Category: CANA News

The following is the CANANews Schedule for Monday, October 6, 2025.

PORT OF SPAIN – Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar has quietly carried out a minor re-shuffle of her cabinet less than six months after winning the April 28 general elections in Trinidad and Tobago.

GEORGETOWN – Guyana on Sunday evening commissioned the Chinese funded US$262 million dollar Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, with President Irfaan Ali saying it signals the dawn of a new era of transformation.

ST. JOHN’S – Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed that the government has acquired a majority stake in Blue Ocean, the company involved in critical dredging projects at the Deep Water Harbour and Crabbes Harbour.

KINGSTON – A four-year-old infant school pupil was among five people shot and killed after gunmen opened fire on a group of people playing games at a yard in Linstead, south east of here on Sunday night.

BELMOPAN – The Belize government has confirmed that an unexploded and exploded ordnance (UXO) found last week in San Jose Nuevo Palmar Village, northwest of here is a ‘training bomb’ and that the general area was once used as a training ground, ‘and therefore, similar findings may occur’.

Financial struggles and inferior playing conditions in the Caribbean are contributing to the West Indies’ poor performances on the cricket pitch, says Test captain Roston Chase.

Chase made the comments following his side’s humiliating loss by an innings and 140 runs to India inside three days in the opening Test match on Saturday.

However, he maintained that he was not looking for an excuse for his side’s recent struggles after they slumped to their fifth Test defeat in six matches this year.

West Indies Test captain Roston Chase speaking at the post-match press conference following his side’s defeat to India in the opening Test.

It was also the fourth consecutive Test match that the West Indies had lost inside three days, dating back to the home series against Australia in July.

Speaking in a post-match press conference on Saturday, Chase said there was a need for improved infrastructure as well as better pitches and playing conditions.

‘.What I would say is that obviously there is a struggle in the Caribbean for finances, so whatever help we can get I hope that they do get it so that they can strengthen the infrastructure for the cricket.

‘I think the systems in the Caribbean are a bit poor in terms of training facilities and stuff, but I’m not using that as an excuse or something to hide behind for our poor performances that we’ve been putting out lately. I still think the onus is on the players to find some way to churn out runs and wickets,’ Chase said.

The skipper said playing conditions in the region made it difficult for them to be competitive on the international stage.

He said batters in particular found it challenging to score runs, as was evident in the series against Australia where not a single batsman scored a century.

‘.The pitches in the Caribbean are not really batsmen friendly, so guys don’t really bat for long periods and score those big scores.

‘And the outfields in the Caribbean are really slow so when you hit the ball in the gaps and you think you have four you probably end up with just two, so those are some of the problems that we’re faced with in the Caribbean, so that’s why you see guys averaging so low,’ Chase explained.

‘If you look at the past series that we had against Australia, I think that’s the first time I’ve ever played an international series and a batsman never scored a hundred in three matches.’

Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw found the back of the net once again as Manchester City got past Arsenal 3-2 in a thrilling contest to move up to second place in the Women’s Super League here on Saturday.

The Jamaican international gave her side the lead in the 35th minute when she nodded in Kerstin Casparij’s cross to score her fourth goal in five matches.

Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw scored her fourth goal of the season to help Manchester City defeat Arsenal

However, Mariona Caldentey curled in a fine effort from 20 yards a minute into the second half to bring Arsenal on level terms.

City retook the lead when Casparij and Shaw combined again, this time with the former bundling home from close range in the 61st minute to make it 2-1.

Chloe Kelly looked to have given Arsenal a share of the spoils when she bent in a fine strike from the edge of the area, via a slight deflection, with seven minutes left to spark wild celebrations.

But Iman Beney netted an 88th-minute winner after evading Lotte Wubben-Moy’s weak challenge before slotting in her debut WSL goal.

The following is a statement issued by Cricket West Indies (CWI) president, Dr Kishore Shallow on the passing of former West Indies cricketer, Bernard Julien.

Julien, a member of the West Indies’ 1975 World Cup winning team passed away on Sunday at Valsayn in north-west Trinidad at the age of 75.

‘The passing of Bernard Julien invites reflection on both the brilliance of his cricketing life and the complex times through which he lived. His career reminds us that the story of West Indies cricket is not only about triumphs on the field but about the choices and circumstances that shaped generations of players and the region itself.

‘Bernard Julien was one of the quiet legends of the 1975 World Cup, a tournament that fifty years ago brought this region joy like no other as the West Indies lifted the first men’s world title in the history of the game. His skill and composure were central to that victory. He took 4 for 20 against Sri Lanka, 4 for 27 against New Zealand, and 2 for 38 in the final at Lord’s, along with a vital 26 not out that helped seal the championship. In all, Bernard played 24 Test matches for the West Indies, scoring 866 runs at an average of 30.92 and taking 50 wickets at 37.36. In One Day Internationals, he claimed 18 wickets at 25.72. As a left arm swing bowler, his delivery was smooth and rhythmic, capable of moving the ball both ways. With the bat, he combined balance and control with understated confidence. He was admired for his calm temperament and thoughtful approach to the game, a player who brought intelligence and integrity to every performance.

‘His international career came to an end following his participation in the 1982-83 and 1983-84 tours to South Africa, during a period when the world of sport was sharply divided by the moral and political challenges of apartheid. Those decisions reflected the difficult realities of that era and the pressures faced by players navigating competing demands of opportunity, conscience, and circumstance.

‘As we honour Bernard Julien, we also recognise the importance of reflection and inclusion. The time has come to view that chapter of our history not through exclusion but through understanding. Cricket West Indies believes that all who have contributed to our regional game, in whatever context, are part of our shared story. Therefore, the day will be deeply significant when CARICOM, with grace, undertakes a regional act of acknowledgement and pardon, embracing both the living and the departed, as a quiet but profound tribute to the full journey of West Indies cricket.

‘To the family, friends, and loved ones of Bernard Julien, we extend our deepest condolences. His passing reminds us that a life devoted to purpose never truly leaves us. Cricket West Indies stands with you in this moment of loss, and we hope Bernard knew he was valued and loved by the cricketing family he helped to shape, and that he found peace knowing his contribution will always endure.’

May he rest in peace.

Bernard Julien, the outstanding all-rounder and member of the West Indies team which won the 1975 Men’s Cricket World Cup, passed away on Saturday night in Trinidad.

A family member confirmed that he died at Valsayn in north-west Trinidad at the age of 75.

Sir Clive Lloyd, the legendary West Indies captain, hailed Julien as a vital member of the 1975 team which won the inaugural World Cup.

‘He always gave you ‘over 100 percent’. He never shirked his duties, and I could always rely on him with bat and ball. He gave his all every time . what a fine cricketer,’ Lloyd said on Sunday.

Bernard Julien

‘We all had total respect for him. He enjoyed himself and was loved by everyone around. I remember we won the Test match at Lords and stood there and signed autographs for a long time, He was good for us and was held in high regard everywhere we went.’

A left-arm seam bowler and classy right-handed batsman, Julien made his first-class debut at age 18 and his Test debut for West Indies at age 23 on the 1973 tour of England.

During that series he made an immediate impression with a century at Lords, a superb 121 off 127 balls. He added a record partnership with Garfield Sobers who made 150 not out.

During the famous 1975 World Cup in England, Julien claimed 4-20 in a Man-of-the-Match performance against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford and then 4-27 against New Zealand in the semi-finals at the Oval as West Indies reached the final against Australia.

He went wicket-less in the final but scored a crucial 26 not out as West Indies won by 17 runs.

Andris Pukke has been sentenced to eight years in prison by US District Judge J. Paul Oetken for leading a years-long real estate scam in Belize in which hundreds of victims-many of whom were retirees-were defrauded of about US$77 million.

‘Hundreds of hard-working Americans-many of them retirees-lost their savings to this brazen fraud,’ United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton said. ‘Andris Pukke thought he could hide behind foreign land deals and false names, but he was wrong.

‘This sentence removes a bad actor and serves as a warning to other would-be fraudsters.’

Andris Pukke

As alleged in the indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings, Pukke, also known as Marc Romeo and Andy Storm, directed and controlled Sanctuary Belize, which was a vacation and retirement community under development in Belize.

Clayton said Pukke, 56, of Newport Beach, California, fraudulently induced hundreds of victims to invest more than US $100 million in lots in Sanctuary Belize.

He said victims purchased lots with the understanding that they would obtain lots in a built-out community that they could use to build retirement homes, vacation homes, or investment properties.

‘The victims were induced to invest by Pukke and his salespeople, and a large majority of the victims were never in fact able to build the homes in Sanctuary Belize that they’d hoped for,’ Clayton said.

Pukke has prior convictions for mail fraud and obstruction of justice and has a prior US$172 million judgment against him from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in connection with a prior deceptive company he controlled, AmeriDebt.

‘Knowing that victims would not want to invest in Sanctuary Belize if they were aware of the criminal background of the man who controlled Sanctuary Belize, Pukke directed his salespeople to lie and say that he was not involved in Sanctuary Belize,’ said Clayton, stating that Pukke used the aliases Marc Romeo and Andy Storm to conceal his involvement and control of Sanctuary Belize.

He also directed his salespeople to tell victims that Sanctuary Belize had no debt and that every dollar from victims would go to develop the property.

In fact, Clayton said Sanctuary Belize had more than US$12 million in debt, and that Pukke ‘stole nearly US$10 million from Sanctuary Belize for, among other things, the purchase and renovation of a waterfront home, the repayment of a personal loan, personal investments in startup companies, child support payments, purchase of land in the Bahamas, and payments to family and friends.

While under investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Pukke unsuccessfully attempted to induce another individual to create a sham document that he hoped to show prosecutors and the investigating grand jury in an effort to corruptly avoid prosecution.

Pukke was convicted of wire fraud and obstruction of justice on July 10, 2024.

In connection with his sentencing, victims sent nearly 200 letters to the court describing the harm caused to them, including, in some cases, the loss of their retirement savings.

In addition to the prison term, Pukke was sentenced to three years of supervised release.

Pukke was also ordered to forfeit US$9,912,396 and was previously ordered in litigation with the FTC to pay restitution to victims of Sanctuary Belize in the amount of US$120.2 million.

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says officers from its San Diego, California office have arrested two Caribbean nationals among four undocumented immigrants who are convicted child sex predators.’

ICE said the immigrants, citizens from the Bahamas, Cuba, Mexico and Vietnam, were taken into custody following convictions for crimes against children, including sexual assault, molestation and rape.

Devin Richardson, a Bahamian, was convicted of sexual assault of minors and failed to register as a sex offender in California.

The immigration enforcement agency also said Walter Ramirez, a citizen of Cuba, was convicted of rape, drug-induced sexual assault of a minor, and domestic violence.

ICE said all four immigrants were arrested in the San Diego area and remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings to their respective homelands.

‘Make no mistake: these are predators who targeted the most vulnerable members of our community – children,’ said Patrick Divver, Field Office Director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) San Diego.

‘Our officers will not allow dangerous criminals like these to hide in our neighbourhoods, especially a convicted sex offender who lived next to what appeared to be an in-home daycare and two blocks from an elementary school.

‘By taking them into custody, ICE has removed an immediate threat to public safety and sent a clear m

Veteran cricket commentator, Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira believes that Cricket West Indies (CWI) erred by sending a West Indies senior team to play minnows Nepal instead of a developmental team.

The regional side, led by Akeal Hosein suffered a shocking 2-1 defeat against their lower-rated opponents in their recently concluded three-match T20I series in the United Arab Emirates last month.

The result was the first victory for Nepal against a Full Member in any format and sent shockwaves across the cricketing community.

During an interview on Isports on i95.5 FM on Friday, Perreira, who spent over 50 years as a commentator, said it would have been better served to send a young, inexperienced side instead of including some of the senior players.

Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira

‘We had beaten Nepal the previous visit with an ‘A’ team led by [Roston] Chase. I didn’t see the need to put the West Indies’ good name on the line by picking the team that they picked.

‘I would have gone and I suggested it, with a development team. Some of the players they picked, the younger players with little experience like [Amir] Jangoo, but I wouldn’t have gone for [Jason] Holder, I wouldn’t have gone for [Obed] McCoy, I wouldn’t have gone for [Kyle] Mayers. I would have gone for a development team and we would have at least exposed a number of young men with a development team,’ Perreira explained.

‘I think they focused on trying to win the series. They were more interested in winning the series than development and I think they missed an opportunity. Prior to beating Afghanistan when they were developing, this is their first major victory as a young nation. We have done them a great deal of good, and they have done us a great deal of harm.’

Furthermore, he said the decision to schedule the Nepal series so close to the conclusion of the Caribbean Premier League placed the West Indies at a disadvantage.

He said they had very little time to prepare after a long flight to Dubai and then played three matches in four days.

‘Well it was just rush, rush, rush. If we had in fact been able to agree with CPL to come one week earlier, we wouldn’t have been in the kind of rush that we were.

‘There was no camp.we left here the 23rd and it was just too rushed. I don’t believe they were prepared mentally. It’s a long journey to Nepal and their cricket has developed,’ Perreira said.

‘But why expose the good name of the West Indies to be embarrassed? Just maybe to get a victory to crow about.’

A major intelligence-led operation involving several arms of national security disrupted an attempted drone-based contraband smuggling operation near the Arouca Maximum Security Prison between Friday evening and Saturday morning.

Some of the contraband intercepted in the operation.

Acting on credible intelligence, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance in the Forde Street Extension, Bon Air area, after receiving reports of individuals attempting to use a drone to smuggle contraband into the prison.

A search of a nearby bushy area resulted in the apprehension of two suspects-a 13-year-old boy from Oropune Gardens and a 26-year-old man from Tunapuna- who attempted to flee by running through dense vegetation and leaping from a 25-foot embankment.

They were held following a targeted search of a river in the area. Police said one of them sustained injuries during his escape attempt and was treated at a medical facility.

Several items were confiscated during the operation, including a drone and controller, 16 drone batteries, 15 Samsung cell phones, over a kilogramme of cannabis, 256 packs of cigarettes, 50 packs of rolling papers, 20 packs of hemp, 12 lighters, a digital scale, 15 cell phones, 12 charging blocks, a power bank, two LCD screens, 16 wired headsets, 15 USB cables, nail clippers, a nail file and a flick knife.

A simultaneous search inside the Maximum Security Prison turned up additional contraband.

A nearby premises was also searched under Section 12 of the Emergency Powers Regulations, 2025, but no illegal items were found.

Investigations are continuing under the supervision of Acting Corporal Hyde.

In a statement, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) said investigations are continuing.

It said it remains committed, along with the Prison Service, to disrupting criminal networks and preventing illegal items from entering correctional facilities.

The exercise was coordinated by Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro, Deputy Commissioner Suzette Martin, and Senior Superintendent of Prisons Lee Davis.

The joint operation involved personnel from the TTPS, the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Specialist Units, the Port of Spain Task Force, the Multi Operational Police Section, the Crime Scene Unit, the Prison Service, and the Special Investigative Unit.

A 19-year-old labourer from ‘D’ Field, Sophia, has been charged with several cybercrime and sexual offences involving a minor, including child pornography.

Police said on Saturday that Jeremiah James was arrested on September 28 by ranks from the Turkeyen Police Station and later charged by the Cybercrime Unit with multiple offences under the Cybercrime Act and the Sexual Offences Act.

The charges include possession of child pornography in a computer system, procuring child pornography, using a computer system to commit child luring, and causing a child under 16 to watch a sexual act.

James appeared before Senior Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court on October 2. He pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and causing a child to watch a sexual act, but not guilty to the charges of child luring and procuring child pornography.

He was remanded to prison, and the matter has been adjourned to October 16.