Category: CANA News

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.

The Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Dr. Didacus Jules has welcomed the World Bank-funded OECS Skills and Innovation Project (SKIP) saying it spans far beyond the discussion of ideas.

A four day Innovation Design Sprint workshop, hosted by SKIP is ending here Friday and was designed to bring together experts to quickly conceptualise, design, prototype, and test a solution to the problem of insufficient private sector involvement in post secondary education sector. The event is intended to guide the prototyping and development of a user-centred Knowledge Technology and Innovation Platform and is being facilitated by a four member World Bank team headed by Dr. Monica Parra Torrado.

Participants include post-secondary institutions, students, youth representatives and private sector representatives as well as government and policymakers, technology and innovation specialists, members of the diaspora.

It also allowed for representatives from the Council for Persons with Disabilities, The St. Lucia Blind Welfare Association.

‘This Design Sprint spans far beyond the discussion of ideas, it introduces innovation in action, by taking us out of the realm of speaking, and placing us firmly in the realm of doing,’ said Dr. Jules.

‘By collaboratively working together to ideate and prototype the Knowledge Technology and Innovation Platform, we are building a tool that will strengthen collaboration, empower young innovators, entrepreneurs and job-seekers, and drive sustainable economic growth in the OECS region.’

Currently in its inception phase, the Knowledge Technology and Innovation Platform will evolve into a fully functional, dynamic, inclusive, and sustainable regional entrepreneurship and innovation platform.

The OECS Commission said it is a tool which enables continuous collaboration between post-secondary institutions, youth, entrepreneurs, the private sector, and investors, both in the region and the diaspora, as well as other actors in the OECS innovation ecosystem.

It said employers will be able to identify and connect with job seekers whose skills, credentials, and interests align with their organisational needs.

‘The Knowledge Technology and Innovation Platform represents an important step in shaping innovation in the OECS. As part of the OECS Skills and Innovation Project, the KTIP will build an OECS community around collaborative innovation, and propel the region towards sustainable, resilient, inclusive and innovation-driven growth,’ The OECS Commission added.

Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken Friday said there is no link between the deadly explosion at a gas station last month and the attacks that occurred earlier this year at the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost and a GPL sub-station.

‘Based on our investigation, there is no motive that would point us to the collaboration of the others but to be sure that this happened and we have ramped up, as a jointed services, we have ramped up all of the gaps that we have and so, now we have as a joint services, we are better able to protect our country,’ Commissioner Hicken said. Hicken, who spoke to the media at the launch of the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Christmas Policing Plan, he could not provide a motive for the second attack that resulted in the death of six-year-old Sorya Bourne and injury to three others

The October 26 bombing, took place months after two other explosions occurred at a GPL substation, and at the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost. The motives behind the attacks remain unknown, Hicken declined to disclose what led to the deadly attack in October.

‘That cannot be said at this time, you know the matter is before the Court,’ Hicken said when pressed for answers.

Currently, seven of the suspects at the centre of the bombing are facing terrorism charges in the Courts.

The Guyana Police Force, in a statement, have named them as 44 year-old Wayne Corriea, 51-year-old Ramesh Pramdeo; and 33-year-old Krystal LaCruz of Guyana and the four Venezuelans – 33-year-old Daniel Alexander Ramirez Podeomo, 33-year-old Jennifer Rodriguez, 27-year-old Johnny Boodram, and 44-year-old Alexander Bettancourt .

Podeomo was captured on CCTV camera, and was arrested two days later, following a nationwide manhunt.

He along with the other accused are currently on remand.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Deputy Secretary General, Dr. Amstrong Alexis has welcomed a new initiative involving the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in developing a statistical framework to measure poverty and vulnerability in the region.

The initiative, which will be piloted in The Bahamas, Belize, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago, aims to enhance data systems to inform development strategies and strengthen resilience for sustainable development. It will produce regional knowledge products, methodological guidelines, and training modules for administering multipurpose surveys to assess economic, social, and environmental vulnerabilities in participating countries.

He told a commencement workshop for the 36-month technical cooperation project that the the initiative was necessary in light of recent disasters.

He said that the devastating impact of the powerful Category 5 Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica and Haiti reminded the region that vulnerability is not just a concept, but a lived reality, stressing the need for effective responses and solid evidence through accurate, comprehensive, and timely data.

‘The challenge before us is clear: how do we measure what matters the most? How do we quantify the effects on the lives and livelihoods of our citizens so that we can respond effectively and build resilience?’

‘Without data, the region risks being reactive rather than proactive,’ Alexis said, noting that understanding vulnerability in a consistent, comprehensive manner is essential not only to address the climate crisis but also to advance the Region’s quest for climate justice.

The IDB’s Country Representative in Guyana, Lorena Solorzano-Salazar, said that the Washington-based financial institution is pleased to collaborate with CARICOM and to build on a long-standing partnership that includes successful initiatives such the Common Census Framework.

‘Today’s workshop marks the beginning of a project that will enhance the regional capacity to generate data needed for a more resilient and equitable Caribbean,’ she said, as she emphasised the project’s critical importance in helping governments respond to the multidimensional realities of poverty and vulnerability.

‘Our collective experience has taught us that to address these issues effectively, we need reliable, comprehensive, and up-to-date data. Without it, it becomes extremely difficult to design and monitor innovative policies,’ she added.

The IDB Country Representative said that the project aligns with the Bank’s institutional priorities of reducing poverty and inequality, strengthening resilience, and improving governance through robust data systems.

It also supports the commitments made at the just-concluded 15th Meeting of the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians to strengthen collaboration among national statistical offices.

The Bahamas is designated as the project lead for the participating states. Managing Director of the country’s National Statistical Institute, Jamiko Deleveaux told the workshop that the project is a priority for The Bahamas and the wider Community.

He spoke of the urgent need to address them by formulating evidence-based, adaptive strategies that target social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities, given the major sustainable development challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Deleveaux said that the initiative aligns with The Bahamas’ commitment to implement regional statistical development strategies. It also advances a shared goal of building efficient CARICOM statistical systems that respond to national, regional, and international development agendas, ultimately enabling resilient communities and driving sustained economic growth.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched a new initiative designed to strengthen the skills and knowledge of primary health care teams.

The online course Caring for People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Primary Health Care coincides with the World Diabetes Day on Friday.

In addition, PAHO presented medicine and health technologies used for diagnosis and management of diabetes that are available through the PAHO Strategic Fund, along with other educational resources to improve self-care. The upcoming publication of a new WHO guideline on the management of gestational diabetes was also announced. PAHO said diabetes continues to pose a growing challenge to public health. In the Americas, 112 million adults, 13 per cent of the adult population, live with diabetes, and only 58 per cent of people aged 30 and older receive treatment.

It said that diabetes is also the sixth leading cause of death in the region, and if left uncontrolled, thousands more will have to live with complications that affect vision, kidneys, and mobility. These figures highlight the urgent need to expand access to primary health care services.

‘Strengthening primary health care capacity is essential to improving quality of care and advancing towards more effective and equitable health systems,’ said Dr. Carmen Antini, PAHO Advisor on Diabetes Prevention and Control.

‘This new course will support health personnel in the early diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and control of type 2 diabetes, a condition closely linked to obesity, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity,’ she added.

The training programme, available through the PAHO Virtual Campus for Public Health, includes an introductory module and seven thematic units that cover criteria for diabetes diagnosis, comprehensive assessment, establishment of therapeutic goals, team-based care, pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment, and the identification and management of acute and chronic complications.

Aimed at primary health care personnel, including doctors, nurses, nutritionists, physiotherapists, social workers, and psychologists, the online course can also serve as a complementary learning resource for students in health-related fields.

The course is part of a set of tools developed by PAHO to support countries in addressing diabetes, such as the HEARTS-D technical package and other instruments that help optimize clinical follow-up and promote self-care.

PAHO said that the training programme is also aligned with the Better Care for Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) Initiative, which seeks to strengthen countries’ capacity to integrate NCD management into primary health care.

It said that this initiative contributes to the regional implementation of the WHO Global Diabetes Compact, which aims to reduce diabetes risk and ensure that all people living with the disease have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable, and quality health services.

‘Poorly controlled diabetes is one of the leading causes of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower-limb amputation. It also doubles the risk of tuberculosis and increases the likelihood of severe complications during treatment.

‘Although diabetes can be effectively managed through regular testing and treatment, just over half of people with type 2 diabetes receive the care they need, mainly due to limitations in health systems.’

PAHO said it supports countries across the region through its Revolving Funds, a joint procurement mechanism that facilitates access to essential medicines, vaccines, and public health supplies at affordable prices-including diabetes treatments such as metformin, gliclazide, and insulin-with savings of over 90 per cent.

The Funds also facilitate the procurement of blood glucose monitoring devices, which strengthen self-care and disease control, particularly in communities with limited access to health services.

World Diabetes Day is being observed under the theme ‘Diabetes across life stages’ and PAHO said it reinforces the global commitment to reduce the risk of diabetes and ensure that all people diagnosed with the disease have access to comprehensive, equitable, and quality care.

The Supervisor of Elections, Dora James, says 32 candidates including one independent, will contest the November 27 general elections in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The elections are seen as a straight contest between the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP) of Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who is seeking an unprecedented six consecutive term in office and the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) headed by Opposition Leader, Dr. Godwin Friday. The two parties have nominated candidates for all 15 constituencies, while the National Liberation Movement (NLM) is being represented by Doris Charles, who will contest South Leeward.

In a statement sent to the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), Charles, a former diplomat, said her nomination holds much significance for the NLM, which was established in 2022.

‘Since then, we have been advocating for national political changes through our programme of activities entitled Belldnation,’ she said, adding that it was broadcast through Bayhill News Network.

Speaking on the state-owned NBC Radio, James said that the sole independent candidate, Kenna Questelles, will contest the West St. George constituency. She is a former executive member of the Women’s Arm of the NDP.

Their candidacy brings to nine the number of women contesting the polls, with Questelles posting on her Facebook page, that if elected, she would launch a digital youth service agency to train and employ 150 youth to provide digital marketing services, website design and IT support services to businesses.

The ULP has challenged the nomination of Friday as the NDP’s candidate for the Northern Grenadines and Fitz Bramble as its East Kingstown candidate on the basis that both politicians acquired Canadian citizenship as adults and are therefore, by their own act, under allegiance to a foreign power, contrary to the Constitution.

The returning officer in each constituency allowed the nominations, but Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves later promised legal challenges to their candidacy.

The Guyana Expo 2025 opened here on Thursday night with President Irfan Ali announcing a US$200 million initiative that is set to become operational before the end of the first quarter of 2026.

He told the audience that the government’s transformative Guyana Development Bank (GDB), capitalised at a minimum of US$200 million, aims to create financial opportunities for small and medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). ‘We have started already to put the mechanism in place for the Guyana Development Bank,’ he said, adding that ‘the administrative, legal, and regulatory framework is being crafted’.

He said one of the most impactful features of the soon-to-be established bank will be its zero-collateral, zero interest lending system and that loans up to a predetermined value are set to be revealed during the budget presentation next year.

Ali said that these loans will effectively remove the single largest barrier faced by thousands of small businesse and that the government will also introduce a special incentive regime to push commercial banks to increase their support for SMEs.

Under this system, commercial banks will receive incentives similar to those already used for housing finance, but with conditions.

In return, banks must lower their interest rates to below four per cent per cent and reduce collateral requirements for SMEs, making financing significantly more accessible and more affordable.

President Ali said that the Guyana Development Bank will place heavy emphasis on Agriculture and agro-processing, tourism and hospitality, services and creative industries, as well as any activity linked to value creation and innovation.

‘This of course will lead to the creation of thousands of business opportunities,’ he said.

These sectors are central to the government’s strategy to diversify the economy, boost rural development, modernise production, and generate wealth beyond the oil and gas sector.

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Susan Rodrigues, told the opening ceremony that thousands of SMEs have experienced remarkable growth over the past five years, fueled by robust government support.

She said through the Small Business Bureau (SBB), more than 13,000 small businesses were empowered with important training opportunities.

She said so far this year ‘over 2,700 small businesses received training, bringing the total number trained since 2020, to more than 13,000’ and that nearly 4,000 businesses have benefited from small business grants, resulting in an investment of one billion Guyana dollars (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents).

Rodriques said that this has enabled small businesses to grow into strong, competitive enterprises that are thriving in both local and global markets.

‘That is the real story of Guyana’s economic growth,’ she said, adding that the exposition mirrors Guyana’s dynamic development trajectory, which Guyana experienced since 2020, which was driven by ‘innovation, investment, and resilience. ‘

She urged participating exhibitors to take full advantage of the opportunities being presented to them at the investment forum, saying ‘this is your stage, your opportunity to shine’.

She said more than 100,000 visitors are expected to pass through the exhibition that is being held under the theme ‘Transformation through Entrepreneurship and Innovation’ with a strong focus on local manufacturing.

Rodriques said that while GuyExpo is being supported by the government, the private sector will be integrally involved in the trade exhibition that was first launched in 1995 and has been the longest-standing trade expo in Guyana.

Meanwhile, President has warned gold miners that government would shut down their operations if they are caught smuggling the precious yellow metal.

He said that his administration would be targeting gold miners who received government incentives but turn around and smuggle gold produced. Ali said incentivised miners should act responsibly and declare their production in keeping with the law

‘Those, who still are not compliant with the declaration, we are going to come after you hard and strong. We will find you and you will lose your business,’ he said, welcoming the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association’s (GGDMA) backing of a recent crackdown on illegal gold mining operations in the Sand Hills and Toroparu areas by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the Guyana Police Force.

Several illegal miners and raiders were detained, and several illegal shops and operations were dismantled.

The Association said Guyana must stop activities such as illegal gold mining, illegal shops, human trafficking, gold smuggling and the sale of illegal drugs must be smashed as they had been in the past tied directly to the gangs in Venezuela including the notorious Sindicato gang.

‘At a time when Guyana is under threat from its aggressive neighbour, the country must take all steps to stop activities linked to the financing activities in Venezuela,’ the GGDMA said in a statement.

Without naming the miner, President Ali said one gold smuggler caused Guyana’s economy to lose more than GUY$190 billion.

‘We must ensure our system does not produce those kinds of people anymore. Our system must be locked in, must be protected and must be designed to ensure those leakages are removed,’ he said.

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Friday, November 14, 2025.

GEORGETOWN -The Guyana Expo 2025 opened here on Thursday night with President Irfan Ali announcing a US$200 million initiative that is set to become operational before the end of the first quarter of 2026.

BELMOPAN – The Belize government has announced a moratorium on the issuance of short-term forest licences and petty permits on national and lease land after indicating that it had become necessary due to mounting evidence of forest stock depletion and increased pressures being placed on young and regenerating forest.

ST. JOHN’S -The Antigua and Barbuda government says it has reached an agreement with Guyana to collaborate on a new food import initiative aimed at reducing the cost of living by securing cheaper fruits, vegetables, and other produce for the local market.

TAIPEI – 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.

WASHINGTON – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched a new initiative designed to strengthen the skills and knowledge of primary health care teams.

SPORTS:

PORT OF SPAIN – 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.

Police are probing the murders of a 29 year-old primary school teacher and her daughter, after their bodies were found at their home with multiple stab wounds and the throats slashed.

Police said Bridgeport Primary School teacher Tara Pinnock and her 14-year-old daughter, Talia Wright, a student at McGrath High School in St Catherine, had been killed on Wednesday.

Pinnock and her daughter were discovered dead at their home in Keystone, St Catherine, a parish located on the southern coast of the island after she failed to show up for work.

‘I cannot ventilate my feelings right now, I am weak in the knees,’ said the Principal Lyndon Edwards.

Police say they are searching for a taxi operator and is being urged to contact the Spanish Town Criminal Investigation Branch or the nearest police station.

Officials from the Ministry of Education and other support personnel visited Bridgeport primary to offer counselling and emotional support to those directly affected.

‘The school would have lost a teacher and her daughter in a very horrific manner, and so the teachers are grieving, the students are grieving, all the members of staff are significantly impacted by this tragedy,’ said Stephanie Webb Parker, the Senior Education Officer in the Guidance and Counselling Unit.

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.

Suriname stands on the brink of an unprecedented achievement after qualifying for its first-ever FIFA World Cup, following a dominant 4-0 victory over El Salvador on Thursday night at the sold-out Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion.

The emphatic win keeps ‘Natio’, as the national team is affectionately known, unbeaten and atop Group A in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying campaign.

With one match remaining, Suriname and Panama both have nine points, but the former leads the group with a superior goal difference.

With Panama edging Guatemala 3-2 on Thursday, both El Salvador and Guatemala have been eliminated from World Cup qualification.

Suriname only needs now to defeat Guatemala in their final game on Tuesday to qualify top of the group and book their spot at next year’s World Cup, while Panama would have to win by a large margin against El Salvador.

Should Suriname qualify, they would become the lowest-ranked nation ever to reach a World Cup. Currently 126th in the FIFA rankings, Natio would surpass the record set by North Korea, which qualified for the 2010 World Cup while ranked 105th.

Knowing the importance of a victory, Suriname approached the match with visible confidence and quickly seized control.

El Salvador, ranked 94th in the world, struggled to contain Suriname’s fluid attacks and almost found themselves trailing midway through the first half when Tjaronn Chery struck the crossbar with a curling effort.

Moments before halftime, the 37-year-old Chery got the breakthrough, converting his first international goal from the penalty spot in the 44th minute after being brought down in the box.

Richonell Margaret then punished a defensive blunder in the 74th minute to fire in Suriname’s second, and less than two minutes later, he doubled his tally by finishing off a precise cross from Ridgeciano

Haps.

The home crowd erupted once more when late substitutes Jay-Roy Grot and Dhoraso Moreo Klas combined for the fourth goal in the 83rd minute, with Klas placing the final touch.

The importance of the win was highlighted when Suriname President Jenny Simons and vice-president Gregory Rusland, who were among the dignitaries in attendance, visited the players in the locker room to congratulate them on the milestone victory and to encourage them ahead of the decisive match in Guatemala.

Defender Djavan Anderson described ‘a feeling of release, relief and, above all, pride,’ while

Chery reflected on fulfilling a late-career dream.

‘If someone had told me two years ago I’d still have a chance of playing at a World Cup, I would’ve called them crazy,’ Chery said.

Despite the victory, head coach Stanley Menzo maintained that the job was not yet done.

‘We must stay aware that there is one more match to play. We want to win there as well, to make sure qualification is in our own hands,’ he said.