Category: CANA News

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Private Sector Organization (CPSO) says it enthusiastically support the decision of Dominica, Barbados, Belize, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, to allow their nationals to enjoy free movement as of October 1.

‘The regional private sector has long advocated for the removal of barriers to the free movement of people within our region. This move by Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines demonstrates the kind of action-oriented leadership needed to make regional integration a lived reality for businesses, workers, and families,’ said CPSO chief executive officer, Dr. Patrick Antoine.

‘As long as a regional vision and planning is put in place, there will be greater job opportunities from the CSME (Caribbean Single Market and Economy), as investment increases to take advantage of resources available all across the region,’ he added.

The four CARICOM countries decided to forge ahead with full-fledged free movement under the CSME that allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services, while other members of the 15-member integration movement work through their reservations.

The free movement means that as of October 1, except where prohibited on the grounds prescribed by law, such as national security concerns, citizens of the four countries can travel to and work in each other’s countries for an unlimited period of time and can work on arrival, without needing a work permit.

They would also not need a CARICOM Skills Certificate, which previously defined the categories of workers who could move among the bloc and live and work indefinitely Free movement.

The CPSO said that by allowing goods, services, capital, and skilled labour to circulate freely, the CARICOM region aims to create a more dynamic and resilient economic space. It said it regards this move as a signal of a deeper commitment to a unified economic environment, where firms can scale operations, invest, and innovate more effectively across member states.

The CPSO said that stakeholders agree that the potential for labour mobility to enhance economic opportunity is significant. It opens pathways for skilled professionals to seek employment in areas of greater need, thereby boosting productivity and fostering economic diversification.

Additionally, a larger, more integrated market encourages investment and innovation, which are vital for sustaining long-term growth.

The CPSO said that while the prospects are promising, the transition to full free movement also presents certain social and economic challenges.

It said a 2007 pilot study assessing the impact of labour mobility within the sub-group of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), where aspects of cross-country movement have been in operation for over a decade, revealed that while 60 per cent of people questioned at the time were open to temporary relocation for work, only 17 per cent were willing to move permanently.

‘As free movement for all CARICOM territories continues to be a gradual process, there were salient concerns unearthed by the study, which could take time to dissolve. For instance, there was uncertainty about the region having to contend with potential negative impacts, such as increased crime rates and fraudulent activities, on a long-term basis, with the only solution seeming to lie in ironing out hiccups along the way.’

The CPSO said that economic threats identified by the study included downward pressure on wages, job displacement, and the risk of capital flight as profits and remittances are sent abroad.

It said many people in the region also reported fears that unskilled workers might accept low-paying jobs, leading to the development of slums and a reduction in living standards in their home country.

‘Another notable concern that people expressed was the possibility of an influx of foreigners competing for land. Namely, that this would drive property prices upward, making land less affordable for locals, while some countries risk experiencing a ‘brain drain’ if skilled professionals seek opportunities elsewhere.

‘The potential for businesses to relocate within the region to capitalise on lower costs was also noted as a risk, which could inadvertently lead to unemployment in the originating country.’

Despite this, the CPSO said that the published study indicated that Caribbean residents recognized that increased competition for jobs might initially cause issues, but also viewed it as a catalyst for improved efficiency and higher standards.

Generally speaking, they expressed optimism about the trajectory of free movement and greater economic unity. Consensus remains that with effective regional planning and strategic investment, these issues can be managed, resulting in expanded job opportunities and economic resilience.

According to the CPSO, while the benefits, such as increased economic activity, enhanced competitiveness, and greater opportunities for workers, are substantial, policymakers must also tackle the accompanying social and economic risks.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 rattled several cities in the Caribbean on FRiday, but there were no immediate reports of damage of injuries.

The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the St. Augistine campus of the Universty of the West Indies (UWI) said that the quake occurred at 10.59 am (loccal time) and was at a depth of 142 kilometers (km).

It said that the quake was felt 33 km north east of Kinstown, the capital of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 67 km, south, south west of Castries in St.Lucia and 128 km south of Fort-de-France, the capital of the French island of Martinique.

The chief executive officer of the state-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL), Garvin Medera has resigned after eight years in the position, the Trinidad Express newspaper reported on Friday.

CAL has issued no statement on the media report, but the resignation, if confirmed is the latest to hit the airline, after Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar had issued an ultimatum to the airline’s management, telling them to ‘sort out the mess’ within two years or face replacement.

‘I am giving the management of CAL two years to sort it out; otherwise, everyone there will be looking for a new job,’ Persad-Bissessar said in August, stressing that taxpayers would no longer bankroll under-performing State enterprises.

In recent weeks, CAL’s Kern Gardiner was dismissed from his role as executive manager of finance and Corporate communications executive manager, Dionne Liqoure, also left.

Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo, who is the line minister for CAL, told the newspaper that he was unaware of Medera’s resignation.

‘Thank you for the information. Frankly I don’t think it’s the practice for persons resigning from jobs they held, to advise me. But I note your confidence that I am intimately familiar with Mr Medera’s or anyone else’s ­actions,’ he told the newspaper.

The paper quoted sources as saying that Medera is currently on vacation ahead of his departure and that ‘he is reportedly in talks with third-party organisations in the private sector about new roles’.

On June 24, Reyna Kowlessar was appointed chairman of the airline’s board of directors, replacing Shameer ‘Ronnie’ Mohammed, who had been on the board since November 2016.

West Indies elected to bat first after winning the toss against India on the opening day of the first Test here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday.

For the West Indies, Khary Pierre and Johann Layne make their Test debuts.

SQUADS

WEST INDIES: Roston Chase (captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Shai Hope, Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Khary Pierre, Johann Layne, 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: Alex Wharf, Richard Illingworth.

TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel.

Reserve Umpire: Jayaraman Madanagopal.

Match Referee: Andy Pycroft.

The country’s Cyber Incident Response Team (CIRT) has warned that careless online habits are putting scores of Jamaicans and businesses at serious risk, as cybercrime mushrooms into a trillion-dollar global industry.

Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday, the start of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Godphey Sterling, director of the CIRT said while technology has rapidly advanced, the attitudes of many Jamaicans towards online security remain ‘dangerously casual’.

He cautioned that everyday mistakes such as weak passwords, oversharing on social media, and insecure data storage are giving cybercriminals easy access to sensitive information.’So for the general public, the idea is to stop being a cyber-delinquent, appreciate that you live in a digital environment, you’re a digital citizen, whether you’re a native or a tenant, and to ensure that those devices that you use are no longer the Nokia 3310s,’ said Sterling.

‘You carry your lives in your pockets. So if you have to use it, then lock it and take it with you and, for businesses, understand that data is your new currency, and you must securely collect, store, and transmit that data, but you must also get rid of it in a demonstrable and secure manner when you no longer use it’added Sterling.

He pointed out that many of the most serious breaches investigated by the CIRT were not the result of sophisticated attacks, but rather basic mistakes.

‘When we look at some of the most egregious breaches that we have responded to, it comes down to misconfiguration of permanent security systems. What does that say to us? It’s either that the systems were not set up properly, either through the use of persons not qualified to do it or just cutting corners. But in the end, your data was at risk and when we look at our personal systems, it’s how we approach the digitally enabled world we live in,’ he explained.

Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Sterling noted that Jamaica sees just over three million daily Internet connections, with more than 70 per cent accessed via mobile devices. He added that more than half of these connections originate from single IP addresses, indicating that many individuals are using multiple devices to go online.

He argued that these habits demonstrate how deeply Jamaicans are connected to the digital world, underscoring the need to be more cautious in how they navigate it.

The CIRT director also highlighted the growing impact of smart devices, noting that the Internet of Things (IoT) is ‘always listening to you’, collecting and transmitting data to build user profiles.

‘The smart doorbell, the smart door lock, the smart speaker, the smart fridge, the smart washer. For these things to be smart, they’re always listening to you. So even though you’re not giving it instructions, it is listening, it is digesting, it is transmitting so that it can build a profile and find an algorithm to better serve you, but where does that data go?’

October is being recognised globally as Cyber Security Month.

JaCIRT will be undertaking a series of awareness and training activities to boost cyber protections locally.

The main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) is promising to double public assistance, reduce the 16 per cent value added tax (VAT) on ‘everyday goods’ and residential electricity while also paying a bonus salary to public servants.

In addition, he NDP, is promising that within 60 days of being elected to office, it will reinstate public sector workers who were fired under the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

General elections are constitutionally due in February next year, but there are indications that Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, whose Unity Labour Party (ULP) is seeking an historic sixth consecutive term in office, may call the polls in November.

NDP leader Dr. Godwin Friday, told a news conference that the party is launching a series of proposals ‘spelling out not only what we are planning to do, but when we aim to do it.

‘That is, within 60 days of a New Democratic Party government, we will deliver real progress for everyone in this country,’ he said, adding that the NDP is attaching timelines to its commitments because it believes in delivery and accountability.

‘You heard me talk about accountability before, in the context of this present government,’ Friday said, adding that an NDP government will ensure mechanisms are in place for the people to hold it accountable.

‘This present government has failed on that.This election, the upcoming general elections, we’re going to have many grand promises from the ULP. They’ve done it in the past, but what we have noted about them is that most of these promises were not fulfilled,’ Friday told reporters, saying ‘the NDP will tell it like it is, setting out what we’re going to do and when we will do it’.

Friday said the election will be about what will be delivered to the people and who delivers it and that the vote is also about who has a plan for the development of the economy and who can be trusted to deliver that plan.

‘As we ramp up to the election, there will be a lot of noise and fanfare, so I want to take a moment now to make my personal pledge and to state, or I should say, restate, before the noise gets too loud, the NDP’s commitment to the voters.’

Friday, who has been representing the Northern Grenadines since 2001 and who became opposition leader in 2017, said voters are aware he does not make ‘ idle promises nor do I seek to take advantage of people by misleading them. I tell it like it is’.

He said the NDP will place the economy at the centre of everything it does ‘because we understand that we must have robust economic growth to deliver more and better-paid jobs as we have promised, to tackle the high cost of living, to create opportunities for young people, to invest in reliable health care and to rebuild and expand the roads and infrastructure in the country.’

‘These are things that are real and practical,’ Friday said.

‘So we are pledging to immediately make people’s lives better within 60 days of being elected,’ he said noting that an NDP government will ‘slash prices by cutting VAT on everyday goods and on residential electricity, your VINLEC bill;

‘Two, we will provide salary bonuses to all public servants. This is to help to deal with the cost-of-living crisis. And, three, double Poor Relief from EC$250 to EC$500 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents). Who can make ends meet and EC$250?’ Friday said.

The NDP had promised since 2020 to reduce the VAT from 16 to 13 per cent if elected to office and Friday said that the fourth pledge is to reinstate jobs and benefits lost under the ULP government’s ‘draconian vaccine mandate’.

Hundreds of public sector workers lost their jobs in November 2021 when the government passed a law mandating that they either take a COVID-19 jab or be deemed to have abandoned their jobs.

Friday said that the NDP intends to act on those four things within 60 days, adding, ‘this is not the whole five-year term of an NDP government.

‘So these are practical measures, immediate measures, that will bring relief and a greater sense of prosperity to our people. We have to tackle the high cost of living. Too many families are being increasingly crushed and crippled under the yoke of ever-increasing prices.’

The Opposition Leader said he does his own shopping and has seen how prices have increased.

‘So I experience it on a daily basis, and the government has done nothing to address it,’ he said, adding ‘I’m talking about staples here; ordinary folk have to buy these things.

‘I ain’t talking about cream cheese and fancy items,’ Friday said, adding, ‘and as you know, the cost of utilities has also gone up.

‘This is crushing many families throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines. And everywhere I go, it is the number one thing on people’s list of things they want to see government to help them with.’

He said the ULP government has failed completely to deal with the cost-of-living crisis.

‘We in the NDP have proposed ideas such as support payments in school and the cutting of VAT to help struggling families, but the government simply has not been listening, as they live in a bubble, they’re not experiencing what ordinary folk, ordinary people in this country are experiencing.’

He told reporters that an NDP government will establish a well-regulated citizenship by investment (CBI) programme, under which foreign investors are granted citizenship of the country in return for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of the island..

‘It will also generate tax-free and interest-free, loan-free revenue to the government to implement these programmes,’ Friday said, adding ‘importantly, as well, we will tackle waste and increase efficiency in government services and the delivery of government projects and return those savings to finance growth and development.’

West Indies reached 90 for five at lunch on the opening day of the first Test here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday.

WEST INDIES 90-5 in 23.2 overs (Shai Hope 26, Roston Chase 22 not out, Brandon King 13, Alick Athanaze 12; Mohammed Siraj 3-19).

The Guyana government Thursday said that it will be moving towards selling its own crude oil and that it would actively support the local private sector in building the technical and human resource capacity needed to effectively participate in that business.

‘I will be working with the local, private sector and international partners to ensure that we develop our capability and capacity in crude oil trading. We must be able to trade our crude oil from Guyana with the infrastructure, with the human President Irfaan Ali told the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) breakfast forum on ‘Energy Insights’.

‘The real wealth of Guyana will not only flow from beneath the sea, but from creativity, from the creativity of our people on land. And this is why the business community must ask itself: ‘will we be mere suppliers to an oil industry? Or will we be creators of industries of our own?’,’ he told members of the business community gathered at the event.

‘We have to get those who have already done it for other countries to work with us in transferring the knowledge.maybe to enter a partnership for the next three, four, five years until we get the experience to do it on our own. These are the bold decisions that we must embrace. These are the bold ideas that will take us from where we are to where we want to be,’ Ali told the private sector grouping.

Ali said crude oil trading would create ‘enormous opportunities’ for Guyana, and so in order to get into the business in the shortest possible time, an experienced crude oil trader would be contracted to do so and share its expertise.

Through a competitive bidding system, Guyana hires a crude marketing firm for its 50 per cent share of the profit oil from the Stabroek Block. British firms BB Energy Trading Limited and JE Energy have been contracted by the Guyana Government to market crude oil from the Liza Unity, Prosperity, and Destiny FPSOs.

Both companies had previously marketed Guyana’s oil in 2023-2024 and President Ali said Ali, these services can be provided by the local private sector.

ExxonMobil and its partners are producing approximately 650,000 barrels of oil per day from the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana. With the recent successful startup of a fourth FPSO, the ONE GUYANA, the company anticipates growing production to more than 900,000 barrels of oil per day by the end of the year.

President Ali’s announcement followed a statement by ExxonMobil Guyana’s Production Manager, Huzefa Ali, who told the breakfast that the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, One Guyana, which is pumping oil from Yellowtail, would reach name-plate capacity of 250,000 barrels per day in another month. That vessel began production in August.

The ExxonMobil official said that efforts were underway to bring the eight project, Longtail, on board and bearing a significant natural gas deposit, ExxonMobil said Longtail could potentially supply that hydrocarbon for a second power plant, an alumina plant, a fertiliser plant and a data center in Berbice.

‘I will highlight project number eight, which we expect to be Longtail is also well progressed in terms of regulatory reviews and discussions for further discussion,’ Ali said, adding that ExxonMobil was advancing plans to determine the actual amount of gas that is deposited in Longtail.

‘We are well on our way to appraise those resources and then also take that to the next step, which is consider what is the most valuable development concept that brings the highest value for the people of Guyana, for the Government of Guyana, and for the other stakeholders,’ he said.

Meanwhile, President Ali has underscored the importance of establishing a modern stock exchange as part of broader efforts to modernise the country’s financial sector.

‘The creation of a modern stock exchange and options for capital mobilisation. Many people are speaking about diaspora bonds and all of this. All of these options will be examined,’ he said, adding that the government is also exploring the establishment of a junior stock exchange, which is a type of stock market specifically designed for smaller or emerging companies to raise capital, often under less stringent regulatory requirements than those of a main or senior stock exchange.

Ali said that the private sector must play a crucial role in ensuring that wealth, opportunity and commerce flow into the economy and that the government will create a favourable environment by adopting effective policy frameworks, infrastructure, and financial sector modernisation.

‘Someone asked me recently if Guyanese businesses are ready for the oil economy. I told them, well, we are ready in spirit. But readiness is more than dreams. It is about skills, partnerships, and wealth creation. Otherwise, the opportunities will come and pass us by. We must prepare, not just dream,’ Ali said, adding that by 2030, Guyana should have a diversified economy, powered by modern infrastructure, technology, knowledge, and innovation, not just oil.

Oil is temporary. But sustainability is forever. You must use oil to build for the future, not deny the future to spend oil,’ he said

Police say they have seized more than TT$300 million (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) in illegal drugs during a two day exercise in the south western section of the island.

The lawmen said that on Wednesday, acting on intelligence, they dealt a blow to a prominent drug trafficking network operating in the South Western Division, seizing over TT$292 million worth of illegal drugs during an operation in Palo Seco, a town and district in the Siparia region of southwestern Trinidad,

They said the seizure, included large quantities of high-grade Colombian ‘creepy’ marijuana and cocaine, and that acting on intelligence gathered following the arrest of a key associate of the drug trafficking network on Tuesday, police maintained surveillance in a remote area , known for its dense forest and limited access.

The police say that they suspect that the network was planning to relocate the remaining drugs from a hidden stash in the area to avoid detection and that the search led to the discovery of 1,177.4 kilogrammes of Colombian ‘creepy’ marijuana packed in 41 crocus bags, estimated street value of TT$129,216,117, and 117.14 kilogrammes of cocaine packed in five crocus bags, with estimated street value of TT$163,283,788.

The combined value of narcotics seized on the two days has been put at TT$314,666,605.

Hurricane Imelda is moving quickly away from Bermuda on Thursday and is expected to become extra tropical later during the day, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Thursday.

It said that the storm, with maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour (mph) was about 170 miles east north east of the British Overseas Territory and that it is moving towards the the east-northeast near 30 mph.

The Meteorological Service of Bermuda has changed the Hurricane Warning for Bermuda to a Tropical Storm Warning, meaning that tropical storm conditions are expected during the next few hours.

Bermudian authorities are reporting that the worst of Hurricane Imelda has passed, but hurricane-force winds and gusts abound and residents are advised to stay indoors until the Emergency Measures Organisation (EMO) has given the green light.

The NHC said that Hurricane Imelda is expected to continue on a northeastward motion on Friday and Saturday and that ‘the core of Imelda will move farther away from Bermuda during the next several hours.

‘Maximum sustained winds are near 85 mph with higher gusts. Imelda is expected to become an extratropical low later today, with gradual weakening forecast for the next several days.’

It said that swells generated by Imelda are affecting the Bahamas, Bermuda, and much of the U.S. East Coast.

‘Swells from Imelda will spread toward the Greater Antilles and northern Leeward Islands on Friday and continue through the weekend. These swells are likely to cause ife-threatening surf and rip current conditions,’ the NHC warned.