PNH) Mario Andrésol; and the High Command of the National Police, noted that the visit on Sunday was intended to reiterate the government’s commitment to restoring public order and republican authority throughout the country.

The statement also noted that the visit was part of the general mobilisation of state security forces, the PNH, the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd’H), and the Gang Suppression Force (FRG) that are jointly engaged in an offensive against armed criminal groups that threaten national security.

During the visit, Prime Minister Fils-Aimé expressed the government’s official gratitude to the United States State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) for the donation of 25 armoured personnel carriers intended to strengthen operational capabilities, the protection of deployed units, and the intervention power of law enforcement.

According to the Prime Minister, this strategic equipment will allow law enforcement to gradually retake territories occupied by armed groups and ensure the long-term security of the population.

Prime Minister Fils-Aimé said that restoring security is a prerequisite for a return to constitutional order, reiterating that 2026 will be dedicated to organising general elections and renewing political personnel and republican institutions.

Haiti remains in a severe crisis, dominated by rampant gang violence, political instability, and humanitarian disaster, with gangs using sexual violence to terrorize communities, disrupting food supplies leading to widespread hunger, displacing over 362,000 people, and overwhelming aid efforts.

UN officials say that security alone won’t fix Haiti; political solutions, elections, and economic support are crucial to achieve lasting stability.

In his end of year message, outgoing CARICOM chairman and Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, said the 15-member regional integration grouping continued its sustained advocacy for increased international support for Haiti.

He said these efforts kept Haiti firmly on the global agenda and contributed to the adoption of a United Nations Security Council Resolution establishing a Gang Suppression Force, supported in part by United Nations funding.

‘CARICOM is now a key partner in the tripartite coordination of the Organization of American States’ Roadmap toward Stability and Peace in Haiti, and we look forward with optimism to the preparations for free and fair elections in 2026,’ Holness added.

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has called on the Trinidad and Tobago government to ‘immediately reconsider and reverse these unjustified’ taxes as announced ‘quietly’ on Christmas Day, saying government is engaged in a ‘new policy of bleeding the pockets of the population in order to obtain revenue to run the country’.

On Christmas Day, the government announced through legal notices that drivers will pay 100 per cent increase in fines for various traffic offences as of January 1 next year.

In August 2024, while in opposition, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had criticised the former government over the traffic penalties, describing them as too ‘harsh’, particularly the demerit points system.

In addition, the government has also announced the doubling of several Customs fees, which Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo had previously announced in the national budget as a measure to raise an additional one billion dollars (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents).

The government has also amended the Open General Licence for exporters, removing clays, crushed limestone, boulders, sand, gravel, plastering sand, porcellanite, argillite, and oil sand from the list of goods that can be exported without a special permit.

The change will take effect on January 1, 2026 and as a result, exporters will now need a separate licence to ship these materials.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Beckles said that ‘it is evident that the Prime Minister has both misunderstood the purpose of demerit points and has deliberately chosen to ignore it’.

She said that the position advanced by the prime minister in condemning what she describes as ‘sub par intelligence’ and lawlessness among citizens ‘are nothing more than a calculated attempt to gaslight the population and divert attention from the Government’s new policy of bleeding the pockets of the population in order to obtain revenue to run the country’.

Beckles said that in the last national budget, the Persad-Bissessar government misled the nation on oil price projections, inflating expectations to US$70 per barrel when global prices now stand at US$56.

‘This reckless overstatement has left a gaping revenue shortfall. As a result, the Government has chosen to squeeze the population through excessive taxation, punitive fines and intimidation,’ Beckles said, adding ‘these measures are not about public safety or accountability but rather, they are a desperate revenue raising exercise designed to keep a failing Government afloat.

‘This approach stands in direct contradiction to the promises made to the electorate when this administration sought public support during the 2025 election campaign. In 2024, while in Opposition, Kamla Persad-Bissessar promised the people a reduction in traffic fines. Now in Government, she has done the exact opposite, betraying that promise and burdening citizens even further. It is abundantly clear now that no one is winning.’

Beckles said that families are already struggling in every regard, postponing vehicle repairs until month-end, stretching salaries to cover basic needs and making painful compromises simply to survive.

‘To impose such exorbitant increases in fines under these conditions is a clear indication that this Government and Kamla Persad-Bissessar have no interest in the financial wellbeing of law abiding citizens.

‘From the secretive manner in which these measures were announced, to the absence of transparency and now to the flimsy, baseless and misleading justification being offered, this policy reflects poor governance and a disregard for the people,’ Beckles said, adding that Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, must ‘immediately reconsider and reverse these unjustified price hikes and we demand that she comes clean with the nation about the true state of the country’s finances’.

But Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar told the Trinidad Express newspaper on Monday that ‘all these measures were present firstly in the budget and secondly in the Finance bill’ and that the Opposition Leader ‘should read her parliamentary notes, papers and reports.

‘I have no ill will against her but she is embarrassing herself with her incompetence in parliamentary and legislative matters. She couldn’t even move her own motion in the Parliament,’ said Persad-Bissessar.

She said the main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) is intent on ‘carrying their supporters down the wrong path.

‘They seem to harbour no great ambitions for their supporters or citizens. I was shocked when the first thing she spoke of in the budget was the price of rum. Is that what she believes is important to PNM supporters and citizens instead of healthcare, education, security and sustainable jobs?’ she said.

Former prime minister Stuart Young, in a statement posted to his Facebook page, accused the current administration of imposing harsh economic measures while weakening key sectors of the economy.

He said the country was facing a combination of higher taxes and fines, rising food and alcohol prices, job losses, credit downgrades, reduced access to foreign exchange and higher electricity rates.

The Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) says it has established two units as part of its strategy to effectively investigate cyber and other technology type crimes.

It said these crimes include illegal activities using computers or digital devices to commit offenses like fraud, data theft, harassment, impacting individuals, businesses, and governments.

Commissioner of Police, Randy Connaught, said that the RGPF made significant investment into technology which has contributed to establishing a Digital Forensic Unit and a Drones Unit.

Police Commissioner, Randy Connaught

‘Our Drone Unit which stood with just a mere one drone couple years, now we have a full fleet of drones with qualified drone pilots, and we are actually in training mode where an additional set of pilots are being trained. This is progress here and progress will continue,’ he said without detailing the specific work of the Digital Forensic Unit.

In August last year, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell told Parliament that Grenada through the Ministry of National Security is to develop rules and policies pertaining to the use of drones and these guidelines will focus on identifying no fly zones as well as applying drone technology to assist with improving healthcare.

‘Drones technologies are revolutionising the world,’ said Mitchell, who is also the Minister National Security. However, no rules nor policies have been gazetted, and no law has been approved in the Parliament.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Vannie Curwen, said that crimes are more digitally committed as compared to years gone and the police have been able to match the digitalisation of what is happening not only in Grenada but in the world.

‘We have been able to build out a Digital Forensic Unit giving us the capacity to go far, deep and wide into everything, every electronic gadget that is used to commit crime, we will find you and if you delete it, we will be able to find it again,’ he warned cyber criminals.

A regional situational assessment conducted under the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP) which was made public in August 2025, revealed that cyber threats are growing faster than public understanding and in Grenada, the findings were especially telling.

The Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP) is a World Bank-funded initiative designed to enhance public service delivery, expand digital access, and modernize ICT.

The assessment said that focus groups were held with youth, parents, educators, and seniors in Grenada. And it was realised that many participants had experienced or witnessed cyber incidents, from online scams to impersonation and cyberbullying.

Despite this, less than half could confidently define terms like ‘phishing,’ ‘two-factor authentication,’ or ‘cybercrime.’

‘Several participants believed cybercrime only affected large institutions or tech-savvy users, not everyday citizens,’ said the assessment which points out that reporting rates are low and even When harm occurs participants shared that they often didn’t know where or how to report incidents, even when real harm occurred.

‘Some feared embarrassment or didn’t trust that action would be taken,’ it said, recommending public education that’s accessible and practical, greater visibility of trusted institutions like CSIRT Grenada as well as support for teachers, parents, seniors, and small businesses and more places to ask questions, report problems, and get help.