Category: CANA News

The state-owned oil and gas company, Staatsolie, says it has started seismic research in the shallow offshore area off the coast of Saramacca and Coronie.

It said that the survey is a joint project involving the Chinese Bureau of Geophysical Prospecting (BGP Offshore), and the Norwegian/American company Tomlinson Geophysical Services Inc. (TGS).

‘The seismic survey in the Shallow Offshore area is being conducted in an area of approximately 2,000 km with water depths ranging from twenty to fifty meters. Over the course of two months, high-quality seismic data (information about the geology of the seabed) will be collected to map potential oil and gas deposits.

‘This survey is an important step in further exploiting Suriname’s offshore oil and gas potential, aligning with the Open-Door-Offering that started on November 24, 2025,’ Staatsolie said in a statement.

The Open-Door Offering invites international investors to participate in new exploration and development opportunities in our offshore areas. These initiatives are in line with Staatsolie’s vision to position Suriname as an attractive and competitive destination for international investors.

Staatsolie said that the project is being executed by BGP Offshore and TGS with both companies having extensive experience in seismic research and have previously carried out successful projects in Suriname.

‘The ship BGP Prospector will be used for this research. The boat will tow eight streamers, each six kilometers long, at a depth of nine meters. Streamers are long cables that record the reflection of sound waves from the subsurface beneath the seabed. This limits the ship’s maneuverability, so it is accompanied by support vessels to ensure that fishing boats and commercial ships keep a safe distance. ‘

Staatsolie said that the research is being conducted on the basis of a multi-client agreement allowing the consortium to collect and sell the data to third parties.

Staatsolie said it owns the data, can use it for its own exploration activities, and receives a share of the proceeds from its sale. This model provides access to high-quality data without bearing the full costs.

‘The project is being carried out in accordance with the National Environmental Authority’s (NMA) guidelines. The MMMP, which was approved by the NMA, guarantees that the research will be conducted in an environmentally responsible manner.

‘From August to October of this year, stakeholders, including Coronie and Saramacca residents and fishermen, were informed and consulted for the composition of the MMMP, and their feedback was incorporated into the final plan,’ Staatsolie added.

UNAIDS Monday reaffirmed its commitment working with governments, civil society and people living with and most affected by HIV in the Caribbean region to help in building a resilient, people-centred HIV response that protects progress, strengthens community leadership, and ensures no one is left behind, even in the face of disruption.

In a message marking World AIDS Day, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean, said it stands with governments, people living with and most affected by HIV, civil society and development partners to reaffirm ‘our shared commitment to end AIDS as a public health threat in the region by 2030.’.

World AIDS Day is being observed under the theme ‘Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response,’ and UNAIDS said that it reflects the region’s progress and the urgent challenges threatening to reverse hard-won gains.

It said the climate crisis, high debt burdens, and slow economic growth are tightening fiscal space and constraining investments in health, education, and social protection.

‘The Caribbean’s vulnerability is compounded by high dependence on external financing, which accounts for 66 per cent of HIV resources in 2024. As global health aid declines by an estimated 30-40 per cent, the region must guard against shrinking community services, widening inequalities, and emerging HIV prevention and treatment gaps.’

UNAIDS said furthermore, climate shocks, including Hurricane Melissa’s recent devastation across Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba, have disrupted care, displaced families, and deepened vulnerabilities for people living with HIV.

It said many people are now rebuilding their lives while trying to stay connected to HIV treatment, prevention, and basic support services.

‘These obstacles exacerbate the challenges in a region where despite increasing numbers of people living with HIV on treatment, nearly 30 per cent of them (90,000 people) are not in care and likely to present with advanced HIV disease and among those in care, many fall out of care and are not virally suppressed.

‘Yet despite these pressures, the region continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience and innovation. In close partnership with local communities, countries are sustaining hard-won gains and advancing the shared goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat. ‘

UNAIDS said that the Caribbean’s resilience is proven, but resilience alone cannot counter shrinking resources and mounting shocks from social, economic, environmental and health inequalities.

‘We must strengthen health systems, scale community-led solutions, and guarantee uninterrupted access to HIV prevention, treatment, and care services. Ending AIDS by 2030 demands urgency, unity, and renewed commitment.’

UNAIDS said that as countries confront widening inequalities, service disruptions, and declining external financing, global solidarity becomes indispensable.

‘No nation can close the remaining gaps in prevention, treatment, and protection of rights on its own. UNAIDS calls on the international community to stand with countries most affected by the epidemic, closing funding shortfalls, dismantling legal and social barriers, and fully resourcing community leadership at every level. This is essential for a sustainable and resilient HIV response. ‘

It said it is also urging Caribbean leaders to advance on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3 to end AIDS and embrace the Global AIDS Strategy 2026-2031 to be endorsed and presented to member states this month by deepening regional partnerships, strengthening health systems, safeguarding service continuity, and addressing stigma and discrimination.

‘This includes expanding people-centered and rights-based access to prevention and treatment, and investing domestic resources in sustainable, community-led responses capable of withstanding future shocks,’ UNAIDS add

The Director of the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) Coordinating Unit (PCU), Dr Wendy Telgt Emanuelson, Monday promised an ‘AIDS-free Caribbean for generations to come’ even as she acknowledged that the path towards ending AIDS by 2030 ‘was never meant to be easy’.

In a message marking World AIDS Day, Emanuelson said that the the recent financial challenges present one of the most significant tests the region has faced in decades.

Dr Wendy Telgt Emanuelson

‘These cuts are not just numbers on a spreadsheet; they represent a potential threat to the medicines that keep our Caribbean brothers and sisters healthy, the prevention programmes that protect our youth, and the hope that has been steadily building across our territories.’

She said that as the region observes World AIDS Day, it is being called to embrace the powerful theme of ‘Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.’

‘This call resonates deeply across our Caribbean region, not as a mere slogan, but as a testament to the resilience that has always defined our people. We stand at a pivotal moment, facing the strong crosswinds of global funding cuts that threaten to slow our progress. But hear this clearly: our resolve has not been shaken; it has been steeled.’

Emanuelson said that Caribbean people are no strangers to overcoming storms, saying ‘we have learned to build stronger, stand firmer, and innovate smarter when faced with adversity.

‘The dream of an AIDS-free Caribbean, a Caribbean where no mother passes HIV to her child, where no life is cut short by AIDS, and where stigma and discrimination are relics of the past, is a dream we will not abandon.

‘Our commitment to achieving the 95-95-95 targets is unwavering. Why? Because we have seen the transformative power of treatment. We have witnessed communities rally together. We already have countries in our Region that have eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV.’

She said that this progress, hard-won by the dedication of governments, healthcare workers, civil society, and people living with HIV, is a foundation ‘we will not allow to crumble but will continue to build on.

‘In this new reality, we are not merely surviving; we are transforming. We are forging a more efficient, more integrated, and more sustainable response. We are empowering our communities to lead, streamlining our supply chains, and ensuring that every single resource we have is used to its maximum impact. We are proving that our spirit and our collective will are our most valuable assets.

‘To our partners who stand with us, your solidarity is more crucial than ever. To the health care workers on the frontlines, your dedication is our inspiration. To the advocates and community leaders, your voice is our conscience. And to every person living with and affected by HIV in the Caribbean, we see you, we stand with you, and we reaffirm our promise: you are not alone.

‘Let me be clear: We will not go back. We will not surrender the gains for which we have fought so hard. We will navigate this challenge with determination, innovate with purpose, and unite with a common vision.

‘The journey may now be steeper, but our destination remains the same. Together, we will overcome this disruption, transform our response, and realise an AIDS-free Caribbean for generations to come,’ she added.

Prime Minister Phillip Davis is in the United Kingdom attending a high-level briefing hosted by the Sustainable Markets Initiative on Monday.

Prime Minister Phillip Davis

The Office of the Prime Minister said that Davis had been invited to the one day event by Britain’s King Charles III and that it will focus on private capital mobilisation to support global energy transition efforts, climate action, and innovative financing arrangements, including debt-for-nature and debt-for-climate mechanisms.

‘The engagement will bring together global financial leaders, multilateral development banks, and senior representatives from private finance institutions to discuss concrete actions that can accelerate investment flows into climate-resilient and sustainable development,’ the statement said.

It added that Prime Minister David will return here on Tuesday.

Jamaica has secured a comprehensive package of up to US$6.7 billion over a three year period to strengthen the country’s recovery and reconstruction efforts following the passage of Hurricane Melissa in October.

In a statement on Monday, the World Bank said Monday that at the request of Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank Group (WBG) have jointly assembled a comprehensive package for the island.

It said that this coordinated effort reflects a unified commitment to help Jamaica pursue a fiscally responsible, long-term recovery through a combination of emergency preparedness financing, sovereign financing, grant support and private sector investments.

Hurricane Melissa slammed into Jamaica on October 28, leaving 45 people dead and damage estimated at nine billion US dollars.

The announcement by the banks come as Prime Minister Holness is due to hold meet with representatives from the international financial institutions to discuss implementation plans.

According to the World Bank, Jamaica’s robust disaster risk financing framework enabled a rapid flow of funds to meet urgent response needs.

It said that this framework facilitated an immediate inflow of critical liquidity to supplement the government’s own contingency resources, for a total of US$662 million, with US$37 million from the government of Jamaica’s Contingency Fund and National Natural Disaster Reserve Fund, US$91 million from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), US$150 million from the WBG Catastrophe Bond, US$300 million available from the IDB’s Contingent Credit Facility (CCF). and US$42 million, scalable to US$84 million available upon request under the World Bank Group’s Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option.

The statement said that under the recovery needs and institutional support, with damages estimated at US$8.8 billion, recovery will require significant resources and long-term investments.

‘Comprehensive recovery planning is already underway, focusing on critical priorities and reinforcing Jamaica’s resilience. CAF, CDB, IDB Group, IMF and WBG are working closely with the Government of Jamaica and other partners to support this process.’

It said to that end, a new financial support package of up to US$3.6 billion could be made available to finance the government’s recovery and reconstruction programme over the next three years, comprising up toone billion US dollars from CAF for priority areas identified by the government.

In addition, the CDB will provide up to US$200 million in financing in priority areas also identified by the government, including resilient national and community infrastructure, and small business support, while the IDB will provide up to one billion US dollars in sovereign financing in priority areas where its technical expertise and long-standing engagement can have sustained impact.

Jamaica has requested from the IMF, access under the large natural disaster window of the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) which could amount to a loan of up to US$415 million, while the World Bank is providing up to one billion US dollars in sovereign financing, including budget support, partial risk guarantees and investment projects in critical sectors.

‘To ensure Jamaica’s recovery is effective, resilient, and informed by global best practices, the five institutions are also providing technical assistance and policy advisory services, funded by grants, that draw on global experience and best practices in disaster response. So far, US$12 million in grants has already been mobilized from the IDB, the WBG and CAF, with more to come,’ the statement noted.

It said that engaging private capital will be essential not only to scale up recovery efforts, but also to preserve fiscal space.

The IDB Group’s and World Bank Group’s regional platforms are designed to blend public and private solutions from the outset.

‘Together, IDB Invest and the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) are actively working to attract and mobilize an initial estimate of US$2.4 billion in private investment to support Jamaica’s recovery and reconstruction-split equally between the IDB Group and the World Bank Group.’

The World Bank Group, CAF, CDB, IDB Group, and IMF remain committed to ensuring that Jamaica’s recovery is grounded in a comprehensive and collaborative approach that leverages both international partnership and private sector engagement.

The statement said that by combining robust financial instruments, technical guidance, and a shared commitment to building forward better, Jamaica is well-positioned not only to restore what was lost but also to strengthen its resilience to future disasters.

It said continued partnership and innovation will remain central as Jamaica charts a stronger, more resilient future for all its citizens.

The Jamaican women’s national team etched their name into the history books on Saturday with an astonishing 18-0 demolition of Dominica in the 2025/26 Concacaf W Qualifiers.

The match at the Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium was a record-breaking performance, marking the largest victory in Jamaica’s history and a display of offensive firepower that left the opposition reeling from the first ball.

The floodgates opened almost immediately. Konya Plummer started the onslaught in just the 2nd minute, with captain Khadija Shaw doubling the lead two minutes later.

The goals continued in a relentless first-half blitz, with Kiki Van Zanten, Atlanta Primus, and an own goal from Dominica’s Rosalinda Paul all contributing to a commanding 7-0 lead before the half-hour mark.

The Reggae Girlz showed no mercy as the half wore on. Both Shaw and Jodi Brown netted their second goals of the match, and Shaw capped a dominant first-half performance by completing her hat-trick just before the break.

The second half continued in much the same fashion. Deneisha Blackwood, Shaneil Buckley, and Natasha Thomas all found the net, with several players securing braces in the closing minutes.

Brown completed her hat-trick, while Blackwood, Thomas, and Buckley all scored their second goals. Shania Hayles joined the scoresheet in stoppage time before Buckley fittingly closed the historic account with the 18th goal in the 92nd minute.

In other games, Mexico hammered St. Vincent and the Grenadines 14-0, while Costa Rica edged Grenada 2-1.

The stage is set for a thrilling conclusion to the 2025 Concacaf Caribbean Cup, as Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant FA and the Dominican Republic’s Universidad O and M FC prepare for a winner-take-all battle this Tuesday at Kingston’s Independence Park.

Holding a narrow 1-0 aggregate lead, Mount Pleasant returns to its home turf with the trophy firmly in its sights.

The Jamaican club secured its advantage in a hard-fought First Leg in the Dominican Republic, with Kimoni Bailey’s decisive goal proving the difference.

That victory was built on the foundation of Mount Pleasant’s impregnable defence, which has been the team’s hallmark throughout the tournament.

Led by goalkeeper Tafari Chambers, the backline has conceded a mere two goals, with the First Leg shutout marking their fifth clean sheet of the campaign.

A win would see Mount Pleasant become the second straight Jamaican club to claim the Caribbean Cup, following in the footsteps of Cavalier SC’s 2024 triumph.

Standing in their way is a determined Universidad O and M FC, which is chasing history and its first-ever victory over the Jamaican side.

The visitors will look to tournament standout Herard Frantzety to ignite their attack. Frantzety, the competition’s leading scorer with four goals, will be the key to unlocking Mount Pleasant’s stalwart defence.

O and M will need a complete team effort, and they have a potential game-changer between the posts. Goalkeeper Iraitz Gelbentzu has been a revelation, leading the tournament with an impressive 26 saves and giving his team a chance in any contest.

The history between these two clubs favours the hosts. In their first-ever meeting during the Group Stage on September 30, Mount Pleasant emerged with a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Radial Irving and Ranaldo Biggs.

While both teams have already secured coveted spots in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, the ultimate prize remains. The Caribbean Cup champion will not only lift the trophy but also earn a crucial bye directly into the Round of 16 of the continental competition.

If the two-leg series ends tied on aggregate, the away goals rule will be the first tiebreaker. If still level, the final will be decided by extra time and, if necessary, a penalty shootout.

The government of Taiwan has extended its congratulations to the incoming leadership of New Democratic Party in St Vincent and the Grenadines following the NDP’s recent victory at the polls. The NDP’s win ends the ruling Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) 24-year reign in the Caribbean nation-one of Taipei’s remaining formal diplomatic allies.

NDP leader Godwin Friday was sworn in as prime minister on Nov. 28.

Taiwan’s ambassador, Fiona Fan, conveyed Taipei’s well-wishes to Friday and other newly elected lawmakers ‘at the first moment.’

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) expressed recognition for the peaceful and smooth conduct of the elections, saying the vote occurred through an ‘open, transparent, and calm democratic process,’ reflecting Vincent’s ‘mature and stable political culture.’

‘Taiwan and Saint Vincent share universal values such as democracy, freedom, and human rights,’ the ministry said, highlighting progress made since relations were established in 1981.

Over the past 44 years, bilateral cooperation has expanded across agriculture, food security, infrastructure, healthcare, ICT, and women’s empowerment-achievements that the MOFA said have been ‘remarkable.’

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is one of 12 countries that maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan-four of which are in the Caribbean.

China’s communist regime views democratically-governed Taiwan as one of its provinces and has not ruled out taking it by force-a position the island’s government and its supporters disagree with.

Elections in allied states are closely monitored in Taiwan, as shifts in government leadership can lead to changes in recognition.

The NDP has previously suggested closer ties with China, although its election platform did not address Taiwan’s future.

Taipei’s relations with St Vincent remain a key diplomatic concern, as Taiwan’s international allies have been dwindling in the past decades.

The Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley, has reassured residents that no new taxes will be introduced in the upcoming year.

He made the statement as he responded to questions at his his recent monthly press conference .

He explained that the Nevis Island Administration has maintained a consistent approach over the years by avoiding additional financial burdens on the local population.

‘The posture that my government has taken over the years is that where possible, we have sought to impose tax increases on goods or tax services on individuals who are outside the local population,’ Brantley said.

He highlighted several measures previously implemented to boost government revenue without affecting Nevisians directly.

‘I mention, for example, when we increased the Tourism Development Levy – that bites principally on visitors to the island. We have increased some charges at the Financial Services Registry. Those are not taxes but fees, and to incorporate companies and to do various types of business here, we have increased those. By doing that, we have increased revenue without putting any burden on the people of Nevis. That has been going quite good.’

Brantley added that adjustments had already been made to hospital costs and water tariffs earlier in the year.

‘So, we do not anticipate that there will be anything further in this new budget that is to come,’ he said.

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has sought to assure tourists that they are not at risk despite the current leptospirosis outbreak.

Speaking during a recent press conference, he said that while health authorities continue to manage the outbreak, assessments show no significant threat to visitors, including those staying at hotels or visiting certified attractions.

‘We have discerned no great risk in terms of the facilities that cater to tourists, whether it’s the hotels, which themselves are doing some rehabilitation as we speak because of the impact of the hurricane . as well as the certified attractions that cater to tours. We work closely with those entities too,’ Tufton said.

He further noted that the government maintains strict oversight of tourism-related establishments, supported by established public-health protocols.

There is a certification process that is required and that is given in conjunction with [the] health [ministry] and so we are not giving an advisory to discourage tourism or visitors. We are just placing all on alert and are particularly focused on the vulnerable communities,’ Tufton added

According to the minister, the Ministry, Regional Health Authorities and parish health departments will continue close collaboration with tourism stakeholders to ensure that visitors remain safe and have access to medical services throughout their stay.

The public is reminded that leptospirosis is preventable, treatable and survivable when detected early. Jamaicans are urged to wear protective gear during clean-up efforts, avoid floodwater, secure food and water supplies and maintain clean surroundings.

Tufton also confirmed that no other communicable diseases are currently of concern, adding, ‘It is to be noted that there are no other communicable diseases that are of concern at this time, with dengue and influenza remaining below the threshold and below the normal numbers for this time of year.’