Category: CANA News

The British Virgin Islands is being urged to reduce fees imposed on foreign-based charter vessels, warning that the current charges are hurting business across the wider Virgin Islands sailing market.

The call came from US Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr who described the fee structure as excessive and said both territories should try to reach an agreement before the next charter season.

He argued that easier movement between the USVI and BVI would benefit tourism and marine businesses on both sides, while acknowledging that vessels operating in BVI waters should make a financial contribution.

The dispute centres on higher licensing charges for foreign charter operators. Under the BVI’s current system, some vessels face annual fees of up to US$24,000 for unlimited entry, while day-trip operators can be charged US$8,500.

The BVI government has maintained that overseas-based operators should pay their share for conducting business in the territory.

Bryan, however, said the measures have had a significant impact on the USVI yacht sector, claiming losses of more than US$100 million. He said charter companies and marina operators have sought legal advice and taken their concerns to authorities in Washington.

The governor also said he has been trying for roughly 18 months to secure talks with BVI officials.

Bryan raised concerns as well about customs procedures, saying lengthy processing times can discourage short trips between the islands.

He rejected any suggestion that visitors were trying to circumvent BVI immigration controls and said the goal should instead be to make legitimate travel between the territories easier.

Bryan contrasted the BVI system with what he described as a more relaxed border arrangement in the USVI and criticised restrictions affecting how frequently BVI boats can travel into US waters.

According to the governor, federal officials have proposed discussions in Washington involving BVI representatives before any tougher measures are considered.

Bryan said he hopes those talks can take place in October and has written to Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley seeking engagement on the issue.

He said both territories should treat the surrounding waters as a shared sailing destination rather than create barriers that discourage movement.

Bryan also questioned whether the BVI was gaining enough from the current fee system to justify its wider economic impact, arguing that marine tourism generates substantial revenue through related services.

The USVI and BVI agreed in April 2025 to establish a joint marine task force to examine charter operations and regulatory issues.

Bryan said he would prefer the matter to be resolved locally rather than through tariffs or other restrictive measures.

Among the options he suggested were electronic systems to monitor vessel movements and simplified procedures for registered captains and boats travelling between the territories.

He said any agreement should allow both jurisdictions to benefit financially while preserving the close economic and social ties between them.

Bryan also cautioned against allowing the dispute to escalate to the point where greater federal intervention permanently changes the way vessels move between the USVI and BVI.

Haiti’s Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé says Haitians are eager to regain security, return to their homes and participate in the country’s forthcoming general elections.

General elections, repeatedly delayed since 2019, are scheduled for December 13.

Addressing a special United Nations meeting on Haiti on Thursday, Fils-Aimé said Haitians can no longer wait to return to work, send their children to school and freely choose their leaders.

The appeal comes as Haiti continues to grapple with widespread gang violence and a deepening humanitarian crisis.

According to the United Nations, armed gangs control large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and key transport routes, disrupting essential services and humanitarian assistance. About 6.4 million people require humanitarian assistance, while nearly 1.5 million have been displaced.

Fils-Aimé told the meeting that improving security will require stronger international efforts to stop the flow of illegal weapons and ammunition, as well as trafficking and transnational criminal activity.

Participants also expressed support for the UN Security Council-backed Gang Suppression Force.

UN Special Representative for Haiti Carlos Ruiz Massieu said the force remains significantly below its authorised strength, with 1,083 personnel deployed out of a planned 5,500. He called for full deployment as soon as possible.

Fils-Aimé stressed, however, that Haiti’s long-term stability must ultimately depend on stronger Haitian institutions.

He said the government is recruiting and training additional police officers and soldiers and strengthening judicial mechanisms to tackle financial crime, mass atrocities and sexual violence.

The meeting also highlighted the need to protect children from gang violence and recruitment and to provide support for those already associated with armed groups.

On the political front, Fils-Aimé said preparations for elections are advancing, with electoral operations underway, voter registration taking place and political organisations being certified.

He said Haiti’s next government must emerge through the ballot box, arguing that renewed political legitimacy is essential to achieving lasting stability.

St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre Friday called for greater climate justice, reform of the United Nations Security Council and stronger international support for Haiti, warning that small island developing states continue to bear the consequences of decisions made by more powerful countries.

Addressing the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Pierre said the international community is facing growing conflict, declining trust and the reversal of development gains, while rules intended to protect humanity are too often applied selectively.

The Saint Lucian leader said those challenges are particularly acute for small island developing states, which face climate threats, high debt burdens and difficulties accessing affordable financing.

‘For Saint Lucia, climate change is not a distant environmental issue. It is a direct threat to national security, economic stability, food and water security, and human survival,’ Pierre said.

He called for expanded grant and concessional financing, easier access to climate funds, support for loss and damage and meaningful debt relief.

Pierre said eligibility for financing should take account of climate vulnerability and not be based solely on income levels.

‘Climate finance is not charity. It is about justice, responsibility, and survival,’ he said, adding that vulnerable countries should not be forced to borrow to repair climate-related damage they did little to cause.

Pierre also used his address to urge increased international support for Haiti, saying member states must honour commitments made to the security mission assisting the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

He urged the UN Security Council to renew the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force and called on member states to provide the resources required for it to operate effectively.

Pierre said addressing gang violence alone would not resolve Haiti’s crisis, arguing that sustained social and economic assistance is also needed to improve living conditions.

He said the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), through its Eminent Persons Group of former regional prime ministers, would continue facilitating dialogue among political and civil society stakeholders as Haiti works towards general elections.

The Saint Lucian prime minister also reiterated support for a Palestinian state and full UN membership alongside Israel and called for renewed international efforts to end conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan and the wider Middle East.

On Cuba, Pierre called for dialogue and the removal of obstacles hindering the country’s development, while highlighting Havana’s contribution to health and education across the Caribbean.

He also reaffirmed Saint Lucia’s support for Taiwan’s full membership in the United Nations.

Pierre said reform of the UN Security Council was long overdue, arguing that the body continued to reflect the international order of 1945 rather than contemporary geopolitical realities.

He called for expanded permanent and non-permanent representation for Africa, the Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean.

‘A 21st-century United Nations Security Council could have been more successful in its responsibility for international peace and security had it not been anchored in the world of 1945,’ Pierre said.

The prime minister also endorsed Guyanese diplomat Caroline Rodrigues-Birkett for the post of UN secretary-general and praised outgoing Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for what he described as his solidarity with the Caribbean.

Pierre further addressed reparatory justice, saying reparations for slavery and colonial exploitation were not about vengeance but about ‘truth, acknowledgement, repair and transformation’.

He welcomed international moves towards reparatory justice and said the continuing economic and institutional consequences of slavery and colonialism must be addressed.

The Saint Lucian leader also warned against what he described as the risk of ‘digital colonisation’, saying artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies could deepen existing inequalities if control remained concentrated among a small number of corporations and powerful states.

He called for stronger global standards governing artificial intelligence, data protection and privacy, as well as greater access to digital infrastructure, affordable connectivity and cybersecurity for developing countries.

Pierre said Saint Lucia remained committed to improving the lives of its citizens through investment in education, agriculture, healthcare, entrepreneurship and employment, despite the challenges facing small island economies.

‘Saint Lucia believes that a better world is within our reach if we choose cooperation over coercion and ensure that justice and fairness prevail for all,’ he told the General Assembly.

The 81st Session of the UN General Assembly opened on September 8, with its leadership placing renewed emphasis on rebuilding trust in the international system and delivering tangible results for member states.

CRICKET-ZIM/WIS-Matthews: It feels good to lead from the frontSpeaking on her impressive outing with the bat during a post-match press conference, Matthews said she was delighted to have played such a pivotal role in her side’s victory.

‘It was pretty nice to be out there and be able to spend some time and get some runs. A new PB [personal best] for myself definitely sets high goals coming into this series, so I’m pretty happy I’ve been able to start well.

‘It’s good that I can set an example out on the park in general with performances, so to be able to go out at the top of the order and get a score like that and get us into a position going into that second innings where we felt like we had a good score on the board, certainly makes me feel like I did my job,’ Matthews said.

‘I certainly feel like when I get myself in and to 50, I want to try and convert that to hundreds as much as possible and whenever I get the opportunity to score a 100 and still have a lot of overs left to bat, rather than just giving it away, try to take it as deep as possible and get a really big one. It’s not every day you get a chance to 100, so when I do get to those numbers I try to make it as big as possible.’

Antigua and Barbuda has deepened its diplomatic relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan, entering into a visa waiver agreement with the eastern European country. It was a major highlight of a week of productive engagements led by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade the E.P. Chet Greene at the United Nation

The agreement was formalized during a brief signing ceremony between Minister Greene and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov on the sideline of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

It means that eligible citizens from Antigua and Barbuda and Azerbaijan can travel between their two countries without the usual requirement of obtaining a visa.

This was only one in a series of bilateral engagements on a packed agenda for Minister Greene as he met with some of Antigua and Barbuda’s key diplomatic partners, engaging them on matters of mutual interests between their countries.

High on his agenda was Antigua and Barbuda’s hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting and the country’s preparations for hosting the historic gathering was a major area of discussion when Greene met with the UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Chris Elmore.

Greene also held bilateral discussions with a number of African countries to discuss matters on which they were aligned and as part of Antigua and Barbuda’s support for the candidacy of Maria Espinosa for the post of General Secretary of the United Nations.

Espinosa was introduced to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana the Samuel Ablakwa and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs the Hon. Musalia Mudavadi during separate engagements with the representatives of the two African countries. Greene also held bilateral discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan to Antigua and Barbuda’s foreign policy position on a range of matters and introduce the Secretary General candidate.

In addition, Greene joined his head of delegation, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne for bilateral discussions with the Foreign Affairs Minister of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, advancing a number of major trade and economic opportunities for the twin island nation.

The Belize government says it supports the concerns raised by the churches in ‘unequivocally condemning the inappropriate and sexualized behaviour’ involving children during recent public celebrations.

‘Such conduct is deeply concerning and is inconsistent with the moral values, dignity, and standards of responsibility that we must collectively uphold in safeguarding our children,’ the

Ministry of Constitution and Religious Affairs, Indigenous Affairs and Transportation said in a statement.

It said it firmly believes that the protection, dignity, and well-being of Belizean children must remain a shared moral and national responsibility.

‘Children should never be placed in situations where inappropriate sexual behaviour is encouraged, normalized, or presented as entertainment, regardless of the setting or occasion.

‘Our national and cultural celebrations are important expressions of our Belizean identity, heritage, and unity. However, cultural expression should be exercised responsibly and never compromise the values, moral standards, and appropriate boundaries necessary for the protection of our children and the social cohesion of our nation,’ the ministry said.

It said that given it has the responsibility for religious affairs, ‘we recognise the important voice of the churches in promoting strong families, moral responsibility, respect for human dignity, and the protection of children.

‘We therefore stand with the churches and religious bodies in calling upon parents, guardians, event organizers, participants, and the wider community to exercise greater responsibility and vigilance whenever children are involved.’

The ministry said it is calling ‘upon all Belizeans to uphold the values that strengthen our families and communities and to ensure that the safety, dignity, and best interests of every child remain paramount.

‘Our children deserve our protection, our guidance, and our example,’ it added.

West Indies Women defeated Zimbabwe Women by 99 runs in the opening Women’s One Day International at the Harare Sports Club here on Thursday.

Scores

WEST INDIES WOMEN 299-6 in 50 overs (Hayley Matthews 182, Realeanna Grimmond 53, Chinelle Henry 19, Shemaine Campbelle 13; Francisca Chipare 2-57).

ZIMBABWE WOMEN 200 in 43.3 overs (Modester Mupachikwa 86, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano 26, Sharne Mayers 21, Kelis Ndhlovu 15, Beloved Biza 11, Josephine Nkomo 10; Aaliyah Alleyne 3-44, Ashmini Munisar 2-27, Afy Fletcher 2-31, Jannillea Glasgow 2-37).

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Thursday, September 24, 2026.

UNITED NATIONS – Guyana and Barbados leaders address the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

PORT OF SPAIN – Senate President Mark Wade early Thursday morning cast the deciding vote as the Trinidad and Tobago government was able to pass the controversial Special Operations Bill which the government introduced to replace the failed Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs).

NEW YOR – Leaders of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) whose countries operate the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme, have held talks with the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, according to a statement issued by the Office of the Office of the Prime Minister of St. Lucia.

ST. JOHN’S – Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne is maintaining his criticism of what he has described as the emerging lenient sentencing orthodoxy of Caribbean judiciary.

BELMOPAN -The Belize government says it supports the concerns raised by the churches in ‘unequivocally condemning the inappropriate and sexualized behaviour’ involving children during recent public celebrations.

SPORTS:

West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews blasted a magnificent century to give her side a winning start in their One Day International series against Zimbabwe Women on Thursday.

West Indies Women elected to bat after winning the toss against Zimbabwe Women in the opening Women’s One Day International at the Harare Sports Club here on Thursday.

SQUADS

ZIMBABWE WOMEN: Josephine Nkomo (captain), Modester Mupachikwa, Sharne Mayers, Kelis Ndhlovu, Nyasha Gwanzura, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Beloved Biza, Michelle Mavunga, Francisca Chipare, Olinder Chare, Tendai Makushka.

WEST INDIES WOMEN: Hayley Matthews (captain), Realeanna Grimmond, Stafanie Taylor, Shemaine Campbelle, Chinelle Henry, Jannillea Glasgow, Jahzara Claxton, Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack.

Umpires: Kim Cotton, Percival Sizara.

TV Umpire: Iknow Chabi.

Reserve Umpire: Langton Rusere.

Match Referee: Owen Chirombe.

Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre has held talks with the chief executive officer of Saudi Eksab, Yazeed Saleh AlYahya, seeking potential investment in St. Lucia’s development.

The Saudi Arabia Saudi Eksab was launched in October 2025 with a mandate to make equity investments in emerging and frontier markets, aiming to deliver both financial returns and social and economic impact.

Pierre said that the meeting builds on St. Lucia’s partnership with Saudi Arabia, including the Saudi Fund for Development’s support for the reconstruction of St. Jude Hospital, south of the capital.

‘St. Lucia cannot borrow its way to the future. We need partners willing to invest alongside us and share in the returns. Saudi Eksab was created to do exactly that in markets like ours, and we want to work with them,’ Pierre said.

He said that the discussions with the Saudi Eksab outlined his country’s need for more financing options given that small island developing states like is have relied heavily on borrowing to fund development.

Pierre said that small island states have been adding to public debt and limiting their ability to respond when disasters or economic shocks hit.

‘Equity investment offers another way to bring in capital: investors take an ownership stake in the projects they fund, without the government necessarily taking on a new loan,’ he said, adding that the two parties discussed housing and tourism development as one of the first areas for cooperation.

He said access to affordable, well-built housing remains one of the most pressing needs for St. Lucian families and that the meeting ended with an agreement to explore Saudi Eksab investing in housing and tourism development.

‘Saudi Eksab is keen to partner with St. Lucia. Our mandate is to invest where our capital can deliver real socio-economic impact as well as sustainable returns, and housing is an area where both can be achieved. We look forward to working with the Government to turn today’s discussion into concrete opportunities,’ said Al Yahya.