Category: CANA News

The Mumbai Indians (MI) have moved swiftly in the trading window, acquiring explosive West Indies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford from the Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League season.

Sherfane Rutherford

In a straight-cash deal, MI secured Rutherford’s services for US $293,000, the exact sum GT paid for him in the previous auction.

This trade marks a return to familiar territory for the 27-year-old, who was part of MI’s triumphant 2020 championship squad, though he didn’t take the field during their title run.

Rutherford is now set to represent his fourth active IPL franchise, having previously played for the Delhi Capitals (2019), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2022), and most recently, the Gujarat Titans.

The move comes on the back of a standout season for Rutherford with GT, where he finally secured a consistent run in the playing eleven.

He featured in 13 matches, amassing 291 runs at an impressive average of 32.22 and a blistering strike rate of 157.29, showcasing the kind of game-changing ability that makes him a valuable asset.

Rutherford’s IPL career has been one of steady growth. First picked up by Delhi Capitals in 2019, he has since been a part of several successful campaigns from the sidelines, including a second title with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024, where he was again an unused squad member.

His prolific form for the West Indies in various T20 leagues around the world, including the CPL, PSL, and BPL, eventually earned him his biggest IPL payday with GT.

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley says the government’s regulated basket of goods programme will begin on December 1, as part of efforts to make essential food items more affordable for residents struggling with rising living costs.

Speaking during a recent press conference Wheatley said the initiative will ensure that basic food items remain within reach for the most vulnerable members of society.

‘We are in the process of implementing a regulated basket of goods to ensure that affordable foods are available to the most vulnerable,’ he stated.

The Premier explained that mechanisms were being put in place to manage and track how the savings would reach consumers.

‘This requires mechanisms to be put in place, such as the collection of data, so we can manage and track that savings are passed along to the consumers,’ he said.

He added that Customs had been instructed to make specific adjustments to help regulate the importation of the selected items.

‘A critical part of this was to capture the volume of items coming into the territory. This required certain adjustments to be made by Customs to regulate the brokerage clearing process. This mechanism was finalised last week, and the requirements for Customs clearance of the baskets of goods will begin December 1.’

Wheatley said discussions are also underway with import brokers and suppliers to ensure that implementation runs smoothly. ‘Communication with the food importation brokers and suppliers is also being done,’ he noted.

The announcement follows months of public concern about the cost of living in the Virgin Islands, with food prices climbing amid global inflation and import costs.

He reiterated that the new system for the basket of goods was one part of a broader plan to strengthen the social safety net and protect those most affected by inflation.

A new star has emerged for Antigua and Barbuda on the regional sports scene. Sixteen-year-old sensation Stuti Kashyap delivered a powerhouse performance, spearheading her nation’s charge to an impressive medal haul at the OECS Table Tennis Smash in Grenada, held from November 7-9.

The national team returned home triumphant, boasting a collection of two gold and one silver medal, thanks in large part to the dazzling efforts of their teenage leader.

Kashyap was in unstoppable form, dominating the women’s singles competition to secure her first gold medal. She didn’t stop there.

Teaming up with Mekhi Simmons in the mixed doubles, the pair showcased brilliant synergy and skill to battle their way to the top of the podium, clinching a second gold for Antigua and Barbuda.

The team’s success was capped with a silver medal in the women’s doubles, where Kashyap partnered with Martinique’s Aneis Miredin.

In the wake of this stellar performance, the Antigua and Barbuda Table Tennis Association (ABTTA) has pledged to build on this momentum. The association heralded the team’s efforts and committed to intensifying its development programs.

‘We will redouble our efforts to introduce and train more young girls and women in the sport,’ a spokesperson for the ABTTA stated. ‘Stuti’s success is a clear reminder of the importance of balanced representation in our national programs.’

The association also extended its gratitude to the Antigua and Barbuda National Olympic Committee (ABNOC) for their ‘continued and valuable support in helping our athletes compete and grow on the regional stage.’

The Guyana Prison Service (GPS) has begun testing electronic ankle bracelets to improve the monitoring of inmates assigned to work inside and outside correctional facilities.

Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot, said the technology has the potential to transform how the service supervises and rehabilitates inmates, particularly those involved in reintegration and skills development programmes.

‘By utilising advanced technology, these devices will allow prison officers to know the exact location of an inmate and alert them quickly if they are outside the authorised zone,’ Elliot explained.

He said the bracelets that are tamper-resistant and must be worn at all times, operate using radio frequency signals that communicate with a central monitoring station.

The director added that discussions will continue with the Minister of Home Affairs to expand the initiative to other key priority areas aimed at creating a meaningful impact for inmates and communities.

Similar to this initiative is the installation of state-of-the-art walk-through body and bag scanners, which will soon come on board in a bid to prevent attempts to smuggle weapons and drugs into prisons.

Elliot noted that smuggling can occur through construction works within prisons, dishonest officers, items being thrown over fences, and visitors concealing prohibited goods.

In addition to the scanners, body cameras will be introduced to improve transparency and accountability.

AI-powered surveillance systems will also be installed, supported by a central command centre overseeing all prison operations.

Searches will be intensified at various levels, and the prison service will continue to collaborate with the police, CANU, and intelligence agencies to reduce contraband in prisons.

The University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill campus and the University of Ghana are now delivering a joint medical degree programme designed to train doctors who will be accredited to practise in either country.

Otunfuo Osei Tutu II

This was disclosed by the principal of UWI Cave Hill campus , Professor Clive Landis as he addressed Asantehene, His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on Wednesday during a forum themed ‘Reclaiming Our Atlantic Destiny: Connect. Rebuild. Renew.’

The Principal said the programme allows students to complete three years of preclinical studies at Cave Hill, followed by three years of clinical training in Ghana.

Graduates will earn a Bachelor of Science in Preclinical Sciences from UWI and an MBChB from the University of Ghana.

‘The medical degree is fully accredited by the respective accreditation bodies of Barbados and Ghana and the medical and dental councils of both countries, allowing graduates to practise medicine in either country,’ Landis said.

He noted that the programme addresses training needs in both systems, pointing out that Barbados has excess preclinical capacity while Ghana has excess clinical capacity. Two Ghanaian students currently enrolled in the programme were recognised during the event as the first cohort.

Landis said the Asantehene’s presence on campus would help raise the programme’s profile in Ghana.

‘Your royal presence here today will help raise awareness in Ghana of this unique joint medical degree programme which we are so proud to have developed with the University of Ghana,’ he added.

During Wednesday’s visit, the Asantehene also unveiled a portrait in his honour at the administration building, which is informally known as ‘The Golden Stool.’

The forum formed part of the Asantehene’s historic visit to Barbados for the GUBA Awards and Investment Conference.

The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) says it has partnered with RevUP Caribbean to launch the RevUP Founders Growth and Community Support Network, regarded as a dynamic digital ecosystem designed to provide lifelong support to Caribbean entrepreneurs.

The region’s premier financial institution said that backed by a recent US$250,000 technical assistance grant from CDB, this initiative marks a new chapter in regional entrepreneurship.

The CDB said that the newly launched RevUP Community is a comprehensive, tiered membership platform designed to support Caribbean entrepreneurs through curated resources, mentorship, investor access, and regional collaboration. It offers four levels of engagement providing access to a vetted digital network, business resources, and expert-led events, business coaching, governance sessions, pitch coaching, investor access via FirstAngels Caribbean and speaker opportunities for advanced entrepreneurs.

The platform is powered by Zoho and designed to connect founders with mentors, board members, investors, and service providers across the Caribbean, Europe, and Latin America.

‘For four years, we’ve been a virtual incubator. Starting tonight, we become something more: a lifelong ecosystem,’ said Sandra Glasgow, the managing director of RevUP Caribbean.

‘This dynamic, digital community will be your permanent access point to the resources you need to scale. It is designed by you, inspired by your journey, and dedicated to your future growth,’ she added.

CDB’s Division Chief, Private Sector, Lisa Harding, highlighted the importance of strategic collaborators to support business growth

‘Development banks, accelerators, investors and policymakers, each have a role to play. But when we work together, align our goals, and pool our strengths, we create real momentum for change. CDB remains deeply committed to the mission of homegrown entrepreneurs not just as a financier, but as a partner, supporting our entrepreneurs to grow, innovate, and compete globally.’

The RevUP Community builds on the success of RevUP’s incubator programme, which has supported 145 founders, generated over USD 1 million in additional revenue, and created 131 new jobs with women-led businesses leading the way.

CDB is financing Phase II. According to CDB’s Division Chief, the bank is repositioning to focus on entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment-readiness as the foundation for long-term growth.

By supporting innovation at multiple stages of business growth, CDB said it is ensuring that the Caribbean remains competitive, adaptive, and resilient in a rapidly changing global economy.

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Wednesday officially launched ‘Operation Festive Shield’ which it described as a nationwide security initiative designed to safeguard citizens, businesses, and visitors throughout the 2025 Christmas season and the Carnival 2026 period.

Trinidad and Tobago is under a state of emergency (SoE) that ends in January next year. So far this year, more than 300 people have been murdered. Last year, the country recorded 624 murders.

The TTPS said that the operation commenced in the capital, Port of Spain and the Western Division, the country’s primary commercial and entertainment corridor, where increased foot traffic, economic activity, and public events demand an enhanced safety and security posture. It said other police divisions will follow with phased operational rollouts in the coming days, utilizing the same strategic framework and coordinated standards.

The TTPS said that ‘Operation Festive Shield’ is built on four primary pillars, namely increased foot and mobile patrols, strategic placement in shopping districts, transport hubs, entertainment zones, and public gathering areas, as well as targeted operations against repeat offenders and emerging criminal threats using real-time intelligence.

It will also involve joint coordination with municipal police, traffic units, and event organizers to maintain safe and efficient movement of people and vehicles and ongoing collaboration with businesses, security partners, and community stakeholders supported by rapid information sharing and police response.

The TTPS said it will prioritise reduction of robberies, larceny, and opportunistic street crimes, safety of shoppers, vendors, business operators, and commuters, traffic decongestion and pedestrian safety and rapid police response to incidents.

The police say they were urging citizens stay vigilant and safeguard their personal belongings, utilise secure cash-in-transit services when handling large sums and report suspicious activity immediately.

‘The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is strategically deployed, coordinated, and operationally ready. We will safeguard public safety, protect commercial activity, and ensure security throughout the festive season. Criminal elements will find no comfort this Christmas and Carnival period,’ the police added.

With the chance to tie the series on the line, West Indies white-ball captain Shai Hope wants his troops to deliver an all-around performance when they take on New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I here on Thursday.

The regional team got off to the perfect start in the series, winning the opener by seven runs before losing the next two matches in agonising fashion by three runs and nine runs, respectively, to fall behind 2-1.

With Sunday’s fourth T20I ending in a no-result, it means the West Indies have everything to play for in Thursday’s clash, with victory assuring them a share of the spoils.

Speaking during a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Hope said it was important to end the series on a winning note.

‘The unfortunate reality is that we can’t win the series because of that last game that was rained out, but we’ve still put ourselves in a position to finish on square terms, which is something when you go to foreign conditions in foreign places, sometimes you have to take what you get.

‘But certainly 2-2 would look better than 3-1 to New Zealand, so that’s something that we are certainly hoping for.We have a very big game tomorrow and it’s important that we finish this series very strong, especially here in these conditions.’ Hope said.

He admitted though, that the Windies’ top order had failed to fire so far in the series.

Hope said with the lower order having done most of the heavy lifting thus far, he was banking on the top order to come good this time around.

‘Myself included, we have to raise our hands at the top. You see how important the new ball is for the New Zealand bowlers when you allow them to break through that top order and open up the middle order as well, then it becomes more difficult to set that big score that you want.

‘But we must take our hats off for the guys at the lower end. They have been tremendous throughout the entire series, from Rovman all the way down to Shepherd and Shamar Springer in the third game,’ Hope conceded.

‘As long as we tick that box at the top and don’t let them through our top order, I think with the power that we possess, we can be dangerous for any team not just New Zealand. So, we’ve got that to fix tomorrow from the top order standpoint and then hopefully we can put together a very complete and strong game as a unit.’

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Wednesday dismissed as ‘political rant’ statements made by a junior Trinidad and Tobago government minister that his wife and two children had been given preferential treatment in obtaining government-subsidised housing in the twin-island republic.

‘Everybody knows that he is carrying a can for the opposition here in St. Vincent. That’s the reason for his broadcast, his podcast or whatever you may call it,’ Gonsalves said, noting that the allegation made by the minister in the Ministry of Housing in Trinidad, Anil Roberts, is that his wife and children ‘had benefitted from a kind of insider trading.in purchasing apartments in a development in Trinidad.’He made several mis-representations and falsehoods and he drew certain conclusions and presented many innuendoes which touch and concern on the issue of damaging people’s character and defamation generally,’ Gonsalves said during 30 minute segment on his weekly radio programme in which he dealt with the issue and referring to his wife and children ‘as three citizens of Trinidad and Tobago’.

On Tuesday, Roberts acknowledged in his broadcast that Eloise Gonsalves and her children, Storm and Soleil Gonsalves, had been allocated the apartments even as over 200,000 residents of the twin island republic are on a waiting list.

Roberts said that the acquisition was uncovered because of inquiries he made after Prime Minister Gonsalves had been critical of Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar’s position regarding the Caribbean being declared a zone of peace.

‘. the honourable prime minister has waged a war and attack on our prime minister, Kamla Persad Bissessar, and I couldn’t understand why he was being so undiplomatic, inappropriate and strong to . say that she’s un-stateswoman-like and she’s misguided,’ Roberts said, later telling reporters that Gonsalves was ‘coming down . partisan sort of approach and delving into the politics of a sovereign nation.

Roberts raised many issues regarding the purchase of the properties saying that there are also questions about a declaration signed by Storm Gonsalves.

‘And to sign a false declaration in Trinidad and Tobago is a criminal offence. He said that from his app tech company, he makes 25,000 a month. The policy at the HDC (Housing Development Corporation) in Trinidad and Tobago, once you make one cent over $25,000 TT per month, you do not qualify.

‘So, further investigation by the police is needed in certain matters. Then, thirdly, a student, a child, working basically nowhere, gets an allocation of a house paid for by her mom and dad and brother when other citizens of this country are struggling and screaming out for scarce resources? It is wrong in 100 different ways,’ he added.

But in his radio response, Prime Minister Gonsalves said that he was never critical of Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar’s position on the region being declared a zone of peace, saying ‘I did not disrespect Kamla, I disagreed with her and I used the gentle formulation . a sort of characterisation of the region that Caribbean and Latin America was misguided.

‘In 2014 she signed on to the Havana Declaration, the bilateral meeting between our region, CARICOM and Cuba. In 2014 where the designation of the Caribbean and Latin America being a zone of peace that’s there. She is a member of CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) and meetings she attended with CELAC was also in the Declaration which she agreed to.

‘Well her position clearly has shifted and you can shift your position and I don’t have a quarrel when you shift your position, but it is open to me reasonably to say that that is not a correct position, because there are 14 countries in CARICOM (Caribbean Community), 13 of us currently say that the Caribbean and Latin America is a zone of peace, she does not accept that characterisation anymore and I thought she was misguided in that regard.

‘That is the most gentle of disagreements, but of course in Mr. Roberts’ mind it is gross disrespect and so on.’.

Persad-Bissessar’s shift in position has in the past few weeks coincided with the United States military build-up off the coast of Venezuela under the guise of eradicating the illegal drugs trade.

Washington has sent several warships including the world’s largest carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, in what political observers say is a attempt at regime change in Caracas where President Nicolas Maduro has been in power.

The Americans have killed several people, including two Trinidad and Tobago nationals in strikes on what it termed illegal vessels carrying drugs in international waters and Persad Bissessar is on record as saying that those in the illegal drug trade should be ‘killed violently’.

Regarding the purchase of the properties in Trinidad and Tobago, Gonsalves said ‘I never spoke to anybody in the government of Trinidad and Tobago or seek to influence anybody in the government, state administration or otherwise to accord preferential treatment to these three citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

‘They have done nothing which is illegal, nothing which is immoral, nothing which is unethical. It doesn’t reach any of those levels. No where at all, plain straight forward transactions’.

He told the audience that the apartments in the west of Trinidad and Tobago are ‘in a gated community.and are not regular state provided housing in Trinidad.

‘In fact the monies made from Victoria Keyes by HDC, those monies are used to help low income housing. That is the policy of successive governments as I understand it in Trinidad,’ Gonsalves said, outlining the procedures his wife and children had undertaken in acquiring the properties.

Gonsalves, an attorney, said apart from the ‘defamatory issues.on this broadcast by Mr. Roberts and by his clear imputation that I personally and Eloise and Storm and Soleil did something, unethical, illegal maybe even corrupt, which is completely false that I interfaced with the PNM (People’s National Movement) leadership to get benefit, absolutely not’.

He said any approach to the then prime minister Dr. Keith Rowley for assistance and purchasing the apartments would have been dismissed out of hand.

Gonsalves said that if Robert’s outburst is linked to assisting the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP)in the November 27 general election, it would backfire, predicting that his ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP) would be returned with a greater margin than five years ago when it won nine of the 15 seats at stake.

‘Vincentians are appalled by this kind of behaviour by Anil Roberts.and they will punish the NDP at the polls because if somebody was inclined not to vote for this or that reason, they will say no no no, we don’t want our country to descend into this, we have had 25 years of political stability under Ralph.,’ said Gonsalves, who is seeking an unprecedented sixth consecutive term as head of government.

Four of the seven individuals charged with involvement in the deadly explosion at a gas station last month, appeared in court here on Wednesday, but the matter was adjourned to December 3 this year.

Venezuelan national, Daniel Alexander Ramirez Poedemo, 33, whom the police say is the mastermind behind the October 26, 2025 explosion that led to the death of six year-old Sorya Bourne and injury to three others, and three of his co-accused appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Appearing alongside Poedemo were Alexander Bettancourt, 44, Johnny Boodram,33, and 33 year-old, Krystal LaCruz.

The prosecution alleges that Poedemo on October 26, with intent to threaten the security and sovereignty of Guyana or to strike terror among its people, used an explosive device at the Mobil Fuel Station at Regent and King Streets, Georgetown, resulting in the death of the six-year-old child.

The court also heard that Boodram aided and abetted Poedemo with intent to commit the same offence.

During the brief court hearing, the prosecution handing over some statements to the defense with the court being informed that more disclosure will be made at the next hearing, after which the case will proceed via paper committal to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for trial in the High Court.

A paper committal is a legal process in which a magistrate examines the written evidence to determine whether there is enough to send an accused person to stand trial in the High Court.

The three other accused, Ramesh Pramdeo, 51, Wayne Corriea, 44 and 33-year-old Jennifer Rodriguez, have been charged with aiding and abetting Poedemo with intent to threaten the security and safety of Guyana to strike terror on the people by the use of an explosive substance by placing it at the gas station resulting in Bourne’s death.

Their matter has been adjourned to November 24.