Category: CANA News

-Guyana has called for enhanced security cooperation, urgent climate financing, and stronger multilateral mechanisms as representatives from Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries met with European Union (EU) officials as part of the IV Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) -EU Summit here.

Guyana’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips told the EU-Caribbean Leaders meeting, convened by the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, that his country is committed to maintaining the region as a Zone of Peace, while emphasising that the region share a collective interest in addressing existing and emerging security threats.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips addressing EU-Caribbean Leaders meeting

He said these include threats to sovereignty and territorial integrity, issues of transnational crime, cybersecurity, and risks associated with inequality and irregular migration.

‘Just yesterday, our country buried a six-year-old girl, Soraya Bourne, innocent victim of what we believe to be a terrorist bombing at a gas station in our nation’s capital linked to migrants. It could have been much worse! But this is one too many. Guyana is now on a new level of alert to prevent a recurrence,’ Phillip told the meeting that brought together leaders of Caribbean CELAC countries to exchange views on matters of critical importance to both regions and the world at large.

He said that combating these threats requires cooperation and collaboration at multiple levels and across several fronts, which include information and intelligence sharing, capacity building, joint research, and norm-setting.

Phillips said also that the world is now much more integrated and interconnected, demanding enhanced coordinated responses.

‘The UN Charter and international law provide an essential safeguard and we must continue to advocate for and insist on this. but today’s increasingly complex environment demands a more effective multilateralism, through strengthened international cooperation and enhanced governance supported by more agile and responsive mechanisms.’

The Guyana prime minister said this becomes increasingly pervasive due to the misuse of artificial intelligence and threats posed by disinformation and misinformation.

On the issue of climate change, Prime Minister Phillips said that Hurricane Melissa has provided a stark illustration of the existential threat facing the region, emphasising that the need for critical support in enabling adaptation, addressing loss and damage, and building resilience cannot be overstated.

He reiterated that climate response is inextricably linked to the availability and accessibility of financing at scale, and to the treatment of debt caused or compounded by climate disasters.

‘The global financial system must become nimbler in mobilising short-term equity for crisis response and long-term funding for sustainable development, as proposed in the Bridgetown Initiative.’

He also urged greater political support for the application of the multidimensional vulnerability index, noting that it directly affects access to concessional financing for climate-affected states.

In his address, Prime Minister Phillips acknowledged the long history of collaboration between the EU and the Caribbean, including through facilities such as the EU-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement and expressed Guyana’s appreciation for the cooperation both bilaterally and through regional and global frameworks, including the Global Gateway initiative.

Suriname also pledged support for deepening the CELAC-EU partnership, with the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation (BIS), Melvin Bouva, noting the importance of regular dialogue on shared challenges such as climate, security, and peace. He said both regions should also take further action to promote trade relations, including the movement of people and goods.

Bouva said that the two-day summit which ended on Monday, represented an important opportunity to strengthen long-term cooperation between the two regions, based on shared interests and economic, social, and cultural ties.

Bouva also expressed concern about the rising tensions in the Caribbean and spoke out clearly against any form of military presence from outside the region that could threaten stability.

He said that as a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Suriname has called for peaceful coexistence, regional cooperation, and adherence to the principle of non-interference.

He said Paramaribo remains committed to maintaining peace and security in the region, in accordance with the UN Charter.

‘In the lead-up to the celebration of 50 years of independence on November 25th, Suriname is focusing on sustainable growth, strengthening both bilateral and multilateral relations, and deploying economic and climate diplomacy.

‘Our country, as one of the most forested countries in the world, with over 90 per cent forest cover, absorbs more carbon than it emits,’ Bouva said, indicating also that countries with high emissions must take responsibility by compensating countries like Suriname for their contributions to forest conservation. Access to climate finance was also emphasized at this forum.

The building housing the Office of Prime Minister (OPM) Kamla Persad Bissessar was evacuated after a bomb threat had been discovered on Tuesday morning, the Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Darrell P. Allahar has said.

He told the state-owned Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) News that those responsible for the threat will be found and dealt with.

Police and security officials outside the Office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday following bomb threat

He confirmed that the building’s evacuation protocol had been immediately activated as soon as the threat was discovered, shortly after 9.00 am (local time) and that the authorities were immediately informed.

‘At about 12:40 pm we received the all clear and myself and the staff returned to the building to resume work,’ said Allahar, who said he had accompanied staff to their muster point at Nelson Mandela Park to await further instructions from the authorities.

‘The incident not only affected operations at the OPM, but other buildings and institutions in the immediate vicinity. Traffic in the area was restricted. Investigations are being conducted and the person or persons behind what occurred today shall be dealt with appropriately and to the fullest extent of the law.

‘Their irresponsible actions have inconvenienced many and kept back the work of the nation. I wish to warn those responsible for today’s unfortunate incident that such actions shall never be tolerated, and they will be found and dealt with by the appropriate authorities,’ Allahar said.

The police have so far made no statement on the issue.

The Caribbean Chamber of Commerce in Europe (CCCE) says it will host later this month, the third edition of the Caribbean Days, which is a series of business and cultural events to showcase ‘The Best of the Caribbean’ through the creative industries, including arts, culinary arts, fashion, film, literature and poetry.

The CCCE says the events will form part of the overall ‘Brussels’ Winter Days’ from November 22-28.

The Caribbean Days will also feature business-to-business workshops designed to promote premium Caribbean products, like cocoa, coffee, condiments, spices and rum, spirits, as well as West Indian sea island cotton.

‘We are thrilled to host the Caribbean Days this year at Brussels’ landmark hotel, the Steigenberger Wiltcher’s. Together with our partners we have created an exciting programme that has expanded, year after year, to offer -locals and visitors alike- the Caribbean’s rich cultural heritage through the region’s finest gastronomic flavours, premium products and high-quality services,’ said Jo Spalburg, CCCE’s secretary general and executive director.

The Caribbean Film Days, the first ever Caribbean Film Festival in Belgium, will include a wide range of documentaries, movies and shorts from across the Caribbean, including Dutch-, English, French- and Spanish speaking productions.

Screened through Yard Vibes, the on-line platform operated by Caribbean Creativity, some award-winning titles will be premièred in Belgium and the European Union.

The CCCE said that for the third Caribbean Culinary Days, celebrity Chef, Orlando, will fly in from St. Lucia to prepare a special three-course Caribbean Gourmet Menu, a unique opportunity to experience the finest Caribbean cuisine, while a special Caribbean Cocktail menu of Angostura Caribbean Rum, will also be available.

The Caribbean Arts exhibition, organised in conjunction with Art Gallery ‘Les Iles’ will feature works from Trinidadian artist Brian Ashing and some other Caribbean painters, which accompanied

A High Court judge has granted a former police officer permission to challenge his dismissal after he was accused by United States prosecutors of being involved in the illegal drug trade.

Sergeant Prince Albert Symonette was fired on December 12, last year, after the United States had alleged that on October 18, 2023, he had accepted approximately US$10,000 in bribe payments as a down payment for his assistance in what he understood to be an upcoming 600-kilogram cocaine shipment to The Bahamas through the Nassau Airport, for eventual distribution to the United States.

Symonette learned that he was named in the indictment on November 27, 2024, through social media and mainstream media.

Acting Justice Cheryl Bazard, KC, in allowing Symonette permission to challenge his dismissal said ‘I am satisfied on the evidence before me that there is an arguable case that the claimant was not afforded due process and the decision itself may have been taken without neither proper regard for the First Defendant’s obligations to the claimant nor adherence to the principles of natural justice.

‘On the face of it, it appears that the First Defendant paid no heed to his statutory obligations’ the judge said, adding ‘having regard to the evidence before this court, and the foregoing authorities, I am satisfied that this case constitutes exceptional circumstances’ the judge added.

Symonette has asked the court to find that the commissioner’s decision to discharge him from the Royal Bahamas Police Force was unlawful, and in violation of his right to a fair hearing and due process.

He is also seeking a declaration that his constitutional rights were breached and an order that he receive compensation for the loss of salary from the date of his dismissal to present.

The commissioner of police, the attorney general and minister of legal affairs are named as defendants.

Symonette joined the force on July 1, 1994, and served for 30 years and five months until his discharge. He became pensionable in 2019 and completed four consecutive 12-month contracts under the Police Act 2009.

On December 8, 2024, Symonette was told to attend a meeting with the commissioner on December 12, 2024 where he was relieved of his police warrant card, firearms certificate, police pistol and given a discharge certificate dated December 2, 2024.

In an affidavit, Fernander said Symonette was on a discretionary year-to-year contract and that senior executives unanimously decided that Symonette would be dismissed since his contract had expired.

Fernander also admitted that he told Symonette that he was ‘disappointed to learn of the allegations made against him’ and that the allegations had caused the public to view the police force negatively.

He denied accusing Symonette of corruption and attacking him verbally but said he wished him well.

On the other hand, Symonette alleged that Fernander verbally attacked him and that the top cop took it upon himself to discharge him.

He said Fernander handed him a discharge certificate without giving him a chance to respond to any accusation or appear before a fair disciplinary hearing that is called for in the Police Act 2009.

Police are probing the death of a 65-year-old Canadian national, whose body was found with several stab wounds outside her home at Bullet Tree Falls, a village in the Cayo District of Belize.

Marty Thorne.

Police said the body of Marty Thorne, the owner of Raw Spa Cabanas, and a well-known member of the community, was was discovered on Monday by one of her employees.

‘Police are investigating the death of 65-year-old Canadian national Marthy Ann Thorn,’ said Assistant Superintendent of Police, Stacy Smith, adding that the caretaker of a property owned by the Canadian said he had not able to locate her.

Smith said that the authorities are now awaiting a postmortem examinatio to determine the cause of death.

The Canadian national, had been living in Belize for several years and had become a familiar face among the Bullet Tree community. Her husband and children lived in Canada.

Justice and Police Minister, Harish Monorath, says he was unaware that he was still receiving payment as a member of the Foreign Exchange Commission (FCO) despite being appointed a government minister.

‘I formally resigned, and protocol dictates that when a member resigns, their name is crossed out and payments are stopped. I’m surprised that funds are still being deposited into my account,’ Monorath told the National Assembly in response to a question asked by opposition legislator, Asiskumar Gajadien, during the General Political Debate (APB) on Monday.

Justice and Police Minister, Harish Monorath

‘I’m surprised that funds are still being deposited into my account. I will write to the Foreign Exchange Commission to inform them that unlawful funds have been paid to me, especially since the office of minister is incompatible with other public functions,’ Monorath told legislators.

Vice President Gregory Rusland promised an immediate investigation into the matter and President Jennifer Simons made an appearance in the Parliament to deal with the situation.

She told legislators that the investigation had shown that the transfers did not originate from the Ministry of Finance, but directly from the Foreign Exchange Commission and asked Monorath to provide his own explanation.

Monorath acknowledged that he had verbally, not in writing, resigned from the FCO when he was appointed a government minister.

Monorath further indicated that he hadn’t checked his bank account, where the funds were deposited, for months.

‘I haven’t been to the bank to check my finances for months, and I don’t have online banking. If it appears I’ve misappropriated any funds, they must be returned immediately,’ said Monorath.

But Gajadien said the case demonstrates the double standards of the government.

‘Whether it’s one month, three, four, or five months, the fact is, it shouldn’t have happened,’ he said, adding that documents from the investigation show that the Foreign Exchange Commission did indeed send a letter to the Ministry of Finance requesting that payments to Monorath be halted.

The parliamentary leader of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), Rabin Parmessar, defended Monorath, saying the FCO was not at fault and that the Ministry of Finance should have stopped the payments.

He said a similar case had occurred under the last administration.

‘Former VHP minister Rishma Kuldipsingh also received double salary for months because the Ministry of Finance failed to stop her financial contribution from another public position. ‘Equal treatment, equal treatment-those funds should also be returned,’ Parmessar said.

The leader of the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP), Allen Chastanet, Monday said Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre had no other choice but to call fresh general elections, 11 months before the constitutional deadline.

In a radio and television broadcast on Sunday night, Prime Minister Pierre said that the elections will be held on December 1 and that he had asked Governor General, Errol Charles, to dissolve the Parliament on Monday. Nomination Day will be November 21.

Pierre, who leads the ruling St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP), said that the last election was on July 26, 2021 and the parliament met in August of that year. He said under the St. Lucia Constitution, the election is constitutionally due ‘for the latest three months after the first sitting of Parliament, which was held on 12th August 2021.

But Chastanet, 64, who served as prime minister from 2016-2021, said there were other factors which forced Prime Minister Pierre to seek a fresh mandate from the population.

‘Clearly, in calling this election early, is an indication of the failure of the failure of his policies and certainly the longer he would have waited to call the election, more and more of the information would have been unravelled,’ said Chastanet, who had suffered a 13-4 defeat in the July 2021 general election.

Chastanet, who is due to deliver a broadcast on Monday night, said among the examples of the failed policies of the government include the millions of dollars spent on the St. Jude’s Hospital rehabilitation project in the south of the island.

He said the government had previously indicated that fixing the 80-year-old building would have been minimal requiring paint and at least EC$30 million (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) to complete.

‘But here they are four and a half years later and the government now has spent EC$400 million on trying to repair an 80 year-old building and they cannot finish it. So he is calling the election because he knows it doesn’t matter how long he waits, he cannot finish it and the longer he goes without finishing it, it is going to how the absurdity and irresponsibility of the decision’.

Chastanet said that the election was being called because the government was required under law to submit to Parliament the latest report regarding the country’s citizenship by investment (CBI) programme through which foreign nationals are granted citizenship of St. Lucia in return for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of the country.

He said the report goes back to April 2024 to March this year, adding ‘we had a sitting of the House recently, he did not lay it, he has now prorogued Parliament and it means he is no longer required to produce that report.

‘That report is a damning report,’ Chastanet said, adding it would have shown how many new citizens ‘which we are suspecting of over 36,000 citizens that this government would have given an allocation for, and this report would have shown how many of those persons would have been approved and how much money the government would have collected’.

Chastanet said that the opposition ‘got a bit of a hint’ because a government minister two weeks ago made a public pronouncement that the government had ‘collected EC$240 million.

‘The government also called the election early because when they came in the middle of COVID 2021 and the plan we left worked very successfully and within two years St. Lucia had recovered its GDP (gross domestic product) by 100 per cent and have now exceeded the GDP of 2019.

‘But at the same time, the government has substantially increased the amount of debt to the country. They have added almost EC$300 million of new debt annually,’ he said, noting that between 2016 and 2019, the country added only EC$300 million in debt.

‘They have in four and a half years increased the amount of debt by EC$1.5 billion and this is why the debt to GDP ratio has not come down,’ Chastanet added.

But in his broadcast on Sunday night, Prime Minister Pierre told the nation that since coming the SLP came to office in 2021, the island’s economy has improved significantly with the level of debt in 2024 is 73.5 per cent, a reduction of eight per cent in 2021 with outstanding payable due to local suppliers 79 per cent, a reduction of 39 per cent.

‘As of September 2025, outstanding payables is EC$38.9 million (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents), a 700 per cent reduction from 2021, ‘Pierre said, adding that his administration had concluded negotiations with public servants as well as providing a Christmas bonus.

‘Ladies and gentlemen these statistics clearly show the level of debt inherited by the St. Lucia Labour Party government and the progress made so far. Together, we built an economy that was in decline, we have experienced economic growth and primary surpluses,’ Pierre said, adding ‘we are steadfast in making St. Lucia a better place.

Chastanet said another reason behind the decision to call the elections early, is that the economic performance of the government has ‘been dismal.

‘We have seen collapse of the agricultural sector, we have seen no increase in manufacturing and tourism, while it recovered .tourism this year has been on a down turn. Cruse ship arrivals have been down to 740,000, hotel arrivals are down almost six per cent for the year (and) our biggest market is down by almost 20 per cent.

‘I thnk if the government was forced to present the Parliament in March (next year) it would have shown a dismal performance. So this government was compelled to call this election early and there is no bravado on their part’.

He said he is confident that the majority of people here will not be fooled by the call of an early election, adding ‘we have seen increases in taxation, unprecedented in the history of this country.

‘So I think the longer this government would have waited the more of this information would have been unravelling.and I think there is enough people right now that see through the propaganda of this government and the spin of this government’.

Chastanet said that the UWP remains ‘very confident’ of winning the elections given that the performance of the government ‘has been damning.

‘So we are feeling very confident, he said, adding that the candidates are ver experienced professionals who would be working from the first day in office.

He said if elected, a UWP government would abolish the 2.5 per cent levy, offering also tertiary level education to St. lucians for free at the Sir Arthur Lewis College here as well as a mortgage guarantee programme for young people.

West Indies white-ball captain, Shai Hope says he is satisfied with his team’s recent T20I performances and the progress they have been making.

His comments came after Sunday’s rained out fourth T20I against New Zealand, where only 6.3 overs of play were possible.

The West Indies will now have to win the fifth and final match in Dunedin on Thursday to level the five-match series.

Shai Hope

The regional side arrived in New Zealand on the back of a 3-0 drubbing of Bangladesh in their preceding T20I series.

Despite trailing 2-1 to the Black Caps, Hope said the Windies had shown grit and determination in the first three matches.

After winning the opener by seven runs, they went down by three runs and nine runs, respectively, in the second and third matches.

‘I’ve been looking forward to this one, especially coming from Bangladesh I expected some better surfaces here in New Zealand.

‘I think the guys have been playing really good cricket. It’s just about us trying to progress as a team and it’s great to see the fight that we’ve been showing,’ Hope said.

‘Unfortunately, we didn’t win those last two games, but every time you put yourself in those positions you obviously have a chance to win, so I’m very happy with the progress that we’re making.

‘We didn’t really get chance to get out there and maximise in this game, but we’ve still got a chance to level the series and that’s our main focus for the next game,’ he maintained.

The Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) has named a strong 12-member squad to take part in the FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championships, which bounces off here this week.

The Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Suriname, Jamaica and hosts Guyana, will compete in a round-robin format from November 12 to 16 to determine the winner of the tournament, which returns for the first time since 2022.

The top three teams will advance to the 2026 Centrobasket Women’s Championship.

Joy Adams (centre) will lead Guyana at the FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championships

Guyana will be boosted by the presence of Spain-based professional, Joy Adams, who represents Lointek Gernika Bizkaia in Spain’s top professional women’s league, Liga Femenina Endesa, and brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the national side.

The squad also features the talented Ramlall sisters- Amisha, Arshia, and Ashna- along with locally based players Jamaicy Ogle, Kean Andrews, Keisha Copperfield, Rehacia Romain, Breann Ritchie and Junelly Paddy.

Kenny Avent is the head coach and he will be assisted by Willon Cameron and Warren Wilson.

Following their opening match against The Bahamas on Wednesday, Guyana will face The Virgin Islands on Thursday, Suriname on Friday and will close the tournament with a highly anticipated showdown against Jamaica on Sunday.

President Irfaan Ali Monday gave an eight month deadline to fully digitise the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) as he outlined a number of initiatives to expedite the country’s National Digitalisation Programme.

Speaking at the launch of the Public Service Upskilling Platform, President Ali gave the Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, eight months to fully digitise the NIS.

He also gave the Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency, and Implementation, Zulfikar Ally, five months to complete the digitisation of all public service records.

President Irfaan Ali speaking at the launch of the Public Service Upskilling Platform on Monday

Ally later said that this initiative will empower the Guyanese workforce to become more innovative and efficient.

‘We cannot implement complex national projects without world-class project managers. We cannot be responsive to citizens without first-rate customer service,’ he told the gathering, which included the intended beneficiaries. This programme is your new toolkit. It is our investment in you,’ he added.

The government said the conversion of these records, or their digitisation, is the process of converting analogue information into a digital form and is a necessary precursor to digitalisation, which refers to using digital technologies to improve or transform processes and activities.

President Ali said the goal for the government is to move swiftly to modernise the public sector and eliminate inefficiencies that frustrate citizens and hinder national progress.

‘I’ve given the Minister of Finance a direction.The Minister of Public Service knows that his entire human resource information system, the entire public service, within five months, all the records, your files, your personal files, everything, must be completely digitised within five months,’ President Ali told the launch.

He said that once digitised, the new integrated system will allow ministries to share information seamlessly, cross-reference skills across departments, and enhance the efficiency of public service delivery.

He told the event that digitalisation is more than just a convenience; it is central to Guyana’s transformation into a modern, high-performing economy.

In his address, President Ali also addressed the digital tools vital to the country’s agricultural sector, noting that within four months, farmers will have access to new technologies and platforms to enhance productivity.

‘Within four months, the farmers must be able to use the tool we’ve been investing in to access education in the field, to access real-time information in the field, to access weather in the fields, to access extension support in the field, and to access technology in the field.’

Ali said that digital transformation across sectors, including agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and infrastructure, is designed to create a fully integrated digital economy, positioning Guyana as a regional leader in innovation and efficiency, adding that several homegrown apps will be launched in the coming weeks.

He said these apps were built to support public service delivery and national development priorities.

‘In the next three to four weeks, we will see a series of apps being launched that we are building ourselves, that we are trusting our young people, our brain power, our technical capability to drive this future,’ President Ali said.

In his wide ranging address, President Ali said that true leadership, at its core, is about identifying, cultivating, and empowering talent, saying ‘the worst of leaders are those who are afraid of talent.

‘If you’re afraid of talent, you’re not a leader. You’re an occupier of space,’ he said, adding that true leadership means empowering others to grow and develop, and warned that leaders who fear being surpassed not only limit themselves, but also stifle the progress of their teams

‘You must not be afraid of it because talent will prepare you to deal with any room that you go into.’

The Public Service Upskilling Platform provides access to 100 online courses from Coursera, a globally recognised online learning platform and the government said thousands of public servants, including those from the hinterland, will now have access to relevant online courses from leading universities worldwide, equipping them with the essential skills to drive Guyana’s transformation.

From data analysis to beginner Spanish, the US-based Coursera platform offers 100 online courses, which public servants can take advantage of and learn at their own pace for free.

‘The world is moving faster than ever before, so we must ask ourselves: are we ready to keep up?’ Ali questioned, noting that the public service must be retooled to deliver in the digital age.

He said the new public service must be a ‘problem-solving machine,’ driving results, productivity, and progress through innovation and efficiency.

Ali said that this can be achieved through the newly launched programme with Coursera, as top-performing nations such as the United States, Singapore, and Finland use the same platform to strengthen their public sector workforces.

‘You’re not just learning for a local job; you’re preparing for global opportunities. You’re ensuring that Guyana’s public service is not only efficient and responsive locally but also globally benchmarked-and that is important.’

Coursera’s Vice President, Zac Rule, who spoke at the launch, said that upskilling the human resource pool is necessary to the ambitious goal of a fully digitalised Guyana.

‘We are very honoured to be a part of that. We look forward to continuing our multi-year partnership with Guyana,’ he added.