Category: CANA News

Trinidad and Tobago head coach, Dwight Yorke said he is disappointed after failing in his quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

T and T needed a win in their penultimate match against Jamaica on Thursday, but only managed a 1-1 draw, which left them no chance of finishing among the top two teams in the group.

In their five games played in the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers, T and T have won one, drawn three and lost one match.

Trinidad and Tobago head coach, Dwight Yorke.

Yorke, who was hired last November and given a mandate by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) to qualify for the World Cup, admitted he was saddened by the result.

‘I can tell you that we’re disappointed with the results, but I can’t tell you how proud I am about these players, what they’ve given over the past year since I have taken this job.

‘It’s hard to think that we are not where we want to be because of the points system,’ Yorke said following the match against Jamaica.

‘It’s been that sort of campaign for us, where we dominated teams, but somehow, we came up a little short. But it’s very encouraging; as a coach, you’ve got to be happy. It felt like a defeat; it felt like a dig in the stomach. It’s not easy to swallow that when you know you’ve dominated teams like Jamaica.’

Despite the results not going in their favour, Yorke said he was proud of the performance and determination shown by the team throughout the campaign.

‘We haven’t been able to close the games off, but in terms of football, anyone who watched T and T play football, certainly from the time I’ve taken the job to where we are, you’ve got to be proud of these guys.

‘They’ve left everything out there; they’ve given everything. The fans, the people of T and T, came out in their numbers to support the team. We just came up a little bit short, but I’m over the moon by the team’s performance and what we’ve been able to do at this point,’ Yorke said.

West Indies batting coach, Floyd Reifer is expecting his batters to come to the fore when the regional side takes on New Zealand in a three-match One Day International series beginning Saturday.

The ninth-ranked Windies head into the series as underdogs against the second-best ODI side in the world and will be looking for crucial points as they seek automatic qualification to the 2027 Cricket World Cup.

Speaking in a pre-match press conference on Saturday, Reifer said he had seen some major batting improvements in the ODI format and he expected that to continue into the New Zealand series.

‘We didn’t get to the last World Cup and between then and now we’ve made some changes, and we’ve played decent cricket.

‘We’re trying to work on our consistency in all three departments, and I think that our batting has really come leaps and bounds in the ODI format. We’ve managed to win a few series as well, managed to gain some points and we’ve moved two spaces up the table,’ Reifer said.

‘So now we’re looking forward to this series and obviously looking to do well. Once we win some games, we can gain some more points going forward into that World Cup qualification.’

Reifer, who played eight ODIs for the West Indies, said Shai Hope, Keacy Carty and Sherfane Rutherford were among some of the best ODI batsmen in the world.

He said once that trio performed to expectations, the West Indies would be tough to beat.

‘We’ve been playing together from 2023 and one of the things that we did was give Keacy Carty a role at number three and he responded very well to that.

‘We have guys like Keacy, Shai Hope, who are two of the best ODI batters in the world, and you have [Sherfane] Rutherford, who like those guys is averaging 50 plus. The striking as well is over 80, Rutherford probably striking over 90, so I think it is the cream of the crop of the batting in terms of the middle order,’ Reifer said.

‘At the top of the innings we’ve been doing pretty well, so I think that our batting unit is kind of falling into place and the more cricket these guys play, the better they will get and we will get that batting synergy growing amongst the guys, and in any team format once you get that synergy we will always see improvements.’

The Virgin Islands are the favourites to capture the FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championships after thumping Suriname 84-33 on Friday to register their third successive win.

The result left them as the only unbeaten side in the tournament with two days remaining.

The Virgin Islands made light work of Suriname in their FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championships clash.

Taylor Jones led the winners with a game-high 18 points, while J-Naya Ephraim added 14 points, Natalie Kleemann-Day 13 points and Anisha George contributed 11 points.

Suriname’s Chiniqua Pengel scored 12 points and was the sole player from her team to score in double digits.

The Virgin Islands took control of the contest from the opening tip, rushing out to a 25-4 first quarter lead which they never relinquished.

Meanwhile, The Bahamas was also in winners’ row, thumping Jamaica 88-56 to register their second win of the tournament.

Caribbean-American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke says along with New York Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks she has led 56 of their colleagues in a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the Trump administration to continue immediate humanitarian and recovery assistance to Jamaica in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York, chairs the Congressional Black Caucus.

Meeks represents the 5th Congressional District in Queens, New York.

‘We write to express our deep concern and solidarity with the people of Jamaica following the catastrophic passage of Hurricane Melissa,’ the letter says. ‘We welcome the deployment of a Disaster Assistance Response Team and respectfully urge the Department of State to continue immediate humanitarian and recovery assistance to support Jamaica’s response to this unprecedented disaster.

The Congressional leaders noted that Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on October 27, as a Category 5 storm, with sustained winds near 185 mph (295 km/h) – ‘one of the strongest hurricanes ever to ever hit Jamaica in its history.’

The storm brought up to 40 inches (100 cm) of rain in some areas and a storm surge reaching 9 to 13 feet (2.7 – 4 m) along portions of the southern coast.

The US legislators said entire communities in parishes such as St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Manchester, and Clarendon were submerged, with widespread flooding, landslides, and wind destruction reported.

Preliminary assessments indicate that over 490,000 households – about 72 percent of Jamaica’s electrical grid – lost power during the storm; at least 28 people have lost their lives, with dozens more injured or missing as recovery teams work to reach isolated areas; major roads, bridges, and communication networks remain impassable in several parishes; and hospitals and schools across the island sustained significant structural damage.

The legislators also said initial estimates suggest billions of dollars in infrastructure and economic losses, particularly in tourism and agriculture, ‘two pillars of Jamaica’s economy.’

‘These statistics underscore the scale of devastation and the urgent need for international assistance,’ they write, urging the Trump administration to ensure that US humanitarian assistance response to Jamaica includes emergency food, clean water, temporary shelter, medical supplies, and power-generation equipment to sustain relief operations.

The lawmakers also urged the administration to coordinate closely with the Government of Jamaica and regional partners – including the

Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and other international organizations – ‘to ensure efficient delivery of aid and equitable distribution to the hardest-hit communities.’

In addition, they urged the Trump administration to support the rapid restoration of essential services, such as electricity, clean water, healthcare, and transportation infrastructure, to enable emergency response and recovery; and launch a US-Jamaica recovery and resilience initiative focused on rebuilding climate resilient infrastructure, restoring livelihoods, and strengthening disaster-preparedness capacity for future storms.

The US legislators recommended that the administration ‘utilize flexible humanitarian and reconstruction funding mechanisms within the Department (of State) to expedite aid delivery and sustain long-term recovery programs without delay; and work with regional and international financial institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and IMF to leverage the necessary capital to invest in short- and long-term rebuilding and recovery efforts.

‘Hurricane Melissa represents one of the gravest natural disasters in Jamaica’s modern history,’ the letter says. ‘Beyond the immediate humanitarian crisis, this storm threatens to destabilize key sectors of Jamaica’s economy and exacerbate existing vulnerabilities across the Caribbean.

‘The United States, as Jamaica’s close neighbor and ally, is uniquely positioned to lead in providing both emergency relief and strategic support for rebuilding a stronger, more resilient Jamaica,’ it adds. ‘Assisting Jamaica at this critical juncture aligns with America’s humanitarian values and our shared interest in a stable, prosperous, and climate-resilient Caribbean region.’

West Indies won the toss and elected to field against New Zealand in the opening One Day International here at Hagley Oval on Saturday.

SQUADS

WEST INDIES: Shai Hope (captain), John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Matthew Forde, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer, Jayden Seales.

NEW ZEALAND: Mitchell Santner (captain), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Michael Bracewell, Zak Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy.

Umpires: Chris Brown, Allahuddien Paleker.

TV Umpire: Kumar Dharmesena.

Reserve Umpire: Wayne Knights.

Match Referee: Phil Whitticase.

Police have launched a manhunt for the gunmen who shot and killed two off duty policemen on Thursday night at a business establishment in St Andrew, a parish in the southeast of the island.

They have identified the dead police officers as Charles Stewart of the Spanish Town Police, and Jemarey Gordon from Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch (CTOC). According to the police, the two off duty cops had gone to the establishment to meet someone to conduct business and that a confrontation ensued, with two men opening fire on the cops, hitting the lawmen, before making their escape.

Both men were pronounced dead at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH).

National Security Minister, Dr Horace Chang, has condemned the killings.

Police say a 17-year-old student is among three men who are being sought in connection with the killings. They said the other two, are both 20 years old.

‘This egregious attack on our officers is an attack on the very fabric of law and order in our nation. The JCF High Command strongly condemns this senseless act of violence against those who have sworn to protect and serve,’ said the Commissioner of Police, Dr Kevin Blake.

‘Let it be clear, we will spare no effort, no resource, and no measure to bring those responsible for this cowardly act to swift justice.’

Meanwhile, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is reporting that for the period, January 1 to November 08, the country has recorded 571 murders as compared with 979 last year, a 42.9 per cent decline.

The JCF said the areas with the highest killings were St. Andrew North with 69, followed by St. Ann with 51, St. Catherine North, 49, St. Catherine South 46, and St. James with 45.

Dwight Yorke’s dream of leading Trinidad and Tobago to the 2026 FIFA World Cup were crushed on Thursday night when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz in their crucial CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier.

Needing a win to give themselves a chance of finishing as one of the top two sides in the group, the draw left T and T on six points from their five games, behind Jamaica on 10 points, while Curacao, who thumped Bermuda 7-0, leads with 11 points.

With just one game remaining against Bermuda, T and T can only finish on a maximum nine points.

It means Jamaica and Curacao will clash in their last round match on November the 18, with Jamaica needing a win to secure an automatic spot to the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Playing at the Hasely Crawford Stadium and buoyed by their home support, T and T started brightly and were unlucky not to have taken the lead in the 25th minute, but Levi Garcia sent his shot just wide of the post after dancing into the 18-yard box. Jamaica’s goalkeeper Andre Blakes was then called into action in the 37th minute to deny Tyrese Spencer’s powerful shot.

Two minutes later against the run of play, Jonathan Russell thought he had given the visitors the lead with a header, but the goal was disallowed by VAR for offside.

Following a goalless first half, Renaldo Cephas gave Jamaica the lead in the 53rd minute, capping off a fast break down the left flank by cutting in and slotting the ball into the bottom right corner.

With T and T desperate for an equaliser, Garcia headed inches wide of the post in the 71st minute.

Substitute Kevin Molino gave the hosts hope when he equalized in the 85th minute with a right-footed finish from close range.

However, despite pushing forward T and T could not find that all-important winner.

Meanwhile, Curacao put themselves in a strong position to finish top of the group by hammering Bermuda.

Playing at the Dame Flora Duffy National Sports Centre in Devonshire, Bermuda, Curacao were led to victory by Jordi Paulinha, who netted a brace in a one-sided contest.

Leandro Bacuna opened the scoring with a penalty in the sixth minute, before Juninho Bacuna doubled the lead in the 32nd with a blast from distance.

Paulina made his international debut in spectacular fashion, forcing a penalty kick as the goalkeeper took him down in the penalty area, and then burying the conversion from the spot in the 48th minute to make it 3-0.

Sonja Hansen added to the scoring in the 58th minute with a tap-in from the middle of the box, and Paulina recorded his brace five minutes later when he pounced on a rebound from the keeper and slotted Curaçao’s fifth of the night.

Ar’Jany Martha smashed a free kick in the back of the nets in the 82nd minute and Roshon van Eijma caught the keeper by surprise in the second minute of added time with a screamer from distance.

The Trinidad and Tobago government Friday announced the United States military will be engaged in a joint training exercise with members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) but dismissed suggestions it forms part of the preparation for possible military intervention in neighbouring Venezuela.

The announcement of the November 16-21 military exercise, follows media reports quoting the Attorney General, John Jeremie, that the US military is expected to intensify exercises in Trinidad and Tobago in the coming days.

Jeremie told the UK’s Financial Times that the US 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) would intensify exercises ‘in the coming days’

Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Sean Sobers, speaking at a news conference, said the TTDF and the MEU, which is deployed to the US Southern Command ‘will engage in training exercises.

(Details in Full News section)

St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister, Dr. Terrance Drew has arrived here for a four-day visit, pledging to continue advocating for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.

Prime Minister Drew, who met with President Lai Ching-te, said that Taiwan and his country shared values such as democracy, dignity and perseverance and that he would continue advocating for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO). St. Kitts and Nevis is among a handful of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries that enjoy diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which China regards as a renegade country and has been urging the international community to adhere to its One China policy.

The other CARICOM countries with diplomatic relations are St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize and Haiti.

Lai, meanwhile, thanked Prime Minister Drew for his remarks at the United Nations General Assembly this year, including urging the international community to support Taiwan’s engagement and underscoring the importance of stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Prime Minister Drew is leading a delegation that includes Foreign Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas and Ambassador-at-large Leon Natta-Nelson.

‘It is a great pleasure to return once again to the beautiful Republic of China. Each visit here feels both familiar and inspiring, a reminder of the enduring friendship that has united my country, St. Kitts and Nevis with yours, for more than forty-two years,’ Prime Minister Drew said, highlighting the depth and significance of the bilateral relationship.

‘Taiwan was the first nation to stand with us following our Independence, and through the decades, this partnership has matured into one of genuine trust, respect, and shared purpose.

‘My previous visits have always left me with a deep appreciation for Taiwan’s remarkable achievements in technology, innovation, science, and education, and this visit is no different. Each engagement provides us, as a young and ambitious nation, with an opportunity to learn, grow, and explore new ways to advance our own development.’

Prime Minister Drew said his twin island Federation ‘remains steadfast in its support for Taiwan, especially in ensuring that your invaluable contributions to global peace, development, and innovation receive the recognition and inclusion they deserve in the international community’.

During his visit, Prime Minister Drew will engage in a series of high-level meetings, attend key bilateral events, and explore areas for enhanced cooperation in health, education, technology, agriculture, and sustainable development.

He has already visited the Taipei Veterans General Hospital, one of Taiwan’s most advanced medical institutions and a global leader in clinical care, research, and health innovation.

Prime Minister Drew, who is also a medical practitioner and serves as Minister of Health, underscored the importance of learning from global best practices and deepening cooperation with long-standing partners such as Taiwan.

He said that the visit comes at a critical moment as the Federation accelerates efforts to build a resilient, Category-5-ready national hospital capable of withstanding the growing threats of climate change.

‘We are now in the stages of building the first phase of a new hospital, one that can withstand a Category 5 hurricane. With storms becoming more frequent and severe in the Caribbean, we must ensure our infrastructure keeps pace with this new reality.’

One of Grenada’s emerging talents, Teddy Bishop has been chosen to lead the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the upcoming CG United Super50 Cup.

The Windward Islands Cricket Board named the 22-year-old Bishop, a top order batsman, as captain when it unveiled its 14-member squad earlier this week. Bishop has played a solitary ODI for the West Indies and also represented the West Indies Under-19s.

He will have fellow countryman Johann Jeremiah as his vice-captain for the tournament, which bowls off in Trinidad on November 19.

A noticeable inclusion is Saint Lucia’s Kimani Melius, a former West Indies Under-19 captain who is making his return to List A cricket after a two-year absence.

The squad features a blend of experienced players and emerging talents who will be looking to carry the Volcanoes to their fifth title.

They will begin their campaign next Wednesday against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

SQUAD

WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES: Teddy Bishop (captain), Johann Jeremiah (vice-captain), Sunil Ambris, McKenny Clarke, Darel Cyrus, Kenneth Dember, Shadrack Descarte, Daniel McDonald, Dillon Douglas, Keon Gaston, Kimani Melius, Kirsten Murray, Darron Nedd, Stephan Pascal.