Category: CANA News

The highly anticipated Horizon Vitality Series between Jamaica and England is in danger of being cancelled as the Caribbean island continues to pick up the pieces left behind by Hurricane Melissa.

According to reports by The Gleaner, Netball Jamaica and the England Netball Association have been locked in high-level discussions regarding the possible cancellation of the four-match series due to the extensive damage sustained during the hurricane. The series was set to feature two home games for Jamaica at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston on December 6 and 7, followed by two away fixtures at the Copper Box Arena in London, England, on December 13 and 14.

Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls were already facing selection challenges heading into the series, as several of their top players made themselves unavailable for personal and professional reasons.

It is understood that captain Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, along with Romelda Aiken-George, Shimona Nelson-Jok, and Latanya Wilson, have all withdrawn from the squad, while Shamera Sterling-Humphrey recently gave birth and Jodi-Ann Ward is recovering from surgery.

Their unavailability would have left the Sunshine Girls severely short-handed for the series, which was expected to serve as preparation for next year’s Netball World Cup qualifiers.

The Sunshine Girls won last year’s inaugural Horizon Vitality Series 2-1.

Prime Minister, Dr.Andrew Holness, says the official platform to mobilise support for Jamaica’s relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Category Five Hurricane Melissa will be modified. Speaking in Parliament this week,he said modification will enable donors to better interface with the platform and donate to a specific institution or institutions.

The supportjamaica.gov.jm online platform also aims to channel relief and coordinate recovery efforts.

Holness made the remarks while responding to a question posed in the House of Representatives recently regarding the supportjamaica.gov.jm platform and ‘whether there can be designation of the donation’.

‘My understanding is that there is a way to do it, but we’re going to modify the platform to ensure that it is more seamless, that you can visibly see how to designate to an institution,’ he said.

‘There is already a process for schools, for example under the National Education Trust (NET), and so I say publicly, if Jamaicans overseas want to donate directly to their school, they can do so through the National Education Trust, similar process, they have an online process.’

The Prime Minister pointed out that everything donated through the supportjamaica.gov.jm platform goes to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).

‘The intention is not to take away the donations from private entities. . What we’re saying is if you want to get the benefit of the waived duty, then you should send it. and once it’s recorded as a donation, ODPEM records it, then you benefit from the waiver and if you give funds, as we have said now, we will be able to direct it, we’re going to make it specific on the platform so that you can direct it,’ he said.

He further explained that although it comes through ODPEM, persons or entities are able to distribute the items.

‘But once you bring your stuff in, even if you put it under the name ODPEM, it’s yours, so you can take it and do whatever you want with it, but it’s important that the nation has a full account of everything that came in; that’s all that ODPEM is doing – full account,’ Holness said.

‘So, you can consign it to ODPEM saying that you want to go and do your own distribution, which by the way that’s what they’re doing. That’s what the entities that come in with their stuff, they don’t just come in and put it in their own warehouses and go; they come in, it’s assigned to ODPEM, we note it and then they go and do what they want to do with it, but we must know. we’re talking large things, container loads of stuff,’ he added.

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Saturday, November 8, 2025.

GEORGETOWN- The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is mourning the passing of former President of the Republic of Suriname, Runaldo Ronald Venetiaan.

KINGSTON – The total estimated damage to some local manufacturers following the passage of Hurricane Melissa has been placed at J$250 billion.

GEORGETOWN – The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has grounded a plane and suspended a pilot for landing a plane in a non-designated landing area.

WASHINGTON – The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) , Albert Ramdin, is urging member states to ‘act with urgency’ to finalize and implement a comprehensive plan aimed at restoring stability and driving development in Haiti.

SPORTS

KINGSTON – The highly anticipated Horizon Vitality Series between Jamaica and England is in danger of being cancelled as the Caribbean island continues to pick up the pieces left behind by Hurricane Melissa.

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has grounded a plane and suspended a pilot for landing a plane in a non-designated landing area.

The GCAA said the incident, involving an Air Services Limited Cessna 208 Grand Caravan, registered as 8R-THR, occurred on Thursday.

On Friday, the authority said the actions would remain in force until the ‘outcome’ of the probe.

‘The GCAA is dedicated to ensuring thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding this incident to uphold the highest standards of aviation safety,’ the authority said.

An aviation industry source said while the pilot is experienced, it seemed that he was not properly briefed about the area.

The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) says a Venezuelan and two Guyanese have been arrested in connection with the seizure of almost 24 kilogrammes of cocaine in East Bank Essequibo.

In a statement on Saturday, CANU, said those arrested are a Venezuelan man, a Guyanese man and a Guyanese woman, CANU said. The seizure occurred on Friday at a residence, based on information received CANU agents said they received.

A subsequent search of the residence led to the discovery of several parcels containing a whitish powdery substance suspected to be cocaine.

The substance was tested positive for cocaine and weighed 23.958 kilogrammes.

The top United Nations development official in the region says nearly a third of Jamaica’s annual wealth has been wiped out by Hurricane Melissa. Kishan Khoday, Resident Representative for the UN Development Program (UNDP), told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York, via video conference, that approximately 1.5 million Jamaicans have been impacted by Hurricane Melissa – the worst climate disaster in the Caribbean nation’s history.

He said initial estimates of the damage added up to 30 per cent of Gross Domestic Product: ‘a figure that’s expected to rise.’

UNDP estimated that nearly five million metric tons of debris have been generated across western Jamaica following the devastating category 5 storm last week – equivalent to roughly 500,000 standard truckloads.

In addition, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said authorities have confirmed 32 deaths, while nearly 36,000 people urgently require food assistance, and more than 100,000 housing structures have been affected.

The UN said at least 30 communities are still cut off while electricity, telecommunications and even radio signals remain severely disrupted in some parishes.

The UN said Khoday told the story of one man he’d met called ‘Keith’, from New Hope in western Jamaica, who had sought shelter in a nearby structure as Melissa made landfall, kneeling behind plywood for hours as the storm raged.

‘When he emerged, he found his home, livelihood, and parts of his community in ruins,’ the UN said.

Khoday said Keith’s experience underscores ‘the harsh realities of the climate emergency, but was also a testament to Jamaicans’ resilience as they work toward recovery and rebuilding.’

The UN said more than 60 different organizations have joined the 16-member UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team – part of the UN aid coordination office OCHA – as the aid operation continues under the direction of Jamaican authorities.

To support response and recovery efforts, the UN said UNDP has allocated an initial US$400,000 to assist with basic assessment work and provide early support to national partners.

Meanwhile, the UN said its World Food Program (WFP) is airlifting food from Barbados to support more than 6,000 households for up to a week.

In Cuba – which also suffered devastation, along with Haiti, due to the hurricane – the UN said around 120,000 people remain in shelters due to ongoing flooding, overflowing rivers, and landslides.

The UN also said that 29 communities remain isolated with extensive damage to housing, health facilities, and educational center

Haq said more than 45,0000 housing structures, nearly 500 health facilities and over 1,500 educational centers have also sustained damage in Cuba.

Afghanistan is set to host the West Indies for a T20I series just before the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced on Friday that the two teams will play three T20Is between January 19 and 22 in the United Arab Emirates, as part of their build up to the World Cup.

The Men’s T20 World Cup will take place from February 7 to March 8, 2026, and is being co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India. Following their 3-0 series sweep against Bangladesh last month, the West Indies are currently in the midst of a five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which is tied 1-1.

They will also face South Africa soon after the series against Afghanistan in January.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s next T20I outing will see them feature in a three-match T20I series against Qatar, beginning Saturday.

Chief executive officer of the ACB, Naseeb Khan said the series presents an important opportunity for Afghanistan to fine-tune their preparations for the global event set to be hosted in February-March.

‘Competing against the West Indies on the brink of a global event presents an excellent opportunity for our team to finalize their lineup and enhance their preparations for the upcoming mega event in India and Sri Lanka,’ Khan said.

Director of Cricket at Cricket West Indies, Miles Bascombe also welcomed the opportunity for the regional side to get additional practice ahead of the World Cup.

‘Facing strong opposition in subcontinental conditions will help us sharpen our combinations and approach, and it also gives our players a chance to build confidence on surfaces similar to those we’ll encounter in India and Sri Lanka,’ Bascombe said.

The Caribbean Court f Justice (CCJ) Friday reserved its judgement in the case in which the Trinidad and Tobago-based political analyst, Derek Ramsamooj, is challenging the conduct of the State of Suriname following his detention in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country in 2020.

After two days of hearing arguments and submissions by lawyers for Ramsmooj as well as the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country and the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat, CCJ President, Justice Winston Anderson, said that a ruling would be handed down at a later date. ‘We have benefitted from your written and oral submissions .I note that there are witnesses who gave evidence in this matter, we are grateful to you for your attendance,’ said Justice Anderson, who headed the five-member panel of judges that heard the matter.

‘We are of course reserving our opinion in this matter as you would imagine and we will let you know as soon as we have reached a decision so that we can notify you of the date of delivery,’ he added.

Ramsamooj, 64, who holds both Trinidad and Tobago and British passports, was summarily detained in Paramaribo in October 2020 and was not allowed to leave the country until September 2022. He suffers from a range of medical issues, including diabetes, hypertension, and severe coronary artery disease.

A presiding judge had ordered the authorities in Suriname to return his passports, noting that Ramsamooj had, at all times, demonstrated a willingness to support due process and had consistently stated his desire to clear his name through the legal routes.

The analyst, who has worked in several Caribbean countries, including Jamaica, Guyana, Grenada, St Lucia, and St Kitts and Nevis and who is the holder of a Certificate of Recognition of CARICOM Skills Qualification, was told by Suriname police on October 6, 2020, that they only wanted a statement to support an inquiry into operations at the Surinamese Post Savings Bank (SPSB).

Ramsamooj conducted customer surveys for the SPSB and bank employee surveys, as well as two country risk assessments of Suriname, in his capacity as an analyst and researcher. The financial institution paid for the activities.

The CCJ, established in February 2001 to replace the London-based Privy Council, also acts as an international tribunal interpreting the Revised Treaty of the Chaguaramas, which governs the regional integration movement.

In his application to the CCJ, Ramsamooj is seeking several relief measures, including a declaration that Suriname infringed his right to freedom of movement as well as his right to provide services.

In addition, Ramsamooj wants a declaration that Suriname infringed his right not to be discriminated against on the ground of his nationality, as well as a declaration that Suriname breached its obligations under Article 9 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) that governs the 15-member regional integration movement, CARICOM.

The lawyers for the political analyst said that Suriname failed to ensure their client was not subjected to arbitrary imprisonment, denial of counsel, denial of adequate medical attention/or discrimination on the grounds of nationality or the several rights identified in the Charter of Civil Society.

In addition, Ramsamooj is seeking damages and costs.

Head coach of Jamaica’s national women’s basketball team, Oneil Brown is confident that they will do well at the upcoming Caribbean Women’s Basketball Championships (CBC).

The tournament is being played in Guyana and will run from November 12 to 16.

The Jamrockerz, as they are affectionately known, will come up against Suriname, The Bahamas, US Virgin Islands and Guyana, for one of the three qualifying spots to the 2026 CentroBasket Women’s Championships. Even though the team’s preparations were disrupted by the passing of Hurricane Melissa last week, Brown said the players were raring and ready to go.

‘I know we are gonna do well. Before Melissa, we were flowing the right way on the court and off the court; things were looking good.

‘After the hurricane and all, the first thing was to get the girls back in the right mental state of mind to play basketball. We are in a good spirit now, and we’re going to do good well,’ Brown said.

Brown revealed that the Jamaica Basketball Association would be announcing the final roster in the coming days.

Twenty of the players selected for the training camp were from the local Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL), with two overseas-based players, one of whom is a naturalised player.

Jamaica lifted the CBC title back in 2014 when it was hosted in the US Virgin Islands, but they had a poor showing in the previous tournament, finishing at the foot of the table without a win.

Trinidad and Tobago’s all-time leading goalscorer, Stern John has called for Dwight Yorke to remain as head coach of the national side even if he fails to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

T and T currently sit third in Group B of the CONCACAF Qualifiers on five points, behind leaders Jamaica on nine points and second placed Curacao on eight points, with only the top two teams assured of an automatic spot in next year’s World Cup.

They will face Jamaica in a must-win fixture at home on November 13 in their penultimate game, with their final game coming five days later against winless Bermuda. Yorke was hired by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) in November 2024, and given a mandate to qualify for the 2026 World Cup

Speaking during an interview on Isports on i95.5 FM, John, the all-time Central American/Caribbean men’s top goal scorer in international football with 70 goals, said Yorke should not be dismissed if he fails in his bid to get them to the World Cup.

‘Of course, of course they should [ask him to stay on] because we need stability. We can’t just keep changing coaches every couple of months and sacking coaches. We need some kind of structure in our football again,’ John, the current head coach of Saint Lucia said.

However, he said he still believed T and T could cause an upset and defeat Jamaica in their crucial clash next Thursday.

John said while Jamaica will be driven to win to give their country something to cheer about following the devastation left behind by Hurricane Melissa, T and T had the quality to beat them at home.

‘We have to win. I think when you look back at the World Cup Qualifiers you have to make your house a fortress, you have to win your home games. And once you win your home games and pick up a couple points away from home then you can have a good chance of qualifying, but you need to win the home games. It’s important that you win the home games,’ John maintained.

‘It’s not going to be an easy game, obviously. Jamaica has a lot riding on this game too, because they want to go to the World Cup too and they were just devastated by this hurricane, so they have a lot to play for, a lot to prove, and they’re playing with a whole country behind them, but I think that at home we can turn them around, so hopefully we can do that.’