Category: CANA News

President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Wayne Forde has been appointed to serve on FIFA’s Men’s National Team Competitions Committee.

The appointment, which will run from 2025 to 2029, sees Forde join a distinguished panel responsible for shaping policies and overseeing all matters related to men’s national team tournaments worldwide.

Wayne Forde

The committee plays a pivotal role in guiding the development and organization of major competitions under FIFA’s umbrella, including the FIFA World Cup and Continental Qualifiers.

In a statement, FIFA expressed its ‘pleasure and honour’ in extending this appointment, which falls in line with the governing body’s statutes and governance regulations.

According to the GFF, Forde’s appointment represents a milestone achievement that highlights Guyana’s increasing influence in global football governance.

The GFF noted, that Forde’s inclusion underscores the growing respect for Guyana’s leadership and contribution to football administration and development at the international level.

Belizeans residing on the island of Caye Caulker are on Wednesday voting to decide whether marijuana should be legalised for production and sale three years after the process had been shelved.

In 2022, Belize almost legalised recreational marijuana with the government being forced to re-think its position, despite have legislation ready.

The authorities faced a backlash from churches and some medical practitioners and despite plans for a national referendum, the cost forced the idea to be shelved.

Now, three years later, the debate is back, but on a smaller stage with Caye Caulker’s village councilor, Ilya Rosado, securing an island-wide vote to decide if the community should allow a regulated cannabis industry.

‘My community has many needs and most of that are things like infrastructure. I have people in my community living without water and electricity. We need proper streets. Our schools need help in terms of their own facilities, their own infrastructure, and we never have enough revenue to be able to render the assistance that I’d like to help,’ Rosado has said.

Caye Caulker is a small, laid-back Caribbean island in Belize known for its relaxed ‘Go Slow’ motto, beautiful turquoise waters, and vibrant atmosphere, offering activities like snorkeling, diving, and sailing near the Belize Barrier Reef.

The island has a car-free policy, with golf carts and bicycles as the main modes of transport, and is a popular destination for backpackers and travelers seeking a slower pace of life

The Belizeans are voting on the question ‘Should the government of Belize pass legislation to create a responsible, regulated and taxable legal cannabis industry on the island of Caye Caulker, with a portion of the revenue going directly for the benefit of Caye Caulker and its residents?’.

There are 1, 444 registered voters in Caye Caulker Village and the Chief Elections Officer, Josephine Tamai, said normally the trend for a referendum is that ‘you have a lower vote there not, but because I know that this issue is one that is very dear to residents of Caye Caulker so I’m hoping that persons will come out to cast their vote.

‘We know that the result would be as majority, so whatever the result is, majority of the persons would’ve voted for either a yes or a no vote. I want to stay at home thinking that their voices will be heard, I want to encourage them to come out because that is the only way either your yes or no votes will be counted if you come out and cast your votes.’

Tamai said the poll will be monitored by individual non government organizations (NGO) to keep the exercise free of political interference.

She says given that Caye Caulker is a relatively small constituency, she anticipates that the results will be known quickly.

Police say they have seized guns, ammunition as well as a small wooden boat after conducting a marijuana eradication exercise at three areas in the Upper Berbice River.

A statement by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said that no one had been arrested in connection with the seizure and that during the four day exercise they used a drone to identify a six-acre farm that was already prepared for planting marijuana.

The police said that they destroyed four nursery beds with about 5,000 cannabis seedlings, 64 pounds of dried cannabis, and three other acres of marijuana plants as high as six feet. Thirty of the 64 pounds of cannabis were found in an abandoned church.

Police estimate the street value of the marijuana at just over five million dollars (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents).

They said that they seized a 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun, one .32 pistol with an empty magazine, three 20-gauge shotgun cartridges, two cellular phones, one 15 horsepower outboard engine, and one 50 horsepower outboard engine and a wooden boat. As well as a chainsaw and that other material at the sites were destroyed by fire.

Prime Minister Phillip Davis has vowed to pay public servants outstanding monies before Christmas, as they protested outside the Parliament.

The workers represented by the Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) and the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) chanted ‘pay us our money’ .

Prime Minister Philip Davis (center) is flanked by workers as he addressed them outside the Parliament building following a protest march

BPSU President Kimsley Ferguson and BUT President Belinda Wilson said their members have a myriad of concerns, including questions about promised salary increases.

Ferguson called on the prime minister to ‘do his job.’

The unions have accused the government of excluding key worker groups and failing to consult unions before announcing the pay increases. There are also unresolved concerns over the delay in government wage increases

‘First of all, the decision to give y’all some money came from me, from my heart. I understood that y’all need that. It was nothing negotiated, I’m trying to help all of you, y’all will be paid and the payment will be before Christmas. You will be paid before Christmas,’ Prime Minister Davis told the disgruntled workers out the Parliament building.

Media reports Wednesday said that public servants who missed earlier pay raises would now receive them in December and not in September as had been previously planned.

The government had said that the increases would be retroactive to September, with each employee receiving at least two salary increments, though the size of the increases will vary by category.

The government had previously announced salary adjustments in June and recently completed a salary review, with more increases and retroactive pay to September 2025 being reflected in the December pay period for public officers not included in earlier phases.

The government announced then that public officers across the service can expect a two to eight per cent increases in salaries starting September 2025.

But union leaders have expressed concern over a lack of transparency regarding the application and calculation of these increases.

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew says nurses from Ghana are due to arrive here as part of the twin island Federation’s deepening of relations with Africa.

Speaking on the monthly ‘Roundtable’ discussions with the media, Prime Minister Drew, a medical practitioner, described the presence of the nurses as a ‘tangible benefit’ of the new relationship and that it represents ‘a deliberate policy shift’ by his administration toward stronger South-South cooperation and sustainable partnerships with African nations.

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew on the ‘Roundtable’ with the media

He said that this initiative forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen human resource capacity across critical sectors such as health, education, and technology, while at the same time advancing the Africa-Caribbean cooperation agenda that St. Kitts and Nevis has been actively championing at the regional and international levels.

Prime Minister Drew told reporters that the recruitment is not merely transactional but grounded in a long-term vision of mutual development and cultural exchange between Africa and the Caribbean, two regions linked by history, heritage, and a shared determination to shape their own development destiny.

Prime Minister Drew, who co-chaired the first in-person meeting between Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, earlier this year, has repeatedly underscored the importance of translating historical and diplomatic ties into practical outcomes.

He said through this ongoing partnership, St. Kitts and Nevis has forged academic, medical, and technical linkages with several African institutions, including the Open University of Tanzania, Cape Coast University in Ghana, and the Afreximbank.

The Ghanaian nurses are expected to arrive here later this year and will be integrated into the national healthcare system, supporting the Ministry of Health’s goal of strengthening service delivery, expanding capacity, and improving patient care across public facilities.

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy is looking forward to a much-improved showing from his side when they take on India in the second and final Test match here on Friday.

The Windies slumped to an embarrassing defeat by an innings and 140 runs inside three days in the opening Test last Saturday, their fifth loss in their last six Test matches.

Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday, Sammy said the team had done some serious introspection following the loss and was in positive spirits.

He said judging from the way the players approached their training session on Wednesday, he was expecting a motivated side in the final Test. ‘Things have not been going well for a little bit.I see some of the guys lack confidence and it’s something that has to come from within, but you know with lack of performances it’s always hard to rise yourself above that level.

‘But my job is to continue to instill that in the way we practice, in the way we think, in the way we plan and strategise,’ Sammy said.

‘The conversations that we had after the Test, to see the way they came out there and really put a conscious effort to train better, I expect some sort of improvement, at least in the way they think and the belief they have going into this Test match.’

The West Indies last defeated India in a Test match in 2002 in the Caribbean and their last win on the subcontinent came in 1994 in a drawn Test series.

Despite those statistics, Sammy said he was not daunted by the task of possibly defeating India.

‘When it’s all gloomy and doom and you see the sun burst through the clouds it brings a good mode and I thought honestly that the way we practiced, just from the practice today, I saw a difference.

‘The conversations that we had after the Test match, I asked and challenged every person to speak of yourself, speak about what you have to do or what you need to do in order for this team to be successful or competitive. Don’t look at the man next door, look at your own self,’ Sammy said.

‘The guys spoke about the things that they think they need to do and to see them really make a conscious effort out there to practice like that, I’m hoping that that can now dive into the Test match and we be a much more competitive side that challenges a Test match win.’

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Wednesday announced that it had approved a US$100 million grant to help Haiti rebuild essential health services in its three northern departments to save lives and prevent disabilities.

The IDB said that the project will contribute to improving the health system, conduct key health surveys and analyses for health management, and advance the digitalization of health care, using the information to develop a medium-term investment master plan.

The initiative will also build on interventions carried out since 2022 through IDB-supported social protection operations and will directly support the delivery of essential services aimed at preventing and treating prevalent noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, as well as infectious diseases including cholera, tuberculosis, malaria, HIV, and human papillomavirus.

The IDB said to help empower underserved groups, such as internally displaced people, return migrants, vulnerable women, and people with disabilities, the programme will develop care protocols that reflect their preferences.

‘The greater part of the grant resources will go toward strengthening health infrastructure to enhance the response capacity of the network of facilities serving priority communities. This will be the first stage of a longer-term commitment to rebuild the public health network’s response capacity, beginning with the greater northern region.’

The IDDB said that the grant will be disbursed and implemented over 84 months and is expected to directly benefit 750,000 people in specific communities starting in the country’s three northern departments.

The Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs on Wednesday donated over TT$1.5 million to 15 athletes and sporting organisations to assist with their development.

The cheques, totaling $1,585,000.00, were presented in the Ministry’s conference room, Nicholas Towers.

Director of Sports, Gabre Jesu McTair said the donations underscore the Ministry’s steadfast commitment to empowering athletes, coaches, and youth leaders through meaningful financial partnerships.

Athletes and sporting organisations on hand to receive the $1.6 million in donations from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs

The assistance provided will bolster international competition preparation, stimulate community-based youth programmes, and strengthen the fabric of local sport and development projects across Trinidad and Tobago.

McTair, reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to nurturing opportunities for young people and athletes to achieve their fullest potential.

‘Today’s disbursement represents more than financial assistance; it reflects our belief in the potential of our citizens to represent Trinidad and Tobago with pride, purpose, and excellence.

‘We remain committed to ensuring that our sporting and youth sectors are vibrant, well-supported, and continually inspired,’ McTair said.

The recipients thanked the Ministry for its ongoing support, while noting that the funds will play a vital role in their preparation, training, and community engagement efforts.

A police constable was released on TT$250,000 (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) bail after he appeared in the Port-of-Spain Criminal Court charged with misbehaviour in public office arising from the alleged larceny and tampering of court exhibits at police station.

In a statement, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) said that Constable Kerdell Bernard Castillo appeared in court on Monday and that as part of his bail conditions, he must surrender his passport immediately to the Registrar of the High Court.

The TTPS said that the charge stems from an incident on September 15 this year, when officers at the Barataria Police Station, on the outskirts of the capital, discovered that several exhibits, including 27 black plastic packages containing plant-like material resembling cannabis had been removed and replaced with Styrofoam, red bricks, and grass.

The TTPS said that the exhibits had originally been lodged on September 6, as part of an active High Court matter and were secured in the station’s Strong Room.

‘Investigations revealed that between 11th and 14th September 2025, the accused officer allegedly accessed the Strong Room on multiple occasions during his shift and removed a portion of the exhibits. The matter was immediately reported and referred to the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB),’ the TTPS said in the statement.

‘The TTPS takes any allegation of misconduct by its members seriously and reaffirms its commitment to transparency, accountability, and public trust,’ the statement added.

Government and opposition lawmakers Tuesday closed ranks and elected retired Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Davidson Bostic as Barbados’ second president.

None of the legislators in the two Houses of Parliament raised any objection to the election of Bostic, who will replace Dame Sandra Mason and assume office on Independence Day, during a transition ceremony marking Barbados’ 59th anniversary of Independence from Britain on November 30.

retired Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Davidson Bostic

His election was greeted with loud desk-thumping from members of the ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and the Democratic Labour Party (DLP).

Bostic’s nomination had been jointly submitted by Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne, and political commentators said that his unanimous endorsement reflected widespread confidence in his leadership, experience and unifying presence.

The former health minister and University of the west Indies graduate, served as the director of operations at the Barbados-based Regional Security System (RSS) before retiring from active military service.

He later entered public office, representing the City of Bridgetown and serving as Minister of Health and Wellness from 2018 until his retirement from public life in 2022. In recognition of his service, he was awarded the Order of Freedom of Barbados, the island’s highest national honour.

The Speaker of the St. Lucia Parliament, Claudius Francis, who attended the parliamentary session on Tuesday, described the event a ‘moment of Republican maturity.

‘The occasion was solemn, dignified, and quietly momentous. It marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one,’ he wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday.

‘Bostic brings to the presidency a reputation for discipline, service, and quiet resolve. His elevation was expected, yet it carried the weight of continuity and national confidence,’ he said, noting that in ‘a political climate often marked by sharp division and rhetorical sparring, Thorne’s unfiltered support was anything but regular.

‘It was a gesture of national unity, a moment of statesmanship that transcended party lines. His words, devoid of hedging or partisan caveats, signaled a maturity in political discourse that Barbados-and indeed the wider Caribbean-should take note of,’ Francis wrote.