Category: CANA News

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has praised Dominica’s economic recovery after the island encountered numerous challenges over the years.

Delivering a lecture on Thursday night to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the death of former prime minister, Roosevelt Douglas, Prime Minister Gonsalves, the longest serving had of government within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said that the island’s economic recovery should not be taken lightly.

He said that as a result of the challenges faced by the island over the years, many of its economic leaders ‘had collapsed.

‘Bananas collapsed, Hurricane David, Hurricane Allen, Hurricane Maria, the global economic crisis.COVID and the occasional droughts, all the vagaries of climate change, the harshness of the external world and through it all we have survived and thriving.

‘We have much to be thankful for, ‘ said, praising the work of the current prime minister Roosevelt Skerrit, even as he urged Dominicans ‘not to get carried away by vanity.

‘To be sure, we all have complaints,’ he said, noting many in the Labour parties across the region ‘want to bring the temple down.but if they remember the story with Sampson properly, Sampson brought the temple down on everybody including his own.

‘And when you divide your self and create confusion.and bring the temple down on everybody own including your own, the morning after you will say oh God what I do. Weeping an gnashing of teeth,’ he said, urging Dominicans to look at the 2025 Human Index Report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which placed Dominica in the highest category of its four categories, ‘very high human development’.

Gonsalves said that Douglas, who served as prime minister from February 2000 until his death in office eight months later, had despite his ‘good basic colonial education’ had rebelled about the limitations of that colonial education.

‘He loved people, not in the general, but in the particular,’ Gonsalves, said, adding that ‘anybody could say they love people.

‘The critical thing is to love in the particular because that love in the particular which has joys and pain.and in his case he loved people in a particular manner,’ Gonsalves said, noting hat his electoral defeat in 1990′ when they jerrymandered’ the constituency ‘he nevertheless would have learnt lessons from that.

‘All politics is local and you have to pay attention to what is happening on the ground and he learned also the pain of defeat. Unless you have victory and defeat, you don’t know what this thing is about’.

Douglas is also best remembered for the role he played in the 1969 Sir George Williams University situation when black students began to protest racism at the Canadian institution.

He, along with future Canadian legislator, Anne Cools, and others led an anti-racism sit-in at the St. George Williams University, Montreal, which resulted in the peaceful occupation of the computer centre as negotiations took place between the administration and the student leadership. However, once an agreement was reached, the riot police infiltrated the occupation, resulting in mayhem and destruction of the computer centre.

Douglas was identified as the ring leader and charged with obstructing the use of public property. He served 18 months in prison before being declared a national security risk by then Solicitor General Warren Almond setting the stage for his deportation in hand cuffs and leg irons, vowing that he would only return as ‘Prime Minister of my own country’.

Gonsalves said he has joined with the ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) calling on Canada to exonerate Douglas, noting that he had served a jail term ‘not for what they charged him.

‘He and I spoke about this a long time and in fact there were reports which showed and he told me about that agent provocateurs, who helped to mash up the computers.and when Rosie was in jail he did not waste time in jail.

‘He taught prisoners.educated them. He wrote a report on prison conditions and recommended reforms in the Canadian prison system,’ Gonsalves said, adding that when he was released from prison, Douglas sought to unite the people of the Caribbean, Africa and other countries.

‘The authorities said that he was a security risk and hey sent him back in chains.and even in the most humiliating thing Rosie would find humour..,’ Gonsalves added.

The Belize-based Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) says a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) will guide and formalise the cooperation between them.

‘For many years, the CRFM and the OECS have collaborated on initiatives to support their respective member states. The informal relationship has worked well for both the CRFM and the OECS, but there is a need to establish official relations,’ said CRFM executive director, Dr. Marc Williams.

‘As a result, the signing of the MoU will initiate a collaboration that will guide and formalize cooperation between the CRFM and the OECS for the execution of related and relevant activities in specific areas of fisheries-related matters.’ said Williams, who signed the accord with OECS Director General, Dr. Didacus Jules.

Jules said that the MoU, which spans 2025 to 2028, ‘represents bringing the collaboration between the OECS and the CRFM to a whole new level.

‘It covers governance and management of fisheries, providing support for further integration in the Blue Economy sector. building resilience, harmonization of safety at sea programmes, insurance products for fishers, making available information and guidance to support fisheries research, and joint research initiatives, economic development for fisherfolk and communities. focusing on empowerment of youth and women in the fisheries value chain, agriculture and fisheries linkages, trade markets and business development,’ he added.

Williams described the MoU as a pivotal instrument for solidifying and strengthening the established relationship between the CRFM and the OECS, eight of whose members Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadine, are also members of the CRFM.

Meanwhile, the CRFM said that it has also signed an MoU with the University of the West Indies (UWI) which will be executed through the UWI Five Island Campus in Antigua and Barbuda.

Williams, who signed the agreement with Professor Carl Justin Robinson, the Campus Principal, said that thefive-year MoU will lead to the establishment of a mutually beneficial relationship for educational and academic collaboration in the areas of mutual interest.

These include the blue economy development, marine spatial planning, climate change adaptation, ecosystems resilience, and resource mobilisation.

He noted that the Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy (COBE), a collaboration between the Antigua and Barbuda government, the UWI, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the Association of Commonwealth Universities, will support the CRFM in its efforts to advance blue economy development in the Caribbean, in collaboration with regional and global partners.

The center of Tropical Storm Jerry is expected to pass north of the Leeward Islands this morning and then move away from the islands later on Friday, with residents in those islands being warned to be prepared for flash flooding.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that the 10th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season is expected to bring heavy rainfall across the region on Friday and has maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour (mph).

The storm is about 80 miles, north north east of the Northern Leeward Islands and a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, Sint Maarten, Guadeloupe and the adjacent islands. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Saba and St. Eustatius.

The government of Antigua and Barbuda has discontinued the Tropical Storm Warning for Barbuda and Anguilla, as well as the Tropical Storm Watch for Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Montserrat.

The NHC said that the Jerry is moving toward the northwest near 17 mph and a turn towards the north is expected tonight into Saturday, followed by a northward to north-northeastward motion through the rest of the weekend.

‘On the forecast track, the center of Jerry will continue passing to the north of the Leeward Islands this morning, then move away from the islands later today. Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected today, but slow strengthening is possible over the weekend,’ the NHC said.

It said that through Friday, four to six inches of rain are expected across the island of Barbuda. Elsewhere across the Leeward and Virgin Islands, two to four 4 inches of rain are expected.

‘This rainfall brings a risk of flash flooding, especially in urban areas and in steep terrain. For portions of Puerto Rico, moisture associated with Jerry combined with local orographic effects may result in up to two to four inches of rain, with isolated amounts of six inches possible.’

Swells generated by Jerry are affecting the Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, and are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

These swells are expected to spread toward the rest of the Greater Antilles today and tonight,’ the NHC added.

Nationals of several Caribbean Community (CARICCOM) countries that enjoy visa-free entry into the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, may soon have that situation revoked.

The European Parliament has passed new rules that make it easier for the European Union (EU) to revoke visa-free access for countries whose citizens pose security threats or fail to respect human rights.

The legislation, negotiated between Parliament and Council representatives, passed with 518 votes in favour, 96 against, and 24 abstentions. It still requires formal adoption by the Council and will come into force 20 days after publication in the EU Official Journal.

Under the revised rules, the European Commission can launch the visa suspension process either on its own initiative or following a request from an EU member state. The process begins with a temporary halt to visa-free travel and can become permanent if the concerns are not resolved.

The reform is designed to ensure that short-term entry privileges remain conditional on security, human rights compliance, and legal obligations, giving the EU a precise tool to respond to evolving risks.

The legislation applies to 61 countries that currently allow short-term stays in the Schengen Zone of up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa.

Among the Caribbean countries likely to be affected are Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as British Overseas Territories.

Under the updated framework, the European Commission can begin by temporarily suspending visa-free entry for a country if there are concerns about safety, serious criminal activity, overstays, or a spike in rejected asylum applications.

If these issues remain unresolved, the suspension can be made permanent, but so far, the only instance of revoked visa-free travel has involved Vanuatu.

The reforms introduce several new triggers for removing visa privileges. These include hybrid threats, such as the manipulation of migration by a foreign state, including investor citizenship programmes, violations of international law or UN mandates, and failure to comply with international court decisions.

Existing factors, like general security risks or lack of cooperation on returning migrants, remain part of the criteria.

The EU parliament has set clear thresholds. They said a a 30 per cent rise in serious crimes or overstaying incidents and a 20 per cent low approval rate for asylum applications will prompt action.

In exceptional circumstances, the Commission can adjust these limits based on well-supported evidence. The rules also allow the EU to target government officials responsible for human rights violations or other breaches, enabling selective suspension rather than punishing entire populations.

Business executives from the United Kingdom (UK) are ending a three-day trade mission visit to Jamaica, expressing optimism about the opportunity to fostering trade expansion and commercial ties.

The mission sought to deepen UK-Jamaica commercial collaboration and to identify new opportunities that can be leveraged for the advancement of both countries.

Regional Director at Northern Consortium United Kingdom (NCUK), which develops tertiary education programmes across the world, Adam Connor, said he is hoping that Jamaica becomes the 42nd country to forge a partnership with the company.

‘We’re currently in 41 countries with 130 partners who teach our programmes. The programmes give guaranteed access into our partner universities, which includes world-leading universities like University of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Queen Mary, Australian universities, New Zealand [and] Canada.’

Connor said NCUK is looking to partner with Jamaican institutions that want to collaborate with UK universities or want to bring UK education opportunities into Jamaica, adding that ‘the objective is really to give more access to higher education to students’.

Regional Trade Director for the UK’s Department of Business and Trade for the Commonwealth Caribbean, D’Jamila Ward, said now is the time to do business in Jamaica, noting that British companies look at three things when they seek to do business in external markets – vision, stability and predictability, noting that Jamaica offers all three.

‘National priorities in infrastructure, renewable energy, logistics and digital transformation align perfectly with the UK’s strength and our modern trade and industrial strategies as we place growth at the heart of our foreign policy,’ Ward added.

Jamaica’s Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Aubyn Hill, is encouraging London to consider implementing a special visa arrangement to facilitate the movement of Jamaican and other Caribbean service professionals within that country.

He believes that this special arrangement could be facilitated under the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which governs Caribbean trade and investment relations with the UK.

‘To make the market access opportunities under the EPA more effective, better arrangements will be needed to facilitate the movement of Jamaican and other CARIFORUM service professionals within the UK,’ Hill said of the EPA that extends beyond traditional trade arrangements to encompass key areas such as competition policy, intellectual property rights, regional integration, and cultural cooperation.

He said that while the Jamaica government remains focused on advancing the manufacturing and export sectors and strengthening the productive capacity of the private sector, it must be acknowledged that services continue to represent the dominant component of Jamaica’s economy, contributing significantly to the island’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Hill is urging Britain to ‘introduce a special visa arrangement which will be especially beneficial to representatives of our creative industry, particularly our musicians, models, theatre professionals and other entertainers who desire to ply their trade in the UK’.

He said Jamaica would continue to champion deeper dialogue on the matter, recognising that sustained engagement is essential to the effective implementation of the EPA and that Jamaica stands ready to welcome British citizens who wish to work remotely from the island.

Hill said that National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang is is looking at this to make sure Jamaica becomes an even more attractive place for people to come and reside and work for big companies elsewhere.

A new United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Child Alert report says an ‘unprecedented’ number of children are on the run in Haiti as the number of children displaced by violence almost doubled in the past year, with 680,000 now uprooted from their homes.

The report says an alarming 3.3 million children – the highest number on record – are now in need of humanitarian assistance, and that cases of acute malnutrition, child recruitment, gender-based violence and other children’s rights violations are on the rise.

‘Children in Haiti are being displaced at a distressing pace and scale,’ said UNICEF chief Catherine Russell on Wednesday. ‘Each time they are forced to flee, they lose not only their homes but also their chance to go to school, to be safe, and to simply be children.’

The report says that decades of shocks from deadly earthquakes to political fragility and economic chaos have led to one of the world’s most complex humanitarian emergencies in Haiti.

It says armed gangs now control over 85 per cent of the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, as well as key roads, cutting families off from food, healthcare, protection and forcing them to flee.

It added that more than 2.7 million people, 1.6 million of whom are women and children, are estimated to be living under the control of armed groups.

The report warns that the scale of displacement is unprecedented as the number of refuge sites has soared to 246 nationwide in the first half of this year alone.

In Port- au-Prince and surrounding areas, the report says classrooms have become targets and shelters and more than 1,600 schools were closed, while 25 were occupied by gangs, depriving many thousands of students the opportunity to learn.

The report says the cost of education is an additional barrier alongside gang violence and school closures.

It notes that only 15 to 20 per cent of schools are public, and even those still require families to pay for textbooks and uniforms.

UNICEF said it has treated over 86,000 children with wasting – a life-threatening form of malnutrition – and is providing healthcare to 117,000 people, reaching 140,000 people with safe water, among other actions.

Yet, the UN agency said its work remains severely underfunded, warning that, without an immediate injection of resources, critical programs will be severely constrained.

‘The children of Haiti cannot wait,’ Russell warned. ‘Like every child, they deserve a chance to be safe, healthy and to live in peace. It is up to us to take action for Haiti’s children now.’

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Thursday, October 9, 2025.

UNITED NATIONS – A new United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Child Alert report says an ‘unprecedented’ number of children are on the run in Haiti as the number of children displaced by violence almost doubled in the past year, with 680,000 now uprooted from their homes.

KINGSTON – Chief Justice Bryan Sykes says Jamaica has become one of the first countries in the region implement clear rules for how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used in its courts.

ST GEORGE’S – Five Indian nationals who arrived in Grenada via a flight from Trinidad’s Piarco International Airport using fake passports were ordered removed from the island.

PORT OF SPAIN – Regional carrier, Caribbean Airlines (CAL), has been recognised for its service and has been named as the Caribbean’s Leading Airline Brand for 2025 at the 32nd Annual World Travel Awards.

SPORTS

NEW DELHI – West Indies Test captain Roston Chase has admitted that while a string of bad results has seriously dented the confidence of the players, he still believes they can turn things around in the second Test which bowls off here on Friday.

Tropical Storm Jerry is continuing to strengthen has it approaches the Leeward Islands.

In the latest update from the Miami based National Hurricane Centre, at 11 am (local time) , the center of the storm was located near latitude 15.9 North, longitude 59.1 West.

Jerry is moving toward the west-northwest near 18 mph and a turn toward the northwest is expected late Thursday, followed by a slightly slower northward motion on Friday and Saturday.

On the forecast track, the center of Jerry is expected to pass near or to the northeast of the northern Leeward Islands later Thursday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph with higher gusts and gradual strengthening is forecast during the next few days as the forecast states that vJerry could become a hurricane by late Friday or Saturday.

Meanwhile, the government of Antigua and Barbuda has issued a Tropical Storm warning for Barbuda.

While a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Antigua, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Montserrat, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, Sint Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius, Guadeloupe and the adjacent islands

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within 12 hours.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

The National Hurricane centre says interests elsewhere in the northern Leeward Islands and the British and U.S. Virgin Islands should monitor the progress of Jerry.

The authorities at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) say they are treating recent public bribery and extortion allegations concerning overweight baggage fees for Caribbean Airlines with the utmost seriousness.

In a statement on Thursday, CJIA sought to assure the public that it is working closely with the airline and relevant authorities to investigate the claims raised by a Caribbean Airlines passenger thoroughly.

‘Passengers are reminded that all official payments, including for overweight baggage, must be made directly to the airline through approved channels, and an official receipt must be issued. No payment should ever be made to any individual officer or staff member,’ the statement noted.

CJIA said travellers are strongly encouraged to immediately report any witnessed or encountered bribery or corruption to the nearest police station, or CJIA Security.

During the first nine months of 2025, the airport security unit has recovered and returned numerous items to passengers, including – laptops, mobile phones, travel documents, electronic devices and cash.

‘The success of this unit is a direct reflection of the professionalism and integrity we uphold. As we reaffirm our zero-tolerance stance on corruption, we remain focused on transparency, accountability, and service excellence in every aspect of our work,’ said the airport’s Public Relations Officer Shunza Samuels .

India elected to bat first after winning the toss against West Indies on the opening day of the second Test here at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.

West Indies have made two changes with Tevin Imlach and Anderson Phillip replacing Brandon King and Johann Layne, while India has named an unchanged squad from the first Test.

SQUADS

WEST INDIES: Roston Chase (captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Tevin Imlach, Shai Hope, Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Khary Pierre, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales.

INDIA: Shubman Gill (captain), KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Umpires: Paul Reiffel, Richard Illingworth.

TV Umpire: Alex Wharf.

Reserve Umpire: KN Ananthapadmanabhan.

Match Referee: Andy Pycroft.