Category: CANA News

Public Health, Welfare and Labour Minister, André Misiekaba, is calling for an urgent and national approach to suicide after figures released by the police show a significant increase in cases in the month of June.

There is no official total count of reported suicide cases for Suriname in 2026 but according to Suriname Police Force (KPS) 22 cases of suicide had been recorded in the month of June and Misiekaba said every case is one too many.

‘The police figures show that we should indeed be concerned,’ Misiekaba told the state-owned Suriname Communication Service (CDS), acknowledging that this issue is causing a shock effect in society.

‘We are concerned, but at the same time, we make the policy. So we are looking at exactly what needs to be done,’ he said, noting that in line with the policy, concrete actions are being taken.

He said that the national crisis hotline aimed at professional guidance and initial support during acute crise and launched on June 5, is one of them, appealing to society to make full use of the service.

Misiekaba said that while the service is not a miracle cure, there are experts who are willing to listen and ‘in any case, they can refer you to the places where you can receive help and guidance’.

Misiekaba said as a second action point, a broad-based council consisting of all stakeholders will be established, acknowledging that he is aware that numerous activities in the field of mental health are being undertaken by various agencies.

However, he believes that these activities are fragmented.

‘And we said: ‘No, we are going to bring everyone together. Everyone who is already doing something,’ Misiekaba said, adding that the strategic policy must be outlined by the council to be established.

‘Then the agencies can proceed with the implementation,’ Misiekaba said, adding that the intention is to have the council operate from his department.

Misiekaba said that incidents of bullying at school are also receiving his ministry’s attention and that the 123 helpline, also known as the Mi Line of the Children and Youth Helpline Foundation, is available. He said people, including children can also call 114 if they feel the need to do so.

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has maintained that the recent performances of both Joshua Bishop and Kirk McKenzie merit their selection to the West Indies squad for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan.

Bishop, 26, and the 25-year-old McKenzie, were included in a 15-member squad to face Pakistan in two Test matches, the first of which bowls off at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Saturday.

They have both impressed at the regional level, with Bishop, a left-arm spinner, having taken 91 wickets across the past three West Indies Championship seasons, while McKenzie enjoyed a stellar outing in this year’s West Indies Championship, where he scored 323 runs in six innings at an average of 64.60.

Speaking in an interview on Thursday, Sammy said the duo was deserving of selection.

‘Joshua Bishop has been really knocking at the doors ever since. Obviously with the venue that we have here now with the Brian Lara Cricket Academy and Queen’s Park, it brings an opportunity for us to probably even play two genuine spinners and Roston as the captain as well, and Joshua Bishop’s contribution and performances help him force his way into the Test team.

‘Young McKenzie is a really bright prospect for us. He was in the team before; I remember watching him score a fighting half century in that Test match we won in Australia where Shamar Joseph had his historic moment,’ Sammy recalled.

‘He kind of lost form and then throughout the last two or three years he worked his foot in and unfortunately for John Campbell, who was looking good in the last Test series but got injured, so McKenzie gets an opportunity to be in the squad.

‘But again, moving forward we’re trying to have that pool of players where when one person is missing the role doesn’t change because we have somebody who can come in and fill that role. So, it’s exciting to have two young players that are the future of West Indies come in, see how the team operates and come in and gain as much experience and exposure as possible,’ he added.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court has dismissed an application by the New York-based law firm, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, seeking to strike out his claim for defamation.

A statement issued following the weekly Cabinet meeting, noted that Browne had informed his ministers about the defamation proceedings he has instituted against attorney Martin De Luca and the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP.

The legal battle stems from disputes over the transparency and handling of the sale of the Alfa Nero superyacht. Prime Minister Browne is seeking US$10 million in damages alongside legal fees.

Earlier this year, the United States Court of Appeals ruled in favour of Prime Minister Browne and several Antigua and Barbuda individuals and entities in a financial disclosure matter brought by Russian national Yulia Guryeva Motlokhov, who had asserted ownership of the Alfa Nero and challenged the Government of Antigua and Barbuda over its sale of the vessel in 2024.

‘Cabinet was informed that, on 21st July 2026, Master Carlos Cameron Michel dismissed an application by the Second Defendant, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, seeking to strike out the Prime Minister’s claim at a preliminary stage.’

The statement said that the application had argued, among other things, that the claim failed to comply with certain provisions of the Civil Procedure Rules and disclosed no reasonable grounds for bringing a claim in defamation.

It said after hearing submissions from both parties and considering the written arguments and supporting authorities, the Court refused the application.

As part of its ruling, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court ordered the second defendant to pay costs to the Claimant in the sum of EC$1,500.00 on or before August 12 this year.

The statement said that the Court further directed the second defendant to file its defence by September 4, 2026, after which the claimant will have the opportunity to file a reply within the prescribed period. The matter will then proceed to case management in accordance with the Civil Procedure Rules.

The statement said Prime Minister Browne advised Cabinet that the ruling represents an important procedural milestone, as it allows the substantive issues raised in the claim to proceed before the Court for determination on their merits.

He said that he welcomed the Court’s ruling, which has reaffirmed the importance of truth, fairness, and accountability in public discourse. While robust opposition and debate is an essential feature of any democracy, defamatory statements that unjustly damage an individual’s reputation have no place in our society.

Browne said that this outcome is not simply a personal vindication but also a reminder that freedom of expression carries corresponding responsibilities and that he remains fully committed to serving the people of Antigua and Barbuda ‘with integrity and will continue to focus on advancing the nation’s development while respecting the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary’.

The statement said Cabinet ‘unanimously endorsed’ Prime Minister Browne’s decision to pursue legal redress through the courts, affirming that ‘this initial outcome reinforces the principles of accountability, the rule of law, and the protection of individuals from defamatory and malicious falsehoods’.

Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday has welcomed InterCaribbean Airways as ‘an important partner’ in improving regional travel as the airline Thursday unveiled one of its aircraft bearing the national flag and the name ‘Spirit of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’.

Friday described the aircraft as a ‘branded flying ambassador’ for St. Vincent and the Grenadines and a visible expression of national identity.

‘Wherever it flies throughout the Caribbean, it will carry the spirit and beauty of our country with it,’ Friday said, adding that each landing and departure by the aircraft will send a message that the country is open for business and ready to welcome visitors.

He told the ceremony that tourism is a pillar of the economy, supporting jobs, entrepreneurs, farmers, fisherfolk, artisans and families across the multi-island state and to unlock its full potential, government must build strategic partnerships, modern infrastructure and improved accessibility.

Friday said that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is responsible for transportation within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) quasi-cabinet and that regional air connectivity remains one of the region’s biggest challenges, regularly discussed at CARICOM summits.

He said in that context, he welcomed InterCaribbean Airways as ‘an important partner’ in improving regional travel and commended the airline for embracing the vision of showcasing the Vincentian brand across the region.

Friday said the partnership with the Turks and Caicos Island based airline forms part of a wider government programme to upgrade transport and tourism infrastructure, including the continued investment to optimise Argyle International Airport.

‘World-class destinations require world-class infrastructure and top-notch service,’ he said, linking tourism to a broader economic strategy based on four priority pillars: agriculture, tourism, the blue economy and the new economy.

Friday urged Vincentians to take pride when they see the aircraft abroad, saying it embodies ‘our warmth, our history, our aspirations, and our resilience as a people’ insisting ‘we take a back seat to no one’.

Chief executive officer of InterCaribbean Airways, Trevor Sadler, said that airline is now serving 24 cities in 18 countries, expanding steadily moving from nine- and 15-seat aircraft to 30-seat Embraer 120s, then to 50-seat Embraer 145 jets in 2018, and now operating 11 ATR aircraft.

Sadler said that InterCaribbean Airways is on the verge of introducing eight Embraer 170 jets with 76 seats and twice the range of the 145s, enabling expansion into new destinations.

With the induction of the ‘Spirit of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ ATR, Sadler said the aircraft will operate across the Caribbean, with deliberate efforts to schedule flights into AIA and that the branding is also a conversation starter.

He said with St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ flag on the nose and tail, ‘we hope everyone who’s not familiar with that flag is going to take a moment to ask the question… and now get curious about coming here’.

Chief executive officer of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority, Shafia London, said the aircraft branding represented far more than marketing visibility, describing it as ‘a powerful symbol of partnership, connectivity, and shared ambition… a visible symbol of a valued partnership’.

London said tourism rests on two pillars: building a destination that people want to visit, and ensuring they can actually get there.

She recalled the post-COVID period when travel to and from the island required ‘patience, careful planning, and compromise’, and credited InterCaribbean Airways with helping to change that reality by expanding its regional network and strengthening its presence.

She said that every InterCaribbean Airlines flight into the international airport here, represents economic opportunity for a wide range of Vincentians, including hotels and guesthouses, restaurants and taxi operators, tour guides and attractions, and farmers, fisherfolk, artisans and small businesses,

London said as the Tourism Authority prepares to launch ‘a new era of destination marketing’ the partnership ensures that when potential visitors are inspired to come, ‘getting here is not a challenge; it is a possibility’.

Tourism Minister DR. Kishore Shallow framed the branded aircraft as a declaration that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is asserting itself in a crowded Caribbean tourism marketplace.

He said the ‘Spirit of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ is ‘a declaration that the island is taking its rightful place in the Caribbean marketplace – a bold statement,’ adding that each flight carrying the national flag becomes an invitation to discover the islands, experience the people, and invest in the country.

Shallow linked the unveiling to what he described as ‘remarkable momentum’ in the tourism sector, making reference to a prospective public-private partnership with Global Ports Holding in the cruise sector and a packed calendar that includes Caribbean premier league (CPL) matches on August 7-9, teasing that a ‘real surprise’ is yet to be revealed.

He said that hotel occupancy has surged, with rooms fully booked during ‘Vincymas’ and already sold out for the upcoming CPL fixtures.

Shallow acknowledged that while St. Vincent and the Grenadines does not have the ‘luxurious wallets’ of some regional competitors, government and the Tourism Authority are compensating through strategic planning, institutional strengthening, and efficient use of limited resources.

A mother and three of her children were laid to rest on Friday as a sense of unimaginable heartbreak engulfed Bush Lot in Region Five as friends and relatives said a final goodbye to the latest victims of Guyana’s worst maritime disaster when the MV Barima that capsized last Saturday night, with unofficial figures indicating that more than 100 people may have died as a result .

The caskets bearing the bodies of Rachel Wells, her children Natalia, Ezekiel and Matevik were wheeled into the yard of their West Coast Burmese home as persons overcome with grief wept openly.

Wells, along with her husband, the three children and other relatives, were travelling to Region 1 to visit her parents for the first time in nine years and in a tragic twist of fate, her husband was among the few who survived the tragedy.

Among those paying their final respects was Minister of Education Sonia Parag, who in offering words of comfort and support extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

‘On behalf of myself, my family, on behalf of the President, the Vice President, Prime Minister and our Cabinet, I extend our deepest condolences to this family and I pray that they find the comfort and strength to carry on every day,’ she added.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who has dismissed calls for Public Works Minister Juan Edghill to resign as a result of the incident, saying this is a matter for President Irfaan Ali to determine, told the daily news conference on Friday evening that so far 22 funerals have taken place and that the search and recovery operations remain a national priority with personnel and resources fully committed to the effort.

‘These operations will continue for as long as necessary to ensure that every possible effort is made to account for those affected with the utmost care, dignity and respect. A night of reflection and prayer will be held at Mavuruma this evening…as the nation continues to mourn those who lost their lives in this tragedy,’ Prime Minister Phillips told reporters.

He said that the government ‘continues to stand with the families of those we have lost and all those impacted by this tragedy’.

Prime Minister Phillips said one more body had been recovered on Friday, bringing the death toll to 73, with 69 of the bodies already identified by relatives following last weekend’s incident when the 87-year-old vessel capsized after being hit by a wave, as it made its way from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, a small village within the Barima-Waini administrative region of the country.

The official manifest had 116 passengers and a 17 member crew, but the authorities said that as many as 179 passengers and crew may have been on board the vessel.

‘I don’t have a report of (the bodies) of foreigners being recovered from this tragedy. I heard somebody talk about some Sanish-speaking people, I don’t know if they are reallty foreigners or how long they have been in Guyana and whether or not they are Guyanese…we will have to do some investigations,’ Phillips told reporters.

He said that the authorities are still compiling information regarding the number of people who were on the boat.

‘We’re still working on that information.We’ve established yes, there were people on the ferry who was not on the manifest,’ Phillips said, adding that ‘as we identify more and more people, both the survivors and those who would have unfortunately left us and as we identify, that will help us to achieve an accurate list.’

He said that the figures would be released on an ongoing basis and so far out of 179 (passengers) we’re at a stage where there are 76 survivors, 76 people were rescued, 73 bodies recovered so far.

‘Out of these 73 bodies recovered, as I mentioned, 69 of that figure had been identified,’ he said, adding ‘as we get the bodies and we identify the bodies, we keep compiling, compiling, compiling the list.

‘We don’t want to give you among the survivors so much who are on the manifest and so much who are not, and then among the bodies recovered, so much who are not. We want to give you one list which says out of 179, so many were on the manifest, so many were not on the manifest.’

Earlier, President Ali, speaking with the relatives of those persons still unaccounted for said that attempts were being made on Friday to move the wreck.

‘It has some challenges for us. For the divers going down all the time, we have a number of divers who got sick. So a number of divers had to come back in,’ he said, adding that he is hoping for more improvement.

‘In the event that we don’t get the type of movement that we want with the boat, the divers are able to do the number one, to go back …to try to go into the vessel and try to release as much as they can release.’

He said if there is not the ‘type of result we want…the only other option after that, which we don’t want to get to, we’re trying to avoid as far as possible, with family members., is to try for a full salvage of the vessel.

‘That has a challenge of disrupting whatever is there. But we are hopeful that we don’t get to that,’ Ali said, adding ‘if we get to that, all of us together will have to make a decision as to the best option’.

Prime MInister Phillips told reporters that part of the operations today included the preparation to move the vessel and also to search the vessel.

‘There has been no movement of the vessel. So it’s just strictly diving in keeping with those two tasks,’ he said, adding that the divers are experiencing a number of challenges.

‘ Well, there will be challenges. They’re on the current. There’s a challenge. The water is not only murky but muddy, and therefore visibility is a big issue, but they have their equipment.

‘So they are experts in their field, and they will determine whether they can go and when they can go,’ he said, adding that some vessels have been deployed to the area ‘standing by just in case we move to the next phase, which may be the righting of the vessel.

‘As you know, the vessel is lying on its side right now, okay? So to put the vessel or right the vessel is to put it on its keel. No such activity has been done as yet. Strictly diving operation in progress. So those vessels there, they just mobilise just in case we move to the second operation, which is righting the vessel,’ Phillips said.

He said that the divers did not report seeing any more bodies and that they were primarily preparing themselves for further dives on Saturday.

‘So, I would envisage that as they continue going down, obviously they will ease up from now on and go down again tomorrow, they may find more bodies. But there is a view that if we right the vessel, that itself may lead to us finding some more bodies,’ Prime Minister Phillip told reporters.

United States Senate Democratic Leader, Chuck Schumer, is urging Senate Republicans to ‘stand up to Trump’s vilification of Haitians’, demanding that they protect Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for over 350,000 Haitians living in the North American country.

Schumer told legislators that Haitians are ‘a critical part of our economy, culture and society’ and that the Haitian community ‘is woven into the fabric of our great American family’.

He said President Donald Trump is trying to tear it apart by terminating Haiti’s TPS.

‘As someone who takes great pride in representing the state that is home to the largest Haitian population in the country, I know just how important the Haitian community is to the American economy, to culture, to society.

‘But, unfortunately, Donald Trump clearly doesn’t. Trump has vilified Haitians with his bigoted attacks and stereotypes over and over again. Now, Trump is trying to force Haitians who are here legally to return to the dangerous conditions they fled in Haiti.

‘Let’s be clear: revoking Haitians’ Temporary Protected Status will not only hurt them, it hurts our entire country. In New York, you can’t go into a hospital, nursing home, or clinic without seeing scores of dedicated health care professionals who are fiercely proud of their Haitian heritage. That’s true in cities and towns throughout the country.’

Schumer said he had heard warnings that if Trump expels Haitian TPS holders, it will strain the US health system and create a gap in the caregiving workforce that will be difficult to fill.

‘These people are our friends, they’re our neighbours. They take care of the elderly and people with disabilities. They are entrepreneurs and small business owners. They work hard. They pay taxes.

‘And let’s not forget that Haitian TPS holders add nearly six billion US dollars to the US economy each year. Ending TPS doesn’t fix our broken immigration system – it only makes things worse. It’s cruel, it’s counterproductive.’

Additionally, the Senate Democratic Leader said that ‘sending 300,000 people to Haiti with little to no support will further destabilize an already severe humanitarian and security crisis on our country’s doorstep.

‘I urge all my colleagues to support our legislation and preserve Haitians’ TPS Status. I’ll keep fighting for Haitian Americans in New York and beyond – anytime, anyplace,’ Schumer added.

The California-based Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) said that the situation had now become an ‘SOS moment for the Haitian community.

‘As our community faces widespread uncertainty and fear, we urgently need your help,’ said HBA executive director Guerline Jozef, noting that, on June 25, 2026, the US Supreme Court agreed with Trump in allowing the termination TPS for Haiti to proceed and ‘placing approximately 350,000 Haitian TPS holders at risk of losing their work authorization, protection from deportation, and the lives they have built in the United States.

‘And while the United States government is in the process of carrying out the largest deportation effort in US history, the Haitian community will bear the brunt of this cruel and economically unsound decision,’ she told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

She said that, for years, HBA has fought to protect and expand TPS by working alongside affected communities and elected officials, joining national litigation, and leading advocacy efforts in the US Congress.

With the official end of TPS now just a day away, Jozef said HBA is ‘continuing to fight until the very last day, and we will not stop advocating for the safety and protection of Haitian immigrants.

‘We are fighting on every front. Every day, more families are turning to HBA after losing jobs, income, and the security they once relied on. They need help with food, rent, transportation, legal representation, and emergency plans to protect their children.

‘Our team is responding with humanitarian assistance, legal support, and trusted guidance, but the number of people seeking help is growing far faster than our current capacity,’ Jozef said, adding ‘this is a call to action. Please stand with the Haitian Bridge Alliance.’

A High Court judge is expected to rule next week whether 70 year-old Star Sabga will be granted an interim release after lawyers representing the state was granted additional time to respond to her application.

Sabga is believed to be a relative of Genevieve Hadeed, who along with her businessman husband, Dominic, were released after the Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander revoked a preventative detention order (PDO) that kept them behind bars for a month.

The Hadeeds had been detained amid allegations that they were conspiring to assassinate Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General John Jeremie and other members of her government.

Alexander had revoked the PDOs after he said he had reviewed the legal, medical and constitutional issues surrounding the couple’s detention. In a release, he said their continued detention was no longer proportionate while the police investigation continued.

Sabga’s attorneys are asking Justice Paul to grant her house arrest under the same conditions ordered by a panel of the Court of Appeal for the Hadeeds last week

On Friday, lawyers for Sabga, who has also not been charged with any offence, told Justice Vigel Paul that ‘this is a fundamental rights case which the Court of Appeal has suggested should be dealt with extreme urgency,

‘We consider that there has been significant and egregious Executive overreach in this case,’ attorney Rishi Dass, SC, said as he challenged the position of the state’s attorney, Gerald Ramdeen on the matter.

Ramdeen, who is representing Alexander, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and the Office of the Attorney General, said he needed additional time to respond to the lengthy affidavit filed in support of the application and that he was not seeking to prolong Sabga’s detention.

‘Nobody came to this court worrying about Star Sabga when the Hadeeds were locked up,’ Ramdeen said, adding ‘we can’t allow expedition to trump the fundamental rules of fairness’.

Justice Paul eventually agreed to give the State the weekend to respond to the affidavits. He will then hear submissions on the issue on Monday afternoon.

The Dominica government says it will commission its 10-megawatt geothermal power plant on July 31 as the country continues with efforts to transition to a cleaner, more resilient energy sector.

Energy Minister Dr. Vince Henderson, speaking on the state-owned DBS Radio, said he had received a report earlier this week indicating that there had been a successful evaluation of all relevant parameters to allow for the project to be commissioned at month end.

He said as a result, ‘we are getting ready to sign off on that so that we can say within the next few days that commissioning is over so that the plant will now be commissioned and we can start operating under the terms and conditions of the power purchase agreement with DOMLEC (Dominica Electricity Services Limited).

‘So we’re nearing that, our target has moved a few times admittedly, but the last time we reset we gave ourselves July 31st and it seems that we are going to be able to achieve that July 31st date,’ Henderson told radio listeners, adding ‘this is exciting news for us because we feel a higher degree of confidence because as I said we’ve had a lot of back and forth and I think for us, it’s not only for us I should say, when I say us what I mean all of us in Dominica’.

The World Bank has provided loan and grant funding for Dominica’s geothermal development through projects including the Dominica Geothermal Risk Mitigation Project.

Initial funding included an International Development Association (IDA) credit of US$17.2 million, but other funding sources, like grants from the United Kingdom and the Clean Technology Fund, have also been crucial to the overall US$51.45 million financing package. These funds are supporting the development of geothermal power plants, strengthening the grid and assessing export potential.

The Dominica government has said that the geothermal development project is expected to play a central role in the country’s vision of becoming the first climate-resilient nation powered by sustainable energy.

Henderson said that while the entire exercise has been a ‘learning experience for Dominica’ he is also pleased young Dominicans have been given an opportunity to be involved in the project.

‘Our geothermal plants, there are 28 employees, 26 of them are Dominicans. I’m talking about for the operations of the plant, I’m talking about the hundreds of Dominicans who are working during the construction, but currently we have young graduates from the Sate College, we have technicians, engineers who worked with DOMLEC for several years, but especially younger people who are now employed at the geothermal plant and they’re the ones who operate in the plant.’

He said some of the young people had been sent for training in Guatemala ‘where they actually went to see the servicing of a plant and to get a better knowledge of how these things work.

‘And I remember a few weeks ago, there was a team from DOMLEC that went to Brazil with KPI, the Indian company, to understand how they operate the transmission network so that they can have more experience on this thing. So it’s been a learning process for us, a lot of learning.’

Henderson said Dominicans should be proud of the geothermal energy initiative, adding ‘this is one achievement for Dominica that we can be proud of, every one of us, because we have, I mean, admittedly, we have not been first in a lot of things, but we can say this is something that we’ve done well, not just being first in it, but we’ve done well and we can lead the way, we can teach, we can share, we can speak of our experiences and it’s catching people’s attention’.

He said Dominica has been getting several requests including attendance at meetings in Dominican Republic and Panama City.

‘…there are people, they want to hear, but how were you able to do that? It’s a Dominican experience and I’m saying this because I want us to embrace this as our project,’ Henderson added.

The Trinidad-based Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) is underscoring the need for a structured regional framework to guide the responsible development and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI).

‘AI must be harnessed to reduce our vulnerabilities and amplify our strengths. That requires a forum that sets the pace and the structure for action: standards that fit our scale, governance that protects our citizens, capacity development pathways that keep talent in the region, and financing models that help make pilot projects sustainable and scalable,’ Nigel Cassimire, the CTU’s Deputy Secretary-General told the two-day first Caribbean Artificial Intelligence Forum (CAIF) 2026 that ends here on Friday.

He told the forum being held under the theme ‘AI for Caribbean Transformation: Governance, Innovation and Resilience for a Shared Digital Future’ that there is need for a structured regional framework to guide the responsible development and implementation of AI.

The founding member of World Digital Governance (WDG), Graeme Thomson, called for bold regional cooperation to strengthen digital transformation, build shared capabilities and amplify the Caribbean’s voice in global digital governance.

‘The future belongs to those who think boldly and organise intelligently and together. Sovereignty and cooperation are not opposites. The coming of artificial Intelligence and digital transformation are challenges too big for us to tackle alone.

‘Only together can we educate a regional workforce can we build interoperable digital services and the infrastructure underpinning them. And only together can we shape international conversations to our interests. This is not surrendering sovereignty. It is exercising sovereignty intelligently,’ Thomson said.

The forum has been organised by the CTU partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine Campus and the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre (AIIC). The organisers said it is expected to generate actionable recommendations to support policy harmonisation, foster innovation, strengthen regional capacity and position the Caribbean as a leader in the responsible and inclusive development of artificial intelligence.

It has brought together regional and international leaders, policymakers, academics, innovators, development agencies, youth representatives and private sector stakeholders to advance the responsible development and adoption of artificial intelligence across the Caribbean.

A key feature of the forum has been the launch of the Caribbean AI Task Force Report (CAITF), which outlines recommendations to guide regional AI policy and implementation.

Principal of the UWI St Augustine campus, Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, reaffirmed the tertiery institution’ commitment to advancing innovation and scholarship in support of the region’s digital future.

‘As a regional university, we have always been committed to advancing knowledge in service of society. Indeed, some of you may not be aware, but our Campus has a proud and longstanding history of leadership in AI that stretches back decades.

‘Long before the global surge in interest in AI, the Faculty of Engineering hosted the Caribbean’s first AI conference in 1989, establishing a foundation for innovation and scholarship that continues to this day. A couple of years ago, I found out this well-kept secret… the tremendous AI expertise and creativity housed right here and I vowed to support its development,’ she added.

Chair of the Caribbean AI Task Force, Dr. Craig Ramlal, said that regional cooperation is essential to building a competitive and resilient Caribbean AI ecosystem.

‘The Caribbean cannot afford to remain on the sidelines of the AI revolution. Our markets may be small individually, but together we have the scale to develop harmonised AI policies, strengthen regional innovation, protect our data sovereignty and build an AI ecosystem that reflects Caribbean priorities,’ said Ramlal, who is also the executive director of the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre,

‘The work of the Caribbean AI Task Force demonstrates that regional cooperation is not simply desirable-it is essential if the Caribbean is to compete and thrive in the global digital economy,’ he added.

President Irfaan Ali Friday said he was ‘saddened’ at the death of ‘a literary figure of worth’ as he paid tribute to Dr. Ian McDonald,’ one of the Caribbean’s distinguished son’. He was 93 year-old.

‘Dr. Ian McDonald was the Caribbean made flesh: Antigua’s blood ran in his veins, Trinidad cradled his first breath, Guyana claimed the fullness of his years, and the West Indies claimed his soul,’ Ali said in a tribute posted on his Facebook page.

The Trinidad-born McDonald worked for several decades in Guyana’s sugar industry dating back to the period of Bookers and then the nationalised GUYSUCO as a senior industry executive. He later went on to serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Sugar Association of the Caribbean (SAC).

McDonald was also a former chairman of Guyana Publications Inc; then publishers of the recently-closed privately-owned independent Stabroek News newspaper alongside its founder David DeCaires and late lawyer Miles Fitzpatrick.

Ali said McDonald was ‘a poet of rare grace, a scribe of eloquence, a keeper of our fragile, fierce cultural flame’ and that ‘through the power of his pen, he projected the beauty of our flowers, our trees, our birds and our landscapes; he gave dignity to the toiling hands of our people; and celebrated the genius and majesty of our cricketers.

‘He showed us that language is the scaffolding upon which we build our tomorrows. His verses sang of both our fractures and our wholeness, our anguish and our ecstasy, stitching the frayed tapestry of Caribbean life into something luminous and lasting.’

The head of state said that through his once weekly columns, McDonald encouraged Guyanese not only to read but to read well, ‘pointing us toward books, prose and poetry that would enrich our minds and touch our souls.

‘And oh, how he loved the game of cricket-not as mere sport, but as the very rhythm of our regional soul. His passion for the game was but a mirror of his larger passion for life. His love for lawn tennis was equal to his love for cricket. He played the game with a distinction.

He will also be remembered for his years of service to our sugar industry.

‘It is sad that he should leave us now, when the hour is so dark and our nation longs for the wisdom that flowed from his pen. At this time when grief drapes our nation, we need more than ever his words to steady us, to console us, to remind us that even in loss, there is the promise of renewal,’ Ali said in reference to last weekend boating tragedy that has resulted in the deaths so far of 72 people.

In 1997 McDonald received an Honorary Degree of Doctorate of Letters from the University of the West Indies in recognition of his services to Caribbean sugar, sport and literature.