Category: CANA News

Agriculture Minister Floyd Green has described the damage to the agricultural sector as ‘catastrophic’ , noting that it has delivered a crippling blow to farmers, fishers and rural communities whose livelihoods are now at extreme risk. In a statement on Thursday, Green also preliminary estimate of damage due to Hurricane Melissa, exceed J$20 billion.

He added that technocrats within the ministry pointed out that final figures are expected to rise as several severely impacted areas remain inaccessible.

According to Green, early reports indicate near total devastation in key crop lines, including an estimated 90 percent loss of banana and plantain and significant destruction across vegetables, tubers, particularly yam, and fruit trees.

Preliminary livestock assessments show major disruption, including the loss of approximately 40 percent of the layer flock.

Fisheries have also been severely hit, with 25 percent of the island’s fishing fleet destroyed and 41 percent of aquaculture farmers reporting damage.

The Minister also noted that these figures represent only the initial assessments and that teams are working at pace to complete full evaluations by next Monday.

He said the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has deployed a disaster assessment specialist to support the process and help guide the technical response.

Green emphasized that the Ministry has already activated its recovery plan to stabilize incomes and begin restoration across the worst-affected communities.

He said immediate actions include, support to salvage crops through critical inputs such as fertilizers and other treatments, emergency sourcing of inputs using special procurement channels and the strengthening of market linkages to ensure that available supplies are rapidly absorbed.

The Agriculture Minister lamented that many families depend directly on the sector, and their ability to earn has been severely compromised.

He assured that the Ministry will move urgently to support recovery and to ensure that farmers and fishers can rebuild.

The Minister said he will update parliament next week on the full extent of the damage and present the programme of response.

He also reaffirmed that the Government remains committed to restoring the productive base of the agriculture and fisheries sector and ensuring that affected communities are supported throughout the recovery effort.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Thursday withdrew and discontinued tax-related charges against the leader of the main opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Azruddin Mohamed.

No reasons were given for the decision of the GRA to withdraw the charges against Mohamed and his father, the billionaire businessmen Nazar Mohamed of Mohamed’s Enterprise.

The charges against Azruddin Mohamed (left) and his father, Nazar Mohamed withdrawn by the Guyana Revenue Authority

The two had appeared before Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, but when the matter was called, the GRA informed the court that it would no longer be pursuing the case.

The case stemmed from what the GRA had earlier indicated was an extensive audit of the company’s gold export records and financial statements.

The GRA had conducted a review of Income and Property Tax returns for Years of Assessment 2020 to 2024 (income years 2019-2023) and alleged that the Mohameds, trading as Mohamed’s Enterprise, failed to submit true and correct returns.

It said that the underreporting resulted in GUY$34.07 billion (One Guyana dollar=US$0.008 cents) in understated income tax, with total amounts due, including accrued interest and other sums, calculated at GUY$191.17 billion.

The GRA had lleged that that Nazar Mohamed, 73, had filed an incorrect tax return reporting GUY$66,768,646 in liability on gold exports, thereby understating his taxable amount by nearly GUY$4.94 billion, in violation of the Income Tax Act.

The GRA had charged that Mohamed filed an incorrect tax return reporting GUY$127,212,785 in liability on gold exports, understating his taxable amount by approximately $6.96 billion, in breach of the Income Tax Act.

The Revenue Authority had also alleged that his son, had reported a tax liability of GUY$105,483,295 on gold exports, understating his true taxable obligation by over GUY$7.03 billion, contrary to the Income Tax Act.

The two Mohameds were arrested and granted GUY$150,000 last Friday, a day after the United States formally sent an extradition request to Guyana.

The 38-year-old politician along with his father, are the subject of an indictment unsealed on October 6, 2025, by a United States Grand Jury sitting in the Southern District of Florida, which charges them with multiple offences including wire fraud, mail fraud, money-laundering, conspiracy, aiding and abetting and customs-related violations connected to an alleged US$50 million gold export and tax evasion scheme.

The indictment alleges that between 2017 and June 2024, the accused conspired to defraud the Guyana government by evading export taxes and royalties on over 10,000 kilograms of gold, using falsified customs declarations and re-used export seals to disguise unpaid duties. The indictment further references the attempted shipment of US$5.3 million in undeclared gold seized at Miami International Airport, and the alleged under-invoicing of a luxury vehicle valued at over US$680,000.

According to the indictment, the alleged fraudulent scheme operated ‘from in or about 2017’ through June 2024.

In June 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the Mohameds and their company, Mohamed’s Enterprise, citing allegations of tax evasion, trade-based money-laundering, and gold smuggling.

Police are investigating the murder of a young man who was shot and killed on Wednesday five weeks after at least three threatening comments were made on his Instagram account.

The man has been identified as Shem Walker in his early 20s, and his body was found along the road side of the road in Akers, near a car that appeared to have crashed into a property adjoining the road.

The left front door of the vehicle was open, suggesting that Walker might have attempted to flee after the crashed vehicle.

His death brings to 34 the number of homicides recorded in St. Vincent and the Grenadines this year.

Five weeks ago, threatening comments began appearing on Walker’s Instagram page. A private account with no display photos, no public posts and three followers left the threatening comments on Walker’s account, ending with a ‘downcast face with sweat’ emoji, which generally conveys feelings of sadness, disappointment, exhaustion, or frustration.

Wednesday’s killing is the second shooting incident that police are investigating this week.

On Sunday, two men, Enrique John and Tilon Patterson, both 26, were shot while travelling along the public road in the central Leeward town.

John was among six people charged with several offences, including attempted murder, in connection with the robbery of a credit union in South Rivers on July 16, 2024.

Police are yet to make an arrest in any of these cases.

Haiti has appealed to the international community to help restore security in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country where criminal gangs have taken over most, if not all of the capital, Port-au- Prince and surrounding neighbourhoods.

‘I specifically call on all States to make effective contributions to the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), approved by the United Nations Security Council on September 30th,’ President of the Transitional President Council (TPC), Laurent Saint-Cyr, as he addressed the second World Summit for Social Development here.

President of the Transitional President Council (TPC), Laurent Saint-Cyr, as he addressed the second World Summit for Social Development in Doha (UN Web TV).

‘Making the Gang Repression Force operational as soon as possible, while learning from the experience of the Multinational Security Support Mission, is an imperative of international solidarity, fully in line with the spirit of this Summit.

‘The social development that the Haitian people and people around the world deserve requires peace, stability, and security,’ he added.

Authorised to have up to 5,550 personnel, the GSF’s mandate is to proactively neutralise, isolate, and deter criminal gangs, which currently control significant parts of the country. The GSF will conduct intelligence-led operations to combat violence, secure critical infrastructure, and support humanitarian access.

Saint-Cyr said that the TPC, created in April 2024 to lead the country until elections can be held, is commitment to restoring security, with the support of international partners, and to preparing free and credible elections to meet the legitimate aspirations of the Haitian people.

In his address, Saint-Cyr, said social development is not a choice but a duty of the international community.

He thanked partners for support after Hurricane Melissa, which exposed Haiti’s structural weaknesses and community vulnerabilities, emphasizing that development requires peace, security, and stability.

The Haitian government Tuesday announced that the death toll from Hurricane Melissa had risen to 43, with 21 injured and 13 people still missing.

It said rescue teams continued their efforts to reach communities in the southwest of the country, where landslides and flooding devastated more than 30 towns and villages.

Saint-Cyr said Haiti is prioritizing security, elections, humanitarian response and economic recovery. He said the government is reintegrating children and youth formerly involved with armed groups through vocational training and relocating displaced people with dignity.

He stressed the need for urgent international support to move from short-term aid to sustainable investment.

Meanwhile, Saint-Cyr met with the United Kingdom Under-Secretary of State, Chris Elmore, on the sidelines of the meeting.

It said that during their discussions, Saint-Cyr reiterated the crucial importance of restoring security for the success of the transition and advocated for the swift implementation of the Foreign Relations Guarantee (FRG), an essential condition for holding free and credible elections and returning to democratic order.

He also requested British support in the maritime domain to curb the illicit flow of arms into Haiti, as well as increased cooperation in maritime surveillance and intelligence sharing to contribute to restoring security in the country.

Elmore is reported to have expressed London’s concern regarding the humanitarian situation in Haiti and commended the efforts undertaken by the transitional government to address it.

West Indies reached 164 for six after being sent in by New Zealand in the first T20 International here at Eden Gardens on Wednesday.

Scores:

WEST INDIES 164-6 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 53, Rovman Powell 33, Roston Chase 28; Jacob Duffy 2-19, Zak Foulkes 2-35).

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is warning members of the fisherfolk community not to venture beyond the territorial waters of Trinidad and Tobago, reiterating the country’s support for the United States war on drugs in the region.

‘I saw some international media said that Trinidad and Tobago is a nation of fishermen. Nothing is further from the truth. We have fishermen but we have industries and other forms of income.

‘The impression is being made that fishermen from Trinidad and Tobago are being bombed out of the sea. What are you doing out here? Why are you so far off? Why don’t you stay in your zone? Why don’t you stay in Trinidad and Tobago waters and you’ll be safe.

‘Trinidad is not a target. Tobago is not a target. So I totally disagree with the narrative out there by some, you know, that we’re exposing our nationals to danger,’ she told reporters as she wrapped up a visit to the sister isle on Tuesday.

In recent weeks, the United States military has been bombing vessels in the international waters claiming that the occupants were drug traffickers without offering any evidence of such activity.

The families of two Trinidad and Tobago nationals, who were reported to have been casualties of the US bombings, have since made ‘missing persons’ reports to the police here.

The United Nations UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also strongly condemned the airstrikes carried out by the United States against alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific.

Volker Trk said in a statement that the strikes ‘violate international human rights law’, demanding that they be stopped immediately.

Last month, the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said that regional leaders had discussed several issues on the regional agenda, including the security build-up in parts of the Caribbean and its potential impact on member states.

It said that the position at that meeting was not endorsed by the government of Trinidad and Tobago.

Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar said that as a result of the US action, the illegal drug flows to the country have decreased.

Police Commissioner, Allister Guevarro, speaking at a news conference in Port of Spain, also indicated that the war on the illegal drugs trade is having an effect on local supply.

‘The intelligence indicates that there is a current shortage of the illicit drugs, particularly from those trafficked from Venezuela and Colombia and the disruption has directly affected the availability of the narcotics in Trinidad and Tobago, which as you know in business terms, when there is a shortage in supply, you know what goes up.

‘So we have detected there has been a marked increase in the price of narcotics on the streets,’ Guevarro said, adding this has led to those in the illegal drugs trade seeking to develop alternative routes.

‘You know Trinis really ingenious. Here is the first thing they want to do. They going and plant weed and we already treating with that. They have men looking for particular breed of seeds from abroad to bring in, we treating with that already’.

He said the police were already treating with marijuana eradication across the country and that on September 12, law enforcement officers seized 268 kilogrammes of Colombian creepy marijuana with a street value in excess of TT$29 million (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents).

He said on September 30, another operation led to the seizure of 201 Colombian creepy marijuana and that the US military activity has also curbed the influx of other illegal items into Trinidad and Tobago.

Meanwhile, the secretary of the non-governmental organisation, Friends and Fishermen of the Sea, Gary Aboud, said its members have been advised by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard that ‘it is dangerous to go off shore, and they are right, because we could be murdered at any time like many others who have been murdered before.

‘We respect the warning and we urge our members to err on the side of caution, to stay close in land, not to drive at any speed because things that are moving at more than 20 knots can be blown to pieces and we support the prime minister’s statement about having respect for the rule of law that respect should also be the government and the United States should not conduct extra judicial killings. It is wrong’.

Aboud said that the Coast Guard is also urging that the fisherfolk stay within ‘the line of sight’ adding ‘instead of chasing our members out of a livelihood, shouldn’t the Coast Guard consider the activation of radars because without radars the Coast Guard are blind and blind national security is the easiest to out maneuvered.

‘We strongly support the Coast Guard safety measures, but we think that there is more that should be done rather than just prohibit our members and denying them the right to make a living.

‘If it is our members are being denied the right to make a living, with great respect I ask the Right Honourable Prime Minister of the Republic to please consider some kind of compensation for our men because we are at the bottom of the economic ladder,’ Aboud added.

The Bureau of Standards Wednesday issued a mandatory national recall for the product ‘Milonga – Cannabis Infused Tea: Yerba Mate’ (ALL FLAVOURS), saying it has not been approved for trade or distribution in the twin island Federation.

‘The presence of this unauthorised cannabis-infused beverage in public traded spaces such as supermarkets and bars pose a significant risk to public health and safety, especially to children,’ the Bureau said in a statement.

It said ‘this product was found for sale in local retail stores’ and that consumers are warned that the product label states it contains 10mg of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol).

‘THC is classified as a Class A Controlled Drug under the nation’s Drugs Act, making the sale of this product illegal,’ the Bureau said, adding that the recall is being enforced under the Bureau of Standards Regulations as well as the Drugs (Prevention and Abatement of the Misuse and Abuse of Drugs) Act, and the Customs and Excise Act.

‘Consumers are urged to NOT consume this product and to dispose of it immediately. All retailers and distributors are legally required to remove this product from their shelves and stop all sales within 48 hours,’ the Bureau said, warning ‘failure to comply with this recall order will result in enforcement action’.

Former Suriname president, Ronald Runaldo Venetiaan, died on Wednesday after he had been ailing for some time. He was 89.

Venetiaan is regarded here as one of the most authoritative and influential leaders in Surinamese political history, serving three terms as head of state during the period, 1991-1996, 2000-2005, and 2005-2010.

Venetiaan was born on June 18, 1936. He studied mathematics and physics at Leiden University in the Netherlands, returning to the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country in the 1960s.

He began his career in education, first as a teacher and later as a school principal. In 1973, he joined the Arron administration as minister of Education and Public Development and political observers say his passion for education and development remained a guiding principle throughout his political career.

In 1991, Venetiaan was elected president for the first time, a few years after the first Desi Bouterse military government came to an end in November 1987. Though civilian rule was nominally restored in 1987, the military, still under Bouterse, retained significant de facto control, a period that lasted until a second coup in December 1990.

After a break of several years, Venetiaan returned to office in 2000 and was re-elected in 2005. He inherited a severely damaged economy and prioritised financial recovery and stabilization.

Under his leadership, the Surinamese dollar was introduced, and efforts were intensified to strengthen the rule of law and governance. Venetiaan was known for his calm, principled style and his aversion to political theatrics. Integrity and sound administration were the cornerstones of his leadership.

In both his first and second presidencies, restoring democratic norms played a central role and his policies, aimed at ensuring civilian control of the military and building strong institutions, earned broad respect.

After stepping down in 2010, Venetiaan withdrew from active politics but remained a moral compass as honorary chairman of the National Party of Suriname (NPS). Venetiaan is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.

Caribbean Democratic legislators in New York easily won re-election in Tuesday’s general elections, riding on an unusually large voter-turn out as Democratic Socialist, Zohran Mamdani, swept into the Office of the Mayor of the City of New York.

With 90 per cent of the ballots counted, New York City Democratic Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, the son of Grenadian immigrants, received 1,362,196 votes, or 72.9 per cent; Republican Gonzalo Duran received 465,113 votes, or 24.9 per cent; and Independent Martin Dolan obtained 42,314 votes, or 2.3 per cent.

Jumaane Williams

‘I’m grateful to the over two million New Yorkers who made their voices heard at the polls today, setting a new direction for our city,’ Williams told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), adding ‘I am ready and eager to be a steward of it.

‘Even as we face constant challenges and threats, many from our own federal government, I find hope and even optimism in the people of our city and the leadership they have chosen today.

‘This is an opportunity to admit that many of the systems of government and styles of politics in our city have failed the people we are meant to serve. It is a moment to honestly confront the way ‘things are done’ and create something new – not sheer idealism, but progress rooted in and driven by our ideals.

‘New Yorkers voted their values today, and we must govern guided by those values. As Public Advocate, my role and responsibility are to hold the powerful to account, to serve as the voice of people navigating our city, to stand with New Yorkers in need. It is a responsibility I do not take lightly in a moment when too many feel unheard or are being silenced.’

Williams said he was ‘honoured and humbled that so many New Yorkers have continued to place their trust’ in him ‘to fill that role in this moment of change.

Mercedes Narcisse

In District 46 in Brooklyn, with 88 per cent of the ballots counted, Haitian-born, New York City Democratic Council Membe, and incumbent, received 24,622 votes, or 67.9 per cent; Republican Athena Clarke received 10,012 votes, or 27.6 per cent; and Guyanese-born Dimple Willabus, running as a Conservative, received 1,643 votes, or 4.5 per cent.

Narcisse, a registered nurse by training, said she was also ‘deeply humbled and grateful to the people of the 46th District for once again placing their trust in me to serve as their council member.

‘This victory is not mine alone, it belongs to every resident, volunteer, and supporter who stood with me, who believed in our message, and who knows that hard work and compassion still matter in public service,’ she told CMC.

Narcisse acknowledged that it was ‘not an easy campaign,’ stating that there were ‘challenges, there was politics as usual, and there was negativity.

‘But we never lost focus. We stayed true to our values and kept delivering our message of progress, work, and community. As a nurse, I’ve spent my life caring for others, and that same spirit guides how I serve,’ Narcisse added.

‘I’m honored to have another four years to continue this work, to keep fighting for fairness, equity, and opportunity for all. Together, we’ve proven that, when you stay grounded in community, work hard and are committed to results, the people will always stand with you.’

Farah Louis

In District 45 in Brooklyn, with 88 per cent of the ballots counted, New York City Democratic Council Member and incumbent Farah Louis, the daughter of Haitian and Bahamian immigrants, garnered 31,611 votes, or 84.7 per cent; Republican Joshua received 4,248 votes, or 11.4 per cent; and Hatem El-Gamasy, running as the ‘Other’ candidate, received 1,464 votes, or 3.9 per cent.

Louis told CMC that she was ‘deeply grateful to the residents of the 45th Council District for entrusting me with another term to continue our fight for affordability, public safety, and quality of life.

‘I look forward to working tirelessly on their behalf over the next four years. It has been the honour of my life to serve the people of Council District 45.

‘As I seek my final term, I am more energized than ever to continue delivering real results for our neighbors. The work we’ve accomplished together is just the beginning, and I will not stop until we’ve built a foundation for lasting change in our district,’ Louis said.

‘Throughout my tenure, I have been a tireless champion for the most vulnerable members of our community and New York City, while fighting relentlessly to improve quality of life for all District 45 residents.’

With 88 per cent of the ballots counted in District 35 in Brooklyn, Democratic New York City Council Member incumbent Crystal Hudson, whose grandmother hailed from Jamaica, received 53,011 votes, or 93.0 per cent; Conservative Benny Rosenberger received 3,056 votes, or 5.4 per cent; and Hector Robertson, running as ‘Other’ candidate, received 933 votes, or 1.6 per cent.

In District 42, also in Brooklyn, incumbent New York City Democratic Council Member Chris Banks, whose mother is from Trinidad and Tobago, received 22,277 votes, or 95.8 per cent; and Davon Phillips, running as ‘Other’, received 975 votes, or 4.2 per cent.

Rita Joseph, the Haitian-born born representative for the 40th District in Brooklyn, said she did not have a challenger in the general elections.

She, however, thanked voters again for trusting in her to be their representative at City Hall.

‘It is an honour and a responsibility that I do not take lightly and one that I will continue to work tirelessly to fulfill so that we can have a district where everyone thrives,’ Joseph told CMC.

‘Alongside the new administration and Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani, I know we have a lot more work to do to make our district, our borough, and our city more livable for everyone,’ added Joseph.

The Suriname government says it will resume negotiations with the Chinese bauxite company, Chinalco, after announcing the establishment of a special negotiating committee.

On Tuesday, a Chinalco delegation made an introductory visit to Acting President Gregory Rusland, who said that ‘the negotiations must lead to an agreement that is more beneficial to the nation’.

Chinalco director Bo Qu, who headed the delegation said that the collaboration with Suriname should be a ‘win-win situation’.

A government statement said that the Chinalco’s plan involves mining bauxite in West Suriname and that the agreement in principle with the previous government signed in November last year included an investment of approximately US$426 million for the construction of a mine and associated infrastructure near Apoera.

Suriname would hold a 13 per cent stake and be represented in the management of the joint venture, the statement said.

However, the project’s implementation stalled after residents of Apoera and surrounding villages fiercely protested the agreement.

‘The renewed talks should clarify the conditions under which the project could potentially proceed,’ the statement added.