Category: CANA News

The Guyana government says it will provide special tax incentives and assistance for parents of children living with disabilities.

President Irfaan Ali, who is expected to resume Friday his Cabinet outreach programme, said that the new initiative is designed to ease the financial strain faced by these parents. ‘We are working out a mechanism to give special tax incentives and special support for parents who have children living with disabilities, because we know sometimes at least one of our parents will have to stay home to take care of that child,’ he told the gathering in Amsterdam on Thursday.

He said the initiative forms part of the government’s broader push to ensure that every child, and every parent, receives the support they need to live with dignity.

‘You have a government that is matching your love at a national scale, because we love everyone .and we want the best for everyone,’ President Ali said, adding that this is part of a national expression of love and responsibility.

He said the government will invest in secure childcare and elderly care facilities to ensure that both seniors and young professionals have access to safe, well-managed centres and will soon announce additional measures to help operators improve childcare and elderly care facilities, creating new business opportunities for the many individuals trained in these fields through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s WIIN programme.

He said a subsidised system will be introduced to reduce the financial burden on parents, where the government will support childcare costs, so parents will not have to pay the full rate.

Police say they have arrested and charged four individuals with facilitating the child prostitution of a female Belizean minor. The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Unit (ATIP) of the Belize Police Department said the four adults who were arrested are Belizeans Oscar Diaz, Maria Arias, and Ramona Cucul, along with one Guatemalan, Gloria Rodriguez.

It said all four persons were arraigned at the Independence Magistrate Court and released on BDZ$6,000 bail (One BDZ$=US$0.49 cents) with one surety.

The case has been adjourned to February 11, next year.

Meanwhile, the police are urging Belizeans if they suspect someone of engaging in human trafficking, or knows of a victim, to report the matter ‘immediately’.

The United Nations is warning of ‘alarming levels of gender-based violence’ in Haiti , noting also that those at risk have very limited access to the essential support they need.

United Nations, spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said that the global body had received ‘a horrendous report ‘ from its humanitarian colleagues regarding Haiti, warning that as the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country continues the situation ‘is due to insecurity, access challenges and funding shortfalls’. Dujarric said between January and September this year, over 7,400 cases of gender-based violence were reported in Haiti, an average of about 27 per day.

‘Sexual violence made up just over half of the cases, about 3,700, and with nearly two thirds of these involving gang rape, that’s about 2,500. Two out of every three victims were displaced people.

‘During the same period, our humanitarian partners were able to reach only seven per cent of the 833,000 people we aim to reach with specialized support to address gender-based violence, in total, our partners were able to reach just about 54,000 people,’ Dujarric said, adding that the response remains critically underfunded, with an overall gap of US$13.5 million, 70 per cent of the over the money that is needed for this year.

The UN spokesman said that if that funding is not received, nearly 780,000 women and girls, including survivors of gender-based violence and those at risk, ‘will go without these critical services, including the clinical management of rape, mental health and psychosocial support, case management, legal assistance, safe spaces for women and girls, and dignity kits.

‘Our partners also warn that persistent insecurity and access challenges continue to prevent many survivors – including people with disabilities and women living in remote areas – from receiving timely, confidential and adequate support.’

Dujarric said despite all of these constraints, humanitarian organizations continue to scale up life-saving services, including psychosocial support, medical care, safe spaces for victims, mobile clinics, legal assistance and the distribution of dignity kits.

He said between January and September, more than 32,000 information and awareness-raising sessions have been conducted, and some 560 front-line workers have received specialized training.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) continues to work closely with our partners addressing gender-based violence in Haiti, as well as with national authorities in the country , all this to ensure that survivors can safely access essential services.

The Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is warning the region against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which it describes as a serious and growing global public health threat to health security, healthcare systems and sustainable development, often referred to as the silent pandemic.

‘Antimicrobial resistance threatens the health and development of every Caribbean nation. Through CARPHA’s Integrated AMR Programme and the work of CARA, we are building a stronger, more resilient region. But success requires collective responsibility, governments, healthcare providers, veterinarians, farmers, laboratories, and the public all have a role to play,’ said CARPHA executive director, Dr. Lisa Indar. In a message marking World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) that ends on November 24, CARPHA said AMR occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites stop responding to medicines, making infections harder, and sometimes impossible to treat.

It said consistent with the WAAW 2025 theme, ‘Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future’, it is urging ‘responsible use of antimicrobials’ while highlighting the significant strides made through its Integrated AMR Programme.

CARPHA said the integrated programme supported by partners including the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the Fleming Fund and the Pandemic Fund Project, has emerged as a model for regional collaboration.

The programme takes a comprehensive multi-facted regional approach, strengthening surveillance, laboratory capacity and coordinated action across sectors to detect, understand, and respond to AMR in the Caribbean.

It said the launch of the Caribbean Antimicrobial Resistance Alliance (CARA) is a joint initiative between CARPHA and the UKHSA, which serves as the technical and operational backbone of CARPHA’s AMR agenda.

‘CARA is leading the region in establishing AMR Reference laboratory capacity across CARPHA sites in Trinidad, Jamaica, and St. Lucia; developing the Regional AMR surveillance system, strengthening data collection, reporting, and interpretation across Member States; harmonising standards, sharing expertise and regional coordination, working with partners towards sustainable AMR preparedness.’

CARPHA said it has advanced plans to expand its Jamaica and St. Lucia laboratories as regional reference laboratories for AMR testing alongside the CARPHA Medical Microbiology Laboratory (CMML) in Port of Spain.

‘This significantly reduces delays, improves detection of priority pathogens, and enhances access to high-quality AMR diagnostics for member states,’ it said, adding that through joint efforts with UKHSA, it has received multiple technical experts on secondment, supporting improvements in surveillance, laboratory systems, emergency response, AMR data analytics, tourism and health, and One Health coordination.

CARPHA said in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and UKHSA, they have jointly organised a series of regional capacity-building activities, including phenotypic testing, molecular testing, and Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) workshops, along with a UKHSA AMR surveillance and epidemiology training delivered to CARPHA staff.

During WAAW, CARPHA said it is encouraging all stakeholders, governments, clinicians, pharmacists, veterinarians, laboratories, community leaders, and the public to champion responsible use of antimicrobials and support AMR prevention initiatives.

The Government of Jamaica has announced plans to establish a National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NARA) to lead, coordinate, fast-track and oversee national rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

‘The NARA will focus on building back better – safer homes, climate-resilient infrastructure, better land use planning, relocation from high-risk zones,’ said Prime Minister, Dr. Andrew Holness.

He said that new industries and businesses will also be introduced to areas that previously had no economic base.

The Prime Minister, who was addressing a press briefing on Hurricane Melissa recovery on Wednesday said the NARA will be established as a statutory body with special powers, and will report directly to the Office of the Prime Minister.

In emphasising the necessity of NARA, Holness argued that existing government structures, procedures, rules, and regulations are not designed for capital reconstruction at the emergency speed and scale required to facilitate what will be ‘the largest rebuilding effort in Jamaica’s modern history.’

He further contended that Jamaica’s traditional decentralised approaches and procurement and public investment rules, while appropriate in normal times, are not designed to meet the scale and speed that will be required to implement an effective post-Melissa recovery in any practical time-frame.

‘Furthermore, having each agency or ministry of government mount its own reconstruction would, over the longer-term, cannibalise operational capacity and further affect the delivery of public services. In addition, a fragmented ministry by ministry approach will not easily scale to meet the magnitude of the reconstruction challenge. We therefore need a dedicated reconstruction apparatus,’ Holness said.

He noted that there is national and international precedence for this approach, citing its use after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005, in Canterbury, New Zealand after the Christchurch earthquake in 2011, and in Japan after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

‘In Jamaica, too, Prime Minister P.J Patterson established the Office of National Reconstruction (ONR) after Hurricane Ivan,’ the Prime Minister pointed out, noting that the ONR was set up as a special unit to coordinate relief and reconstruction; it was not established by an act of parliament.

‘The NARA will be much larger in scope and scale and established under special purpose legislation. Given the extraordinary powers that will be sought to expedite reconstruction, the NARA will be set up with a sunset date of five years, renewable by Parliament,’ Dr. Holness informed.

He outlined that the authority’s administrative expenditure will be financed from the national budget, with the recovery and reconstruction activities to be financed initially from the National Natural Disaster Recovery Fund (NNDRF), which was set up to receive the proceeds of Jamaica’s disaster risk instruments.

These include Jamaica’s catastrophe bond, policies with the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) and various credit contingent claims with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the World Bank totalling approximately US$650 million.

Holness said it is likely that the Government will need to borrow to finance reconstruction beyond what will be available in the NNDRF.

‘We have immediate access to approximately US$500 million from the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) rapid financing facility (RFI). The RFI facility does not come with policy conditionality so, we will start this reconstruction effort with approximately US$1.15 billion in immediate funds,’ he explained.

The Prime Minister pointed out that with the World Bank’s Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) report indicating that Hurricane Melissa resulted in US$8.8 billion in physical damage across the island, for which the government would likely be responsible for at least half, there is still a gap that will have to be funded by additional borrowing.

Meanwhile, he informed that the Government will establish a high-level public-private advisory board for the NARA, which will include persons from civil society, technical personnel and multilateral and overseas partners.

‘It will be a multi-stakeholder board that will ensure that we are making the right decisions [and that] there’s transparency and accountability,’ Dr. Holness said, noting that the legislation that gives birth to the NARA will incorporate these mechanisms.

Holness noted that the Government will also establish an interagency coordinating committee, which will ensure that decisions are made swiftly by the heads of executing entities.

International engineering, procurement, and construction and programme management partners will also be engaged.

The Prime Minister said the NARA will serve as proof of concept for a more agile, performance-driven model of public administration.

‘The NARA will ultimately provide a blueprint for wider public sector transformation, demonstrating how Jamaica can deliver major projects faster, more transparently, and with greater accountability,’ he added.

Customs representatives from twelve Caribbean nations met in the Dominican Republic to strengthen institutional capacity, enhance human resource development, improve border security, and expand the exchange of customs information.

The gathering, held this week, was part of the Executive Committee and working group meetings of the Caribbean Council for the Application of Customs Laws (CCALA/CCLEC), which includes English-, French-, and Dutch-speaking customs administrations, as well as the Dominican Republic and Cuba.

Dominican Customs Director Eduardo ‘Yayo’ Sanz Lovatón emphasized the government’s support for ratifying the 2019 agreement signed in Cuba, which would transform CCLEC into the Caribbean Customs Organization. The agreement requires approval from at least ten member states.

During the meeting, members reviewed past actions and future plans related to regional intelligence, cybersecurity, capacity building, and information sharing-key tools for combating smuggling and other transnational crimes.

Led by CCLEC President Roderick Lionel Croes and Permanent Secretary Claude Paul, the event underscored the importance of coordinated customs efforts for regional security and economic stability.

Participants included officials from Aruba, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, the Netherlands, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, and the Dominican Republic.

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, has accused financiers of the ruling United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago of financing the campaign of the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) ahead of the November 27 general elections.

Gonsalves, speaking at a rally of his Unity Labour Party (ULP), said that ‘some of the major differences’ between his party, which is seeking an unprecedented sixth consecutive term in office and the NDP, is that the opposition party ‘is financed by a set of people from overseas.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, speaking at a rally of his ruling Unity Labour Party (CMC Photo)

‘The latest set are the financiers from the ruling UNC party in Trinidad. They have on the ground now activists supporting the NDP and all their attempt to scare me and my family have been unsuccessful,’ Gonsalves said.

‘The money men, many of the money men behind the UNC have an interest in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and they are prepared to send operatives here and I want to tell you, as I speak, operatives for the UNC in Trinidad have come here and they are here right now as I speak. Don’t be surprised if you see one or two foreign faces.’

Gonsalves told supporters that over the last five years, the economy of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has been the fastest-growing economy in the Caribbean, after Guyana and that the ‘UNC financiers know that the economy in Trinidad and Tobago is tanking, and they want to get some sweetheart deals.

‘And the sweetheart deals involve wanting to get the land where the port is, the old port in Kingstown, where we are developing a modern cruise ship pier to take two additional cruise ships, large cruise ships, and to put proper land facilities. They want that land,’ he said, adding ‘the UNC financiers also want the land at ET Joshua airport, the old airport.

‘We have 175 acres of land there and they want that land for a song, whereas we are on the way to build a modern city with wellness, health and wellness.’

Gonsalves told supporters that his administration has plans for the area with an EC$300 million (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) hospital, a first world cricket facility as well as plans to expand the netball facility.

‘We we are going to lease and sell the land after we have prepared everything properly,’ he said, adding that his Minister of Urban Development, Benarva Browne, ‘who has done such a wonderful job.will be accordingly specific responsibility for the development, the urban development on the east side and the west side of Kingstown and Arnos Vale, including a tunnel under Cane Garden Point.

‘These are large ideas to take us, among other things, to the 21st century,’ he said, questioning the appearance of the UNC financiers here.

He said their presence is aimed at ‘toppling this government and have the NDP in office.

‘The matter is simply greed, money land and property,’ He said, noting that the NDP has said publicly it wants to privatise the new port.

Gonsalves said as a result the UNC financiers ‘want to come and own the port ,well the only way you can stop that is to mobilise from now until election day and they also want the land where we moved the old port from, but we have a plan for development.

‘They want that land in a sweet heart deal for themselves,’ Gonsalves said, adding that it is interesting to note that since the old airport was closed in 2017 ‘we have not sold one square inch of that government land to anybody.

‘A lot of business people want to have land and we told them we can’t sell them land because we are developing a city in accordance with a particular plan. But the Trinis and some local business people, they know who I am talking about, they want to want to get that land..(and) they don’t matter how it looks.they are interested in themselves, not the country’.

The accusation by Gonsalves is the latest outburst between Kingstown and Port of Spain that had been sparked by the accusation made by a junior government minister, who later received the support of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar that questioned the manner in which three members of Gonsalves’ family, including his wife, had been able to acquire houses from the state owned Housing Development Corporation (HDC) that were sold on the open market.

Minister in the Ministry of Housing, Anil Roberts questioned some of the documents used in the sale, suggesting also that the matter would be referred to the police.

But Gonsalves, an attorney said his relatives, all of whom are Trinidad and Tobago citizens, followed the process in applying for the HDC units and there were no special favours or sweetheart deals and has since indicated that he has referred the matter to a senior counsel in Trinidad and Tobago.

The HDC chairman, Feeroz Khan is reported in the media in Trinidad and Tobago as saying that the state entity has launched an investigation into how three family members obtained Victoria Keyes apartments in Diego Martin, west of the capital..

Khan is reported as saying that the probe will examine issues in the paperwork for the applications for the three apartments that Roberts said cost nearly five million TT dollars (One TT dollar=US$016 cents).

Khan said an internal investigation was launched by the HDC last week and that legitimate questions have been raised and the board will await information before taking any further steps.

Haitian-American Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was indicted on Wednesday on federal charges accusing her of stealing US$5 million in disaster relief funds, laundering the money, and funneling a substantial portion of it into her 2021 congressional campaign.

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick

A federal grand jury in Miami returned the indictment against Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, along with her brother Edwin Cherfilus, 51, and several associates. Prosecutors say the case stems from a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract awarded in 2021 to the family health-care company operated by the Cherfilus siblings in Miramar. That July, the company received an overpayment of US$5 million in FEMA funds – money prosecutors allege the group then conspired to steal.

According to the indictment, the defendants moved the funds through multiple accounts to disguise their origin. Investigators say a sizeable share of the misappropriated money ended up as contributions to Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 campaign, while the rest benefited the defendants personally.

Cherfilus-McCormick and her 2021 tax preparer, David K. Spencer, 41, of Davie, are separately charged with conspiring to file a false federal tax return. Prosecutors say they falsely claimed political spending and other personal expenses as business deductions and inflated charitable contributions in an effort to lower her tax bill.

‘Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,’ said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.

‘No one is above the law, least of all powerful people who rob taxpayers for personal gain. We will follow the facts in this case and deliver justice.’

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida echoed that message, saying:

If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick faces up to 53 years in federal prison. Her brother faces up to 35 years, Leblanc up to 10 years, and Spencer up to 33 years.

Born in Brooklyn to Haitian parents and raised in Queens, Cherfilus-McCormick moved to Florida at age 13 to attend high school.

Darron Nedd impressed with both bat and ball as the Windward Islands Volcanoes pulled off an impressive run chase to stun the Leeward Islands Hurricanes by two wickets in their opening round day/night fixture of the CG United Super50 Cup here on Wednesday.

Hurricanes opener Kofi James scored the first century off this year’s tournament, while Mikyle Louis and Carlon Bowen-Tuckett added half centuries to propel the Hurricanes to a competitive 324 in 47.3 overs after they were sent in to bat at the Brian Lara Academy.

Kofi James scored a century for the Leeward Islands Hurricanes in a losing cause.

Nedd, one of three bowlers to take three wickets, then returned to slam 94 off just 56 balls and the Volcanoes overhauled their target, finishing on 325 for eight in 43.5 overs.

The Hurricanes would have been disappointed not to have scored more runs after the efforts of James, Louis and Bowen-Tuckett saw them race to 232 for two in the 30th over.

Louis made 59 off 46 balls with six fours and four sixes and shared a 125-run partnership with James for the first wicket before he was dismissed by Nedd.

James scored 103 off 87 balls, inclusive of nine fours and five sixes and Bowen-Tuckett added 56 off 44 balls with five fours and one six.

But Nedd, along with Kenneth Dember and Shadrack Descarte staged a late fightback to see the Volcanoes claim the last eight wickets for 102 runs, and the last six for 24 runs.

Descarte led the way with 3-43, Nedd took 3-53 and Dember 3-56.

The Volcanoes got off to a disastrous start when they lost Johann Jeremiah to the third ball of the innings without a run on the board and it seemed as if the Hurricanes were headed to victory when they reduced their opponents to 131 for five in the 23rd over.

But Nedd along with Dillon Douglas, who scored 61 off 46 balls, reignited the chase during a partnership of 107 in 12 overs that got their team back on track.

When Nedd was bowled by Oshane Thomas six runs short of a well-deserved century, Douglas added 38 valuable runs with Keon Gaston and McKenny Clarke smashed two sixes in his whirlwind, unbeaten knock of 22 off 12 balls to see the Volcanoes to victory.

Thomas ended with 3-62, while Karima Gore took 2-41.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Governor General, Sir Rodney Williams, delivered the Throne Speech on Thursday, outlining the government’s achievements over the past 25 years and setting new priorities for economic growth, healthcare, education and infrastructure as the nation enters the second quarter of the 21st century.

Governor General Rodney Williams

The speech highlighted the country’s economic expansion since 2000, with GDP rising from US$802 million to more than US$2 billion in 2025, despite repeated climate shocks, the global financial crisis and the pandemic.

Antigua and Barbuda now ranks 53rd on the UN Human Development Index, ahead of all other Caribbean nations, the Governor General said.

The government credited foreign direct investment, expanded education access, stable governance and low crime rates for driving growth. It also said youth employment had improved through a boom in construction and hospitality, supported by the establishment of the UWI Five Islands Campus.

A major portion of the speech focused on Barbuda’s transformation, citing new tourism projects, upgraded infrastructure, and the island’s move toward becoming a net contributor to the national economy. The government defended its controversial land reform legislation, noting the apex court had affirmed Crown ownership of lands not privately held.

On water security, the government said national desalinated water production has risen from 3.5 million gallons per day in 2014 to more than 11 million gallons today, with Cuban and Chinese assistance supporting storage and re-piping upgrades.

The Governor General touted ’empowerment capitalism,’ including citizen share-ownership in state-linked enterprises and the establishment of the National Asset Management Company to manage public investments.

He also outlined a sweeping set of education and infrastructure initiatives, announcing that Government’s multiyear plan to expand the University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus has moved ‘from planning to execution.’

The Governor General said the campus transformation-funded in part by a US$80 million loan from the Saudi Development Fund-will include land acquisition, expanded classroom facilities, new dormitories, and upgraded surrounding infrastructure.

‘When my Government decided to repurpose China’s gift of a school. the decision-makers knew that the campus would surely have to be enlarged,’ the Governor General said, noting that the long-term vision is for Five Islands to grow into ‘like every college town – bigger and better.’

He added that construction has already started on a new primary school for the community, which is expected to be completed in about a year. ‘The build-out of the University campus will commence early next year, and the village of Five Islands is beginning its transformation,’ he said, encouraging local investors to seize emerging opportunities.

The Governor General also announced that the Glanvilles School of Agriculture will open in January 2026, supporting the push toward food sovereignty. He thanked China for its ‘contribution to advancing agricultural output by the transfer of technology which it freely shares.’

Other major projects highlighted include the Fine Arts Theater on High Street, upgrades at YASCO, and completion of the national Aquatic Center. These investments, he said, reflect his Government’s commitment to preparing youth ‘to demonstrate the excellence that our country’s forebears predicted would ensue with perseverance and good governance.’

In health, the government announced plans to convert the Medical Benefits Scheme into a National Health Insurance plan in 2026, expand coverage for chronic illnesses, and strengthen mental health services with a new facility at Seaview Farm. A new dialysis center at the former Holberton site will serve more than 100 patients daily and support kidney transplants.

Antigua and Barbuda’s expanding diplomatic profile was also emphasized, including hosting major regional and international summits and advocating globally for climate justice, the loss and damage fund, and the ‘Zone of Peace’ designation for the Caribbean.

Tourism officials expect a record 2025-26 season with 450,000 stayover visitors and nearly one million cruise passengers. New hotel projects on both islands-including Rosewood, Nobu, Nikki Beach and Marriott-branded developments-were announced.

The government outlined significant infrastructure investments, including a US$100 million road rehabilitation program, continued upgrades to the V.C. Bird International Airport runway, and the installation of an undersea cable to improve broadband costs and speeds.

On housing, more than 1,000 units have been built since 2014, with new condominium projects underway in Booby Alley, Bolans and Barbuda. Social support programmes, including food vouchers, electricity subsidies for seniors and expanded assistance for indigent households, will continue.

The government also reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, noting its second-place CARICOM ranking in the 2025 World Justice Project report. It pledged additional legal drafting capacity, amendments to the Labour Code, and activation of the Minimum Wage Advisory Committee.