Category: CANA News

The Seismic Research Centre (SRC) Wednesday said that three ‘events’ occurred north west of Trinidad during a 20 minute period on Tuesday night.

In a statement, the SRC based at the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies, said that the ‘these events’ occurred at 9.38 pm, 9.41 pm and 10.01pm (local time’.

It said that they had a magnitude of 4.4, 4.2 and 4.0 respectively, adding that when two of the ‘events occurred ‘the automatic solution was unable to process these events’.

Map released by SRC showing the areas where the ‘events’ occurred (SRC Photo)

But in a subsequent statement, the SRC said ‘as noted previously, our automatic solution can sometimes fail to share an event. When this occurs outside of our working hours, the data will be processed by the technicians and shared accordingly’.

The ‘events’ have led to widespread rumours here, linking them with the ongoing joint military exercises involving the United States and the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force.

Some residents have taken to radio and social media saying that houses have been shaking as the US helicopters and other material make their way across the country, particularly at nights.

One person posted on Facebook that ‘Monday afternoon there was a 3.9 earthquake. Within minutes, UWI Seismic had its usual data available to the public. Strength. Location. Time. Etc..

‘Last evening there were 2 strong tremors felt. And thus far we have no information on its source/cause. If it was not a seismic event (which is what UWI can report on), then our state agencies ought to be letting us know what caused two tremors last evening.’

Last week, Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Sean Sober said that the training will take place ‘across Trinidad and Tobago in both urban and rural environments with operations scheduled during dusk and after dark ‘.

Meanwhile, Satellite images from Sentinel-2 confirm that the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group is positioned off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago as part of the US joint military manoeuvres that ends on Friday.

The USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) is positioned 69 km north of Venezuela’s Paria Peninsula, while the USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28) and an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer are 21 km from Isla de Patos

At the same time, real-time air tracking shows a U.S. Air Force KC-135R Stratotanker operating directly in the corridor north of Venezuela and west of Trinidad and Tobago.

The US has been building up its military off the coast of Venezuela in a bid to deal with the illegal drugs trade, even as political observers say Washington is seeking to remove President Nicolas Maduro from office in the South American country.

France has bestowed the ‘Knight of the Legion of Honor’ the lowest rank in the country’s highest civilian order, on Surinamese medical practitioner, Dr. Ruben del Prado.

French Ambassador, Nicolas de Lacoste said the award was given for ‘his commitment to medicine, the fight against AIDS, the HIV pandemic, public health on all continents, and the revival of the Alliance Française in Suriname’.

DR. Ruben Del Prado (r) thanks everyone for his French decoration, which he received from French Ambassador Nicolas de Lacoste on Tuesday night.

Created in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, this Legion of Honor is awarded to citizens on behalf of the French head of state as a reward for outstanding achievements.

De Lacoste, speaking at the ceremony on Tuesday evening, said the award was presented at the request of French President, Emmanuel Macron.

The diplomat praised Dr. Del Prado’s work in the health sector, both locally and globally. He has has received numerous awards for this work, both in Suriname and abroad, including from Johns Hopkins University, UNAIDS, and the WHO/PAHO.

De Lacoste said that his numerous publications attest to his commitment to promoting public health, HIV prevention, education, and strategic thinking.

He said Del Prado thus contributes to a more sustainable and healthier world, a goal of French diplomacy and cooperation, highlighting also his dedication and activism for the LGBT community, their recognition, and the defense of their rights.

‘France has always nourished me with inspiration, intellectual riches, a deep sense of humanism and solidarity. Tonight, that humanism resonates in the room, and I feel honored to be part of that tradition,’ said Del Prado, reflecting on his career, which began with the Medical Mission during the ‘horrific civil war’.

He said that his work took him to various countries and that ‘each step has shaped me,’ before settling back in Suriname after 20 years and that the award is not a personal achievement but a recognition for Suriname: from its own professionals to its frontline workers.

‘For all who demonstrate daily what a country is capable of when determination, creativity, and solidarity come together.’

De Lacoste also paid tribute to his predecessor, Ambassador Antoine Joly, who entrusted Del Prado with the mission to revitalize the Alliance Française.

‘You have taken on this mission with exceptional personal dedication and boundless enthusiasm,’ he said, noting that together with the Alliance Française Suriname (AFS) team, there is once again an active and dynamic organization for French lessons and film screenings, among other things.

‘France is extremely grateful for this,’ the ambassador said.

Jonathan van Lange struck his second consecutive half century to propel West Indies Under-19s to an impressive six-wicket victory over England Under-19s via the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern method in the second Youth One Day International here on Wednesday.

In a match that was interrupted by rain, England reached 160 for five after 31.4 overs before their innings came to an abrupt end.

Jonathan van Lange scored an unbeaten half century to guide West Indies Under-19s to victory over England in the second Youth ODI.

Van Lange then hit an unbeaten 57 off 34 balls, as the West Indies, set a revised target of 191 from 31 overs, raced to 192 for four off 30.1 overs.

The result gave the home side a comfortable 2-0 lead in the seven-match series with the third Youth ODI set for Friday.

England found themselves in early trouble at 16 for three after pacer Jakeem Pollard truck twice early on by bowling Ben Dawkins for a duck and then having Ben Mayes caught for three.

Joe Moores made 27 and Will Bennison 20, but when they were dismissed in close proximity, England were precariously placed at 70 for five in the 17th over.

They were rescued by captain Farhan Ahmed, who scored an unbeaten 46 off 51 balls and Caleb Falconer, who ended on 42 not out off 52 balls, with the two sharing an unbroken partnership of 90 runs before the rain came.

Pollard finished with 2-20 from his five overs.

In their chase, openers Tyriek Bryan and Earsinho Fontaine gave West Indies a good start by putting on 84 runs in 17 overs.

Jack Nelson broke the partnership by bowling the former for 31 and also ran out Fontaine for 39. When he dismissed skipper Joshua Dorne for nine, the Windies had slipped to 98 for three.

But a 76-run partnership in eight overs between van Lange and Zachary Carter turned the game in the home side’s favour, and set them on their way to victory.

Carter lost his wicket for 26 with 17 runs still required, but van Lange along with Shaquan Belle got them over the line with five balls to spare.

Van Lange hit five sixes and three fours in his knock and followed up his 52 in the opening match on Sunday.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has written to President Donald Trump urging him to ‘follow your instincts’ and continue to pursue ‘dialogue and negotiation’ in de-escalating the tensions with Venezuela.

The state-owned ABS Radio and Television reported Wednesday that Prime Minister Browne had sent the letter to President Trump expressing St. John’s concern over the growing military build-up in international waters shared by Caribbean states.

Browne is calling for renewed diplomatic engagement between Washington and Caracas to prevent escalation in the Caribbean region.

President Trump has ramped up US military presence in the Caribbean Sea ordering an amphibious squadron to the southern Caribbean as part of his effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels.

A nuclear-powered attack submarine, additional P8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, several destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser have also being allocated to US Southern Command as part of the mission. In addition, the US largest carrier, the Gerald Forde has joined the build-up

The United States military has been bombing vessels in the international waters claiming that the occupants were drug traffickers without offering any evidence of such activity.

The United Nations UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also strongly condemned the airstrikes carried out by the United States against alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific.

Volker Trk said in a statement that the strikes ‘violate international human rights law’, demanding that they be stopped immediately.

Last month, the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said that regional leaders had discussed several issues on the regional agenda, including the security build-up in parts of the Caribbean and its potential impact on member states.

It said that the position at that meeting was not endorsed by the government of Trinidad and Tobago.

In his letter, Prime Minister Browne reaffirmed the Caribbean’s longstanding commitment to being a Zone of Peace, noting that the region has earned its reputation as one of the few places in the world where calm and stability still offer respite in an increasingly turbulent international environment.

He wrote that the economies of Caribbean small states, particularly tourism-dependent nations, are highly vulnerable to geopolitical tensions.

‘A hint of armed confrontation in our waters reverberates instantly through hotel bookings, airlines, foreign investment, and the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of families,’ Prime Minister Browne wrote, warning that military action near Caribbean shores could cast ‘a long shadow’ over an industry central to regional development and economic security.

Prime Minister Browne is urging Trump to ‘follow your instincts which, as far as I have seen, are rooted in dialogue and negotiation,’ noting that the Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, has signalled willingness to engage in direct discussions.

Browne said diplomacy, though sometimes slow and imperfect, ‘delivers fewer sorrows than the alternatives’.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s opposition politician and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, María Corina Machado, has issued a ‘Freedom Manifesto’ in which she envisions a democratic rebirth after the collapse of Maduro’s rule.

‘We stand at the edge of a new era – one where our natural rights will prevail,’ Machado wrote, adding that the South American country with a revitalized energy sector, a diversified high-tech economy, demilitarized institutions will have a reinvigorated place in the ‘international community of democracies’.

Prime Minister John Briceño has confirmed the resignation of his Agriculture Minister, Jose Abelardo Mai, dismissing suggestions that his administration is ‘crumbling’ as he announced a second cabinet re=shuffle in less than a month.

Opposition Leader, Tracy Taegar-Panton, said Mai’s departure and the cabinet reshuffle are signs of what she described as the ‘unraveling of a corrupt regime’.

But in dismissing the allegation, Prime Minister Briceño responded by saying ‘does this look crumbling?

Prime Minister John Briceño (right) and his former agriculture minister, Jose Abelardo Mai, (File Photo)

‘Sometime, I kind of feel bad for .the leader of the opposition and kind of commiserate with her .I wish her well, I wish her well, but it’s nonsense. There’s nothing more I can answer to that,’ he told reporters.

Media reports had earlier this week, indicated that Mai, who served as Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise since 2020, had tendered his resignation after weeks of controversy and allegations from a Mexican news outlet linking him to criminal activity, claims Mai has strongly denied, calling them ‘defamatory’ and politically motivated.

Prime Minister Briceño said he believes Mai ‘has a good future’ reminding reporters that ‘he owns a farm and one time he came to Cabinet saying he was riding a horse and he fell off.

‘That is over a year ago. Many of us were bantering about it, teasing him about his lower back and his shoulder and now he was telling us he will have to be having surgery, going to have to take a leave of absence while he take the surgery and go through the recovery process,’ Prime Minister Briceño said, adding ‘with your back it is a long process’.

Mai, however did not take a leave of absence and Prime Minister Briceño said the former agriculture minister was of the view that he ‘ would better serve the Cabinet and the government by taking time off to better take care of his health issues.

‘I want to put on record my great and all of our tremendous appreciation for the great work that he did in the Ministry of Agriculture. I firmly believe that he is the best minister of agriculture we have had since 1981.

‘Minister Mai and I remain very close friends. We have been friends for a very long time. His parents live one block away from my house and we still keep in touch and we continue working and in Orange Walk district we work together and also in Northern Caucus. He is still the deputy party leader for the north. If he wants to continue in politics, I will support him. He has been an excellent area representative.’

Prime Minister Briceño insisted that last week’s meeting with the United States Embassy’s Charge d’Affaires had nothing to do with Mai’s decision to step down.

‘At no time did they ever tell us about any minister that me having to remove from Cabinet. So, I want to make that very clear,’ Prime Minister Briceño said, hinting that Mai could return to the government.

‘Well, we shall take a look at it. Once he gets better, and he comes back, there is always room for good people in Cabinet.’

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Briceño said that Rodwell Ferguson who was appointed Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, following the last general elections in March, will be taking over responsibility for agriculture.

‘Minister Ferguson has been, .a deputy leader of the party, and he’s experienced. He has been an area representative since 2003, and so, yes, he was not re-elected in 2008, but since then he has consistently been elected by huge margins in his division.

‘So, it speaks volumes of [him] as an area representative, as a person that loves his people and works with them and bringing him back into the Cabinet again, leaning on his experience that he has as an area representative and minister, but also to make the point, he lives in a rural area, so he can better appreciate the challenges of people in agriculture.’

The new Minister of Home Affairs and Enterprise is Oscar Mira, who had been serving as Minister of National Defense and Border Security.

The prime minister defended the decision to include Enterprise with Home Affairs, saying ‘we felt that because of the Free Zone being right there at the border, a lot of commercial activity being taking place between both countries and the concerns that they could be wanting the infiltration of the cartels wanting to get into Belize and using the Free Zone as a foothold.

‘We felt that maybe it is better to put Enterprise directly with the police, so that then we can be more active in that area to ensure that we can keep that place free from these people.’

Other notable changes include Florencio Marin Jr, who is now the Minister of National Defense and Border Security, while Oscar Requena returns to his initial post as Minister of Rural Transformation, Community Development, and Local Government.

The Central Bank of Suriname (CBvS) says a team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is on a visit to the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) as part of an Article IV mission

This article of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement governs the Fund’s oversight of the economic and financial policies of its member states and the mission which ends its stay here on Friday is being led by the new mission chief for Suriname, Alberto Behar.

‘Now that Suriname has completed its IMF programme (in March 2025), the regular 12-month Article IV missions will resume. However, an interim mission will continue annually as part of the post-IMF programme, during which, among other things, the consistency of our country’s macroeconomic framework will be assessed over the medium term,’ the CBvS said in a statement.

It said that the consultations with the CBvS concern both policy and operational matters and cover a wide range of topics, ‘particularly monetary and exchange rate policy and related operations, including open market operations and foreign exchange interventions’.

In August, the Suriname government says it would not enter into a new agreement with the IMF similar to the one that had been successfully implemented by the Santokhi government

‘We will not implement an IMF programme like we had,’ President Jenny Geerlings- Simons said, adding ‘but we will certainly remain on speaking terms to help us with our financial affairs, to provide advice on this, and to help strengthen institutions.’

In 2021, the IMF executive board approved Suriname’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) US$572 million arrangement with the country pursuing an ambitious economic reform agenda with the objective of restoring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, while laying the foundations for strong and more inclusive growth.

The programme, which ended earlier this year, focused on restoring fiscal and debt sustainability, protecting the poor and vulnerable, upgrading the monetary and exchange rate policy framework, addressing banking sector vulnerabilities, and advancing the anti-corruption and governance reform agenda.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Tuesday said that people in Haiti are fleeing their homes in the commune of Tabarre, following armed attacks last week.

UN Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, quoting the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said attacks on November 13 and 14th forced more than 600 people from their homes. Haq said that while most remain in Tabarre, hosted by local families, ‘these incidents come as the security situation in the capital continues to deteriorate.

‘Attacks in the residential areas of Thomassin and Fermathe – previously considered relatively safe – drove more than 1,800 people to seek safety elsewhere.’

Haq said that by the end of October, the number of people displaced by violence had reached 1.4 million, the highest level recorded in the country and up by more than a third from last year.

‘With insecurity rising, we urge all parties to protect civilians and ensure safe, rapid, unhindered humanitarian access to every community in need,’ Haq added.

On Monday, the leader of the ‘Viv Ansanm’ terrorist gang coalition, Jimmy Chérizier, called on members of the population to stay indoors as the group intends to confront law enforcement officials in the streets of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

His statement comes after the PNH, the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAD’H), and the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) launched a large-scale joint operation earlier this month against the ‘400 Mawozo’ criminal gang, blamed by the authorities for placing the communes of Tabarre and Croix-des-Bouquets, north of Port-au-Prince, under hostage.

Several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are being represented at the 15th High-Level Forum on the Korea-Caribbean Partnership that began here on Tuesday.

The one-day event is being hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) and is being held under the theme ‘Korea-Caribbean Cooperation for a Resilient and Sustainable Ocean’.

Since its inception in 2011, the Forum has covered a wide range of issues, including food security, public health, renewable energy, and Information, Communication and Technology (ICT).

The Forum brings together high-level government officials, representatives from international organizations, academia, experts, and the private sector with the organisers saying the goal is to share a wide range of ideas and perspectives on strengthening cooperation between the two regions.

They said that discussions will specifically target methods to bolster ocean resilience in the face of climate change and to explore pathways for achieving a sustainable Blue Economy.

The forum’s agenda is structured into two key sessions with the first session discussing ‘Korea-Caribbean Cooperation for a Healthy and Resilient Ocean in the Era of Climate Change.’

In the second session, ‘Korea-Caribbean Cooperation for a Sustainable Blue Economy’ will hear presentations from Ava Maxam, the director of the Trinidad-based Institute of Marine Affairs, Belize Minister of the Blue Economy and Marine Conservation, Abner Andre Perez, who will speak on ‘Belize’s Blue Economy-Charting a Bold Course Toward a Blue Future’.

Grenada’s Special Envoy for Oceans, Jerry Jermain Enoe, will address the issue of ‘Innovating for Sustainability: Grenada’s Blue Economy Vision and Opportunities for Korea Caribbean Collaboration, Jerusa Ali, the Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Bahamas, will address the topic ‘Exploring Pathways for Korea-Caribbean Cooperation on Maritime Resilience and a Sustainable Blue Economy’.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign and CRICOM Affairs Minister, Sean Sobers, gave congratulatory remarks at the opening of the Forum, outlining his country’s perspectives on maritime challenges, climate resilience, and opportunities for strengthened marine collaboration with the Republic of Korea.

The start of the second One Day International between host New Zealand and the West Indies has been delayed due to rain.

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Tuesday, November 18, 2025.

LONDON -Chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC) Sir Hilary Beckles, confident that British population will in time fully understand the need for reparation for the trans Atlantic slavery.

PORT AU PRINCE – Former Haitian interim president, Jocelerme Privert Tuesday said for approximately five years, Port-au-Prince has been under the threat of armed gangs, resulting in its complete isolation from the rest of the country as he called for restoration of constitutional and institutional legitimacy in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

BELMOPAN – Agriculture Minister, Jose Abelardo Mai, is reported to have resigned from the cabinet of Prime Minister John Briceño, but there has been no official confirmation of the resignation.

HAMILTON – The Bermuda government has called on employers to adhere to the island’s immigration laws and work permit conditions, warning that persons who contravene the measures ‘may be placed on the Bermuda Stop List’.

PARAMARIBO – The Central Bank of Suriname (CBvS) says a team from the International Mnetary Fund (IMF) is on a visit to the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) as part of an Article IV mission

PORT OF SPAIN – Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar Tuesday widened her ban on carnnival activities at major sporting events here, a few weeks after announcing a similar ban at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA).

SPORTS:

NAPIER -The West Indies may be trailing in their three-match ODI series against New Zealand, but the bigger picture remains firmly in focus, securing an automatic berth for the 2027 ICC 50-over World Cup.

PORT OF SPAIN – The Hasely Crawford Stadium will be the stage for an emotional farewell on Tuesday, as two pillars of Trinidad and Tobago football, captain Kevin Molino and goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, are set to retire from international duty.