Category: CANA News

West Indies reached 346 for five on the opening day of their two-day warmup match against a New Zealand XI here at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval on Tuesday.

WEST INDIES 346-5 in 96 overs (Tagenarine Chander

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Wednesday, November 26, 2025.

SANTIAGO – A new report released here on Wednesday has found that spending by central governments in the Caribbean is equivalent to 11 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) as compared with 11.6 per cent in Latin America.

ROSEAU – The Dominica government says it will commission its 10-megawatt geothermal power plant next month, as the country continues with efforts to transition to a cleaner, more resilient energy sector.

LONDON – A tense legal battle is unfolding at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is hearing an application by Guatemala into a land dispute that could reshape regional borders in Central America.

TANGIER – Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister, Gaston Browne is on Wednesday attending the three-day meeting of the MEDays Forum that provides a platform where emerging and developing countries can voice their perspectives and shape a more inclusive international order.

BRIDGETOWN – The Barbados government is moving to have the Speaker of the Parliament to be elected from outside the chamber.

SPORTS:

LINCOLN – Four West Indies batsmen, led by Tagenarine Chanderpaul, scored half centuries to lift their side to 346 for five at the close of play on the opening day of their two-day warmup match against a New Zealand XI here on Tuesday.

PORT OF SPAIN – With just one more preliminary round remaining in the CG United Super50 Cup, the Barbados Pride, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and Windward Islands Volcanoes are in a three-way fight for a place in Saturday’s final with US$100, 000 at stake for the winners.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister, Gaston Browne is on Wednesday attending the three-day meeting of the MEDays Forum that provides a platform where emerging and developing countries can voice their perspectives and shape a more inclusive international order.

The event is being held under the theme ‘Fractures and Polarization: Reinventing the Global Equation’, and brings together more than 300 high-level speakers, including heads of state and government, ministers, Nobel laureates, corporate leaders, and international experts.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne

It is being attended by more than 7,000 delegates from more than 120 countries and is being held under the patronage of King Mohammed VI.

The organisers say that MEDays 2025 is widely regarded as the ‘Forum of the South’ and a government statement in St. John’s said that Prime Minister Browne’s participation underscores his country’s commitment to strengthening South-South cooperation, engaging in high-level diplomacy, and advocating for a global architecture that reflects the interests of small states, especially Small Island Developing States (SIDS), in an increasingly multipolar world.

The statement said that Prime Minister Browne will engage in discussions on global governance, economic sovereignty, climate resilience, and development finance.

It said that in addition, the forum’s focus on investment, geopolitics, and multilateral cooperation aligns with government’s drive to attract foreign direct investment, promote sustainable development, and strengthen ties with Africa and other Global South partners.

‘In a world of deepening polarization and rising uncertainty, Antigua and Barbuda must not only adapt, we must advocate. MEDays 2025 gives us a platform to project our priorities, especially climate resilience and economic equity,’ said Prime Minister Browne.

The MEDays Forum was founded in 2008 by the Amadeus Institute, and has grown into a strategic diplomatic, economic, and intellectual hub, particularly for countries from the Global South.

The 2025 edition features over 50 sessions on geopolitics, economics, energy, climate, and governance, including the MEDays Investment Summit, which promotes strategic public-private investment in Africa and beyond.

The West Indies will fancy their chances of advancing to the Super Eight stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after being given a favourable draw.

The regional side has been drawn in Group C along with England, Bangladesh and minnows Nepal and Italy.

The ICC on Tuesday released the fixtures and groups of the 20-team tournament, which will run from February 7 to March 8 and be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India.

With the top two teams advancing to the Super Eight phase, the Windies will fancy their chances of progressing from the group, with England and Bangladesh set to be their biggest challengers. The two-time champions, however, cannot underestimate a Nepal side which defeated them 2-1 in their T20I series earlier this year.

The Windies’ first two matches will be crucial, as they will take on Bangladesh on February 7 and then face off against England four days later, with the outcomes of those matches likely to determine whether they advance out of the group.

Their final two group stage matches will be on February 15 against Nepal and Italy on February 19.

Meanwhile, Group A comprises defending champions India, Pakistan, USA, Netherlands and Namibia, while Australia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Oman will battle it out it Group B.

Group C has been labeled the ‘group of death’, with New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada and the United Arab Emirates drawn together.

A total of 40 group matches will be played between February 7 to 20, with the top two sides from each group then progressing to the Super Eights phase of the tournament that commences on February 21.

The top four sides at the completion of the Super Eights qualify for the knockout stages of the event, with semi-finals to be held in Kolkata or Colombo and Mumbai, ahead of the title decider on March 8 in either Ahmedabad or Colombo.

The Trinidad and Tobago government government Wednesday defended its decision to pilot legislation allowing for homeowners to defend their properties even by the use of deadly force, as the opposition warned that the legislation would damage the fabric of society.

Prior to the debate, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, writing on X, said that during the campaign for the last general election, she had given her word to the population that her administration ‘would act decisively to protect families, safeguard homes and restore peace of mind.

‘Today I am proud that debate begins in the House of Representatives on legislation that will legally empower citizens to defend themselves and their loved ones against the frightening scourge of home invasions, an issue that was left unattended for too long,’ she wrote.

She said that the legislation is ‘more than a law and ‘it is a solemn commitment to your safety, your dignity and your right to to feel secure in the one place that must always be safe, your home,’ she added.

Attorney General, John Jeremie in tabling the Home Invasion (Self-Defence and Defence of Property) Bill 2025, commonly known as ‘strand your ground legislation’, said that the state of crime and criminality here, was for the new government ‘untenable.

‘It was left to fester for a decade.this government promised to deal head on with crime, from the root causes to the manifestation of it and we are not afraid to deal with gang related crime, gang leaders and the perpetrators and bullies who have terrorised this country.

‘We have taken decisive action in the interest of all of our people to destruct the relationship between gang leaders and their troops’.

Jeremie acknowledged that solving the problem of crime ‘is not a quick fix’ and requires a ‘consistent strategic approach that empowers and equip the protective services to interdict and arrest criminals.

‘It requires simultaneously that the justice system is fully functional and brings criminals to justice in the shortest possible time’.

He said that the new legislation is based on a long established maxim that a man’s home is his castle and that the ‘doctrine is that a lawful occupant of a dwelling house has the right to use necessary force, including deadly force against an attack and invader .without retreating from that individual if the occupier reasonably believes that the invader would commit an offence against him or others in the dwelling house.’

He told legislators that in considering the legislation, questions arose as to the sufficiency of the doctrine at common law in present circumstances.

‘Trinidad and Tobago, the question is whether the doctrine should be reformed and how should home invasion be addressed,’ he said, adding that he had sought the assistance of the Law Reform Commission ‘to develop a policy position for our country.

‘I am pleased to say that the Commission conceived of recommendations and a bill that was accepted by this government, well suited to our criminal justice system is now before us,’ Jeremie added.

He said that the bill also provides for a person assisting an occupier ‘in good faith.may use the same degree of force’ and that to prevent an abuse of the measure the legislation provides that a ‘defence would not be valid if the individual against whom the force is used has a right to be in the dwelling and the force used against the invader is grossly disproportionate, the occupier has been engaged in criminal activity or an individual is a law enforcement officer lawfully executing his duties and the occupier knew or should have known at the time.’

But former junior national security minister, Keith Scotland, said that any innocent life ‘taken on a mistaken belief that a person is a criminal or has criminal intent that is a travesty of justice.

‘In this life, it is not a dress rehearsal ..and for that deceased there is no return, there is no jury, there is no opportunity to present his or her defence and what about the person who actually does the act.

‘What about that trauma. This is not a situation where a person has an opportunity to apply for bail if he falls afoul of this law, to present his defence, to say it was a mistake,’ said Scotland, a criminal defence attorney noting that this situation occurred to a woman of four ‘who innocently found herself going to a wrong home saying she was about to clean it.

‘She was killed. There is no return. She is dead. That is the mischief of this bill,’ Scotland said, adding that there is a crime problem ‘but this bill is not the solution.

‘This bill is a dipropionate, lazy, populist policy from an indolent, lazy and incompetent government who does not want to do the hard work. It is the bill and the piece of legislation of an administration, who I say is hell bent on destroying the very fabric of this society called Trinidad and Tobago, where we say that every creed and race must find an equal place.’

This bill is a floating jurisprudential fig leaf, it is vague, it is obscure and it offends the principle of legal certainty,’ he said.

Scotland said since coming to office in April this year, the Persad-Bissessar led administration has taken actions ‘targeting certain sections of this society’ and that the legislation is ‘no different from the attacks on people who are expressing their views on social media when they won this election solely on social media’.

He said that in examining the bill, it is not only about property, but trust, justice and fairness ‘and it is about a society at work we say is under attack’.

The senior counsel the bill is ‘undermining the norms and values of society’ and purports to protect home owners ‘but it creates far more dangers than it resolves.

‘It undermines the constitution, it invites vigilante justice, it threatens vulnerable persons and endangers all persons of Trinidad and Tobago. The opposition supports firm action against violent criminals, we understand what is being faced, but ,,, a law designed to protect citizens must never put innocent persons at risk.

‘It must not override constitutional rights that are guaranteed unnecessarily. It must not create more opportunities for bloodshed inside the very homes it is claiming to protect,’ Scotland told legislators.

The debate is continuing.

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Central Bank Governors have agreed to move beyond the proof of concept of the CARICOM Payment and Settlement System (CAPSS) by starting a pilot involving The Bahamas, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU).

According to a statement issued here, the agreement was reached during the 65th Bi-Annual Meeting of CARICOM Central Bank Governors held earlier this month and that ‘CAPSS is being designed to deliver instant local currency payments across participating CARICOM countries’

It will eliminate the need for US dollar intermediation in regional transactions.

It is modeled after Africa’s Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) and aims to reduce reliance on expensive correspondent banking networks like those in the U.S. and foster greater regional financial integration.

During the meeting, the statement said that the Governors also highlighted the potential of digital innovation, particularly fast payment systems and digital payments, to advance financial inclusion, improve efficiency, and facilitate cross-border transactions across the Caribbean.

‘They emphasized that, regardless of the technology adopted, public institutions must continue to play a central role in safeguarding the public’s interest,’ the statement noted.

It said that working groups and technical committees presented their reports, including updates from the Caribbean Economic Research Team (CERT) and that ‘these updates reinforced the importance of sustained cross-border collaboration in an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving global financial environment’.

The statement said that the Governors also examined the cybersecurity challenges facing central banks and ‘stressed the significance of strengthening cyber resilience and participated in an in-depth masterclass’.

Premier David Burt is promising to make a statement to Parliament ‘on any commitments made’ during the annual meeting of United Kingdom government officials and leaders of the Overseas Territories (OTs) at the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in London.

‘ Throughout the week, I will represent Bermuda in high-level meetings with the UK government, and upon my return, I will deliver a Ministerial Statement to the House of Assembly to update the public on any commitments made,’ Burt said.

Premier David Burt

Burt is being accompanied to the discussions in London by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Kim Wilkerson, and Secretary to the Cabinet Marc Telemaque.

A government statement said that while the Minister for Economy and Labour, Jason Hayward, is also in the UK, he will not be attending the JMC as part of the Bermuda delegation, but will participate in the sessions relevant to economic development.

The statement said that the JMC is the highest political forum between the UK government and the governments of the British Overseas Territories and that part of the Premier’s engagements include attending an audience with King Charles III as well as attending a meeting with several government ministers including Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary and Stephen Doughty, the Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories.

‘The discussions at the JMC will focus on securing commitments on.establishing a new relationship under the existing 2012 White Paper; establishing a new Charter and Compacts for each Territory; looking at technology and innovation in healthcare, leveraging contacts with relevant Government departments; addressing illicit finance; and supporting economic growth in the OTs including establishing links with business leaders across the UK.’

Burt will also join Hayward at the Bermuda Business Development Agency’s ‘A London Forum, The Bermuda Advantage’.

On Friday, he will host his annual networking dinner for Bermudian university students and recent graduates in the UK.

‘I am excited to meet Bermudian students and recent graduates who are living in the UK, as I host my annual networking dinner in London. I welcome the opportunity to listen to their experiences, assist their transition to employment in Bermuda, and update them on the progress being made at home.

‘There are several students that I met last year who have returned to Bermuda, and Ministers are eager to engage with our young people,’ he added.

With just one more preliminary round remaining in the CG United Super50 Cup, the Barbados Pride, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and Windward Islands Volcanoes are in a three-way fight for a place in Saturday’s final with US$100, 000 at stake for the winners.

The competition has been marred by bad weather at the three venues, with play being possible in only two rounds of matches following Tuesday’s rained out fourth round.

The Pride sit atop the standings on 29 points having won two matches with the other two ending in no-results. They will face the unlucky Guyana Harpy Eagles in their final preliminary round match on Thursday, with victory guaranteeing them of a place in the final for a second straight year.

Unfortunately for the Harpy Eagles, rain has allowed the completion of just one of their four matches, with the other three ending in no-results.

Meanwhile, the Red Force have the same record as the Pride, but have only picked up 10 bonus points compared to the Pride’s 17, and therefore occupy second place on 22 points.

A win in their final game against the fourth-placed Leeward Islands Hurricanes would also book them a spot in the final.

The Volcanoes are the only other team that stands a realistic chance of qualifying for the final, as they sit in third place on 17 points, with one win, one loss and two no-results.

They would have been hoping to leapfrog the Red Force in the standings, but their crucial fourth round match against the home side at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground on Tuesday was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

The Volcanoes will play the last-placed Jamaica Scorpions on Thursday in a must-win contest, while also needing the Red Force or Pride to either lose their games or for them to be rained out if they are to have a chance of finishing in the top two.

Despite occupying fourth, the Hurricanes are well off the pace on just eight points, one ahead of the fifth-placed Harpy Eagles and two points more than the Scorpions.

The United States government Tuesday said that no foreign government is involved in decisions regarding the issuance or revocation of its visas to anyone.

‘The United States government makes all decisions about its visas; no foreign government is involved in visa approvals, denials, or revocations,’ the US Embassy here said in a brief statement, following reports that Homeland Security Minister, Roger Alexander, had written to US authorities urging Washington to deny or revoke visas granted to Trinidad and Tobago citizens who ‘disseminate defamatory, inflammatory, and intentionally misleading narratives about our joint mission and the ongoing security operations within Trinidad and Tobago’.

The Trinidad Express newspaper said it had obtained a copy of the letter, in which Alexander writes that ‘in recent weeks, several individuals-holding dual nationality or US residency-have been using media platforms, social-media channels, and online ‘news’ programmes to disseminate defamatory, inflammatory, and intentionally misleading narratives about our joint mission and the ongoing security operations within Trinidad and Tobago’.

He said these ‘individuals openly profit from sensationalism, distort the truth to generate viewership, and then retreat to cities such as Miami and other US locations while their manufactured narratives fuel tension, fear, and instability here at home.’

Last weekend, the corporate secretary of the non-governmental organisation, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS), Gary Aboud, said that his US visa had been revoked .

Aboud, who has been critical of the US naval presence near Venezuela in recent weeks, said for 28 years, FFOS has championed equity, justice, sustainable development, and the protection of vulnerable grassroots and coastal communities.

‘Today, however, we face an alarming reality: NGOs are being silenced. NGOs are not enemies of the State; we are a critical pillar of any functioning democracy. Without an independent civil society holding power to account, there can be no transparency, no oversight, and no protection against abuse’.

Aboud said he had received the information regarding his visa from the US Embassy here, that his B1/B2 Visa for travel to the United States had been prudentially revoked.

‘This email is considered official notification of that revocation,’ it stated, adding that the action is ‘based on the fact’ that additional information became available after the visa was issued indicating that Aboud may be ‘inadmissible’ to the United States and there ineligible to receive a visa.

In its statement on Wednesday, the US Embassy here said the North American country ‘does not revoke visas due to the exercise of the right to free expression, which is a cornerstone value of our country.

‘The United States does, however, revoke and deny visas based on criminal activity,’ it added.

Earlier this week, the Embassy warned visa holders that breaking US laws have ‘serious consequences’ for US visa holders, adding that the visa ‘is a privilege and not a right’ .

In a 26 second statement on the US Embassy’s Facebook page, the Embassy’s visa chief Mike Mitchell said, ‘breaking US laws have serious consequences for visa holders.

‘If you are arrested or violate any laws, your visa may be revoked, you may be deported, and you could be ineligible for future US visas. Follow the rules and don’t jeopardise your travel. A US visa is a privilege and not a right,’ he added.

The Trinidad and Tobago government government Wednesday defended its decision to pilot legislation allowing for homeowners to defend their properties even by deadly force, as the opposition warned that the legislation would damage the fabric of society.

Prior to the debate, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, writing on X, said that during the campaign for the last general election, she had given her word to the population that her administration ‘would act decisively to protect families, safeguard homes and restore peace of mind.

‘Today I am proud that debate begins in the House of Representatives on legislation that willl legally empower citizens to defend themselves and their loved ones against the frightening scourge of home invasions, an issue that was left unattended for too long,’ she wrote.

She said that the legislation is ‘more than a law and ‘it is a solemn commitment to your safety, your dignity and your right to to feel secure in the one place that must always be safe, your home,’ she added.

Attorney General, John Jeremie in tabling the Home Invasion (Self-Defence and Defence of Property) Bill 2025, commonly known as ‘strand your ground legislation, told legislators that the state of crime and criminality here, was for the new government ‘untenable.