Category: CANA News

In one of the closest finishes, Team Jamaica successfully defended their crown, capturing the overall title at the Caribbean Golf Association (CGA) Four-Ball Championship in a nail-biting finish at the picturesque Cinnamon Hill Golf Course here on Sunday.

The host nation clinched the coveted Ambrose Gouthro Trophy for the sixth consecutive year, but it was far from a simple stroll along the fairways.

In a dramatic conclusion, Jamaica amassed 91 total points, edging out a fierce challenge from Trinidad and Tobago by a single, heart-stopping point.

Bermuda finished in third place with 79 points, cementing Jamaica’s dominance in the regional golfing landscape.

Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, the formidable Jamaican pair of Owen Samuda and Dr Mark Newnham etched their names deeper into the tournament’s history books.

They retained the Francis Steele and Perkins Senior Men’s Trophy for an impressive third year in a row, proving their partnership is a force to be reckoned with.

Speaking after their victory, Dr Newnham shed light on the unique chemistry that fuels their success. ‘The special thing about this partnership is that Owen and I don’t spend a lot of time playing golf together. Owen is in the States most of the year,’ Newnham explained. ‘But there’s a chemistry, there’s a synergy, there’s a belief, and trust in each other that makes us play our best golf together.’

The path to their three-peat, however, was not without its early pressures. The duo admitted to feeling the weight of expectation competing on home turf.

‘We wanted to defend the trophy at home, so I think we put ourselves under a little too much pressure. The first day, we only shot one under, but then once we got a little relaxed, we realised that we were only two strokes off the lead. And we shot a blistering seven under on the second day. The third day was almost an anticlimax. We kind of cruised till the end.’

While the senior men’s team secured the only individual Jamaican victory, the squad showcased remarkable depth with several strong second-place finishes.

The female pair of Jodi Munn Barrow and Lisa Gardner secured a runner-up position in the highly competitive ladies 25-plus category, which was won by Trinidad and Tobago.

Jamaica also finished second in the ladies 45-plus category, behind eventual winners Bermuda, as well as in the mid-amateur and super senior men’s categories.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, says his country has absolutely no interest in hosting any form of military assets, and that the situation regarding Grenada is ‘really a sovereign issue’ for the government of that island.

‘If they decide to accommodate the United States, there is nothing we can do. We would have to respect the decision,’ Browne told reporters on a conference call from St. John’s.

Last week, the Grenada government confirmed that the United States had written seeking permission to install radar equipment and associated technical personnel at the Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA).

‘The Ministries of National Security, Legal Affairs and Foreign Affairs are carefully assessing the request and reviewing the request in technical consultations, in coordination with the Grenada airports Authority and other relevant agencies,’ the Dickon Mitchell government said, adding that it is carefully reviewing the request in accordance with established national procedures.

‘Any decisions will be made only after all technical and legal assessments are completed. We wish to assure our citizens that any decision taken will be guided by Grenada’s sovereignty, public safety, and national interest, including the protection of our tourism industry, the traveling public, and the country’s economic well-being,’ the government said, adding it continue to keep the public informed as developments unfold.

But former Senate president and trade unionist, Chester Humphrey and former foreign affairs minister, Peter David, have publicly come out against such a request, with Humphrey saying he is prepaed to lead a peaceful protest march.

Humphrey said that the move by Washington is a precursor to launching a military strike against the Nicolás Maduro government in the Venezuela.

David, an independent legislator, said in a statement that while Grenada values its longstanding partnerships with both the United States and Venezuela, any actions taken must be rooted in diplomacy, mutual respect, and regional cooperation.

Last month, President Donald Trump ramped up US military presence in the Caribbean Sea ordering an amphibious squadron to the southern Caribbean as part of his effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels.

A nuclear-powered attack submarine, additional P8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, several destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser have also being allocated to US Southern Command as part of the mission.

The United States military has carried out four deadly air strikes in Caribbean waters over the past few weeks against what Washington alleges are Caracas-backed drug traffickers. The Venezuelan government denies the charge, accusing the administration of being a threat to the peace and security of the whole region.

During the United Nations Security Council meeting last Friday, Venezuela with support from China and Russia condemned the actions of the United States.

Prime Minister Browne said that the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the wider Caribbean Community (CARICOM) ‘will have locus to speak and to state their opposition if they are being pressured’.

He said he isn’t aware of any request before the OECS or CARICOM, adding ‘maybe there could be an intent but no such formal request.

‘Antigua and Barbuda has absolutely no interest in hosting any military assets of any country. We are friends of all and enemies of none. We are quite happy we don’t have any military bases or assets of any foreign power,’ Prime Minister Browne added.

On Monday, the US Embassy in Barbados announced that the Commander of the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, is to visit Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada from Tuesday, where he will meet with leaders in both countries, the US Embassy here has announced.

It said that Holsey will hold talks with Prime Minister Browne and his Grenadian counterpart, Mitchell and that his visit is his first to both countries since assuming command of SOUTHCOM last November ‘and is an opportunity to further strengthen security cooperation with key partners in the Caribbean’.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed that Antigua and Barbuda’s non-resident Ambassador to China, Brian Stuart-Young, is stepping down after 11 years as he bade farewell t0 outgoing Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yanli at a ceremony here on Monday night.

‘I have been in politics for some 26 years and I have had to interact with Chinese ambassadors.and I must say that Ambassador Zhang is one of the most effective and one of the most professional ambassadors that has served Antigua and Barbuda from China,’ Prime Minister Browne said.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne and outgoing Chinese diplomat, Zhang Yanli.

He said the fact that the government was hosting the special reception speaks volume to the tremendous work that the Chinese diplomat had been able to accomplish during her tenure.

‘It’s not very often that we hold these functions for a departing ambassador,’ he said, recalling that the ambassador arrived here during the COVID-19 pandemic and immediately sprang into action to secure vaccines and other assistance from China for Antigua and Barbuda. During her tenure she arranged funding support for SIDS4 and the OAS General Assembly as well as her signature project, the Booby Alley Housing Development.

Foreign Affairs Minister, E.P Chet Greene, said it is with a touch of sadness that he was saying farewell to ‘a true friend of Antigua and Barbuda’

‘For the past four years, Ambassador Zhang has not just been the head of the Chinese Mission, she has been a dedicated architect of a stronger partnership between our two nations. Reflecting on her tenure, one thing is without doubt: she has profoundly strengthened the bonds of friendship and cooperation,’ he said.

In response, Ambassador Zhang admitted that leaving Antigua and Barbuda was a particularly hard thing to do.

‘At this bittersweet moment, what fills me most is how valuable we both regard the good relationship between our two countries and people. We have always been joining our efforts to stand on the right side of history,’ she stated.

She said that China appreciates Antigua and Barbuda’s long-standing commitment to the one-China principle adding that ‘China firmly supports Antigua and Barbuda in pursuing development paths suited to its national conditions, safeguarding its sovereignty and independence’.

Meanwhile, Stuart-Young has described his service as ‘a privilege to serve the people of Antigua and Barbuda as an adopted son’.

He first visited China in 1983 as part of then prime minister V.C. Bird’s inaugural delegation and was later appointed by Browne in 2014.

‘When I presented my credentials to President Xi, it was part of a reconnection for me as I was part of the original delegation that accompanied then Prime Minister V.C Bird when he made his inaugural trip to China back in 1983.

‘I have watched and have been part of events in the early days with Prime Minister Bird and when the Gaston Browne Administration came in in 2014, the prime minister invited me to serve as non-resident ambassador. I have worked with four Chinese ambassadors over this period,’ he said.

Stuart-Young said he has been part of all the major negotiations between Antigua and Barbuda and China over the past 11 years from the modernization of the seaport, the community centres, the Booby Alley Housing project and many other developments.

‘I think my proudest moment was when the prime minister came to China in January, 2024, as I was pleased to open an embassy in Beijing for Antigua and Barbuda,’ he added.

Jamaica has reaffirmed its commitment to ratifying the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol of the Cartagena Convention, saying it requires one final step, which is the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act.

‘I would have seen what I hope to be the last version before it goes to Parliament within the coming weeks as a parliamentary schedule takes shape now that Jamaica would have gone through its most recent elections,’ Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change Matthew Samuda, told the opening ceremony for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Eighteenth Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP18) for the Cartagena Convention.

Jamaica’s Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change Matthew Samuda

Samuda told the meeting that ends on Thursday that Jamaica is not ratifying the SPAW Protocol from a perspective of symbolism, but because the country acknowledges the principles and the benefits of the Cartagena Convention.

‘We acknowledge that the SPAW Protocol brings to life greater protection for our oceans,’ he said, noting that as they deliberate in the coming days, it is easy to feel frustrated with the pace at which things are happening.

‘We’ve all seen the impact of ocean acidification; we’ve all seen dying corals; we’ve all seen deteriorating water quality; we’ve all seen the impact of warming seas and in some cases rising sea levels as we’re experiencing,’ he said.

However, Samuda said there is hope, as he has seen the impact of the multilateral process on dealing with the issue of fishing subsidies at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the third United Nations Ocean Conference as well as the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on the plastics treaty.

‘There can be creeping frustration, there can be a sense that this is an academic exercise, but I ask you in your deliberations and in your discussions and your bilaterals and your individual meetings, that we redouble our efforts to strengthen the efforts of the Convention Secretariat, to ensure that we strengthen the intention to protect our seas,’ he said.

Samuda said that the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC) goal of protecting 30 per cent of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030 in 1983 was very far-fetched.

‘It means the multilateral process, though slow, does achieve what you want over time,’ he said.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Eighteenth Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP18) for the Cartagena Convention brings together governments and partners from the wider Caribbean region to discuss and implement solutions for protecting marine biodiversity, reducing pollution, and strengthening regional cooperation.

Discussions will include new recommendations on Sargassum management, waste water, and pollution control under the LBS Protocol, as well as advancing work on the SPAW Protocol concerning marine mammals and wetlands.

President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons says she is unaware of a request filed by attorney Irvin Kanhai, seeking clemency for four people convicted in the highly publicised so-called December 8th trial.

The four men, along with the late Suriname president Desi Bouters, had been sentenced to prison over the execution of 15 political opponents in 1982.

President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons speaking Monday night during the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) commemoration meeting marking what would have been Bouterse’s 80th birthday.

Bouterse was found guilty of planning and ordering the extrajudicial execution of the 15 political prisoners and was sentenced to 20 years in jail. However, he went into hiding and died in December 2024.

Kanhai said he has made the request on behalf of Ernst Gefferie, Stephanus Dendoe, and Benny Brondenstein, who are serving their sentences in Santo Boma, and Iwan Dijksteel, who is still at large. They were each sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2023.

‘Some time ago, I filed a request for clemency for the four people who, in my opinion, were wrongly convicted and are our comrades,’ Kanhai said Monday night during the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) commemoration meeting marking what would have been Bouterse’s 80th birthday.

‘We have not heard anything yet, but we remain determined,’ he told the ceremony, telling Bouterse’s widow, Ingrid Bouterse-Waldring and her family ‘for me, I wish to close this chapter and end the grieving process together with you’.

Regarding Dijksteel, Kanhai said ‘someone may avoid conviction, but once a conviction is obtained, a pardon can be requested.’ maintaining that given the way the trial proceeded, the four convicts are certainly eligible for a pardon.

But asked by reporters about the request, President Greelings-Simons said she has not yet seen the request.

‘Should I make a decision about this now? I haven’t seen it,’ she said.

In his address, Kanhai also addressed the relationship between Suriname and the Netherlands, caling for openness about information from the 1980s.

‘We also want a good relationship with the Netherlands. But when two friends have a disagreement, and one friend can’t say ‘I’m sorry, because I hurt you,’ that friendship can never be repaired. We hope the Netherlands will do that.’

NNP vice-chair, Ramon Abraham, and a former close colleague of Bouterse, recalled that the party has always considered the December 8 trial a political process.

He said that the 2025 elections were intended to ‘liberate the comrades’ and reiterated that the NDP maintains that position.

Foreign affairs ministers from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States will hold a special virtual meeting before November this year to accelerate work on joint mission restructuring and to consolidate progress on other commitments.

A statement issued by the St. Lucia-based OECS Commission on Tuesday, said that the foreign ministers met on the margins of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) against the backdrop of global geopolitical volatility, economic uncertainty, and climate crises.

OECS Director General, Dr. Didacus Jules, said that the eighth meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs (COM:FA) was an opportunity to deal with the challenges facing the region, and to demand swift, coordinated, and sustained action.

He said that the Council’s deliberations were not just procedural, but vital to shaping policies and programmes that directly impact the resilience, sustainability, and prosperity of OECS member states.

‘In the face of turbulence, our mandate is clear: to safeguard resilience, defend sovereignty, and chart a sustainable future for our people. The complexity of today’s environment reinforces one central truth: our strength lies in solidarity and strategy.

‘We cannot influence global outcomes alone, but together we can ensure our voices are heard and our interests are defended,’ Jules said.

COMF FA chair, Frederick Stephenson, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, said that the sub-region, though modest in size, are indispensable voices in the global community, and must continue to advocate for the relevance of small states.

‘The seas are rising, but so too is our steadfastness. The challenges gather, but so too does our unity,’ he said, urging ‘a roadmap worthy of our peoples’ hopes and history’s demands’.

The statement said that the meeting reaffirmed the region’s commitment to safeguarding and transforming Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes and strengthening the financial sustainability of the OECS.

Under the CBI, some OECS member states provide citizenship to foreign investors in return for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of these states.

In addition, agreement was reached to enhance coordination and advocacy ahead of the United Nations Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP30) in Brazil in November, with a focus on climate finance, adaptation, and loss and damage.

‘Progress on the Free Movement of Persons regime, with calls for harmonisation, retraining of border officials, and actuarial studies to manage social impacts, Haiti’s crisis, emphasising humanitarian assistance, diplomacy, and Haitian-led solutions,’ were also among the matters discussed.

The statement said that the meeting ended ‘with a renewed sense of purpose, emphasizing that the decisions taken were not just administrative outcomes but concrete steps to protect livelihoods, strengthen regional unity, and amplify the Caribbean voice on the global stage.

‘Ministers agreed that the coming months will be critical for advancing key priorities, including climate advocacy ahead of COP30, safeguarding the region’s economic interests, and strengthening the OECS’ joint diplomatic presence worldwide.

‘ To this end, a special virtual meeting will be convened before November 2025 to accelerate work on joint mission restructuring and to consolidate progress on the Council’s commitments,’ the statement added.

The OECS groups the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat and Anguilla.

Scoreboard of the fifth day of the second Test between India and West Indies here at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

INDIA 1st innings 518-5 dec’d

WEST INDIES 1st innings 248

WEST INDIES 2nd innings 390

John Campbell lbw b Jadeja 115

Tagenarine Chanderpaul c Gill b Siraj 10

Alick Athanaze b Sundar 7

Shai Hope b Siraj 103

*Roston Chase c sub Padikkal b Yadav 40

+Tevin Imlach lbw b Yadav 12

Justin Greaves not out 50

Khary Pierre c Reddy b Yadav 0

Jomel Warrican b Bumrah 3

Anderson Phillip c +Jurel b Bumrah 2

Jayden Seales c Sundar b Bumrah 32

Extras (b7, lb7, nb2) 16

TOTAL (all out; 118.5 overs) 390

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-35, 3-212, 4-271, 5-293, 6-298, 7-298, 8-307, 9-311, 10-390.

Bowling: Siraj 15-3-43-2, Jadeja 33-10-102-1, Sundar 23-3-80-1, Yadav 29-4-104-3, Bumrah 17.5-5-44-3, Jaiswal 1-0-3-0.

INDIA 2nd innings

Yashasvi Jaiswal c Phillip b Warrican 8

KL Rahul not out 58

Sai Sudharsan c Hope b Chase 39

Shubman Gill c Greaves b Chase 13

Dhruv Jurel not out 6

Extras 0

TOTAL (three wickets; 35.2 overs) 124

Yet to bat: Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-88, 3-108

Bowling: Seales 3-0-14-0, Warrican 15.2-4-39-1, Pierre 8-0-35-0, Chase 9-2-36-2.

Toss: India elected to bat after winning the toss.

Result: India won by 7 wickets.

Player of the match: Kuldeep Yadav

Player of the series: Ravindra Jadeja

Series result: India won the two match series 2-0

Umpires: Paul Reiffel, Richard Illingworth.

TV Umpire: Alex Wharf.

Reserve Umpire: KN Ananthapadmanabhan.

Match Referee: Andy Pycroft.

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, has formally launched the US$30 million Symbol of Love Museum and Monuments at Fort Thomas, saying it marks the beginning of a transformative new chapter for the historic 8.7-acre property located at Fortlands, on the outskirts of the capital.

‘Twenty-six years ago, in 1999, the government of St. Kitts and Nevis acquired this property. For too long, it stood idle. Today, that silence ends,’ Drew said of the project, which the government says represents a significant foreign direct investment partnership with ABL Inc., a Caribbean developer known for innovative tourism experiences such as the Dominica Cable Car.

An artist impression of the Symbol of Love Museum and Monuments at Fort Thomas.

Prime Minister Drew said that this initiative is not tied to the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme (CBI) through which the twin island Federation grants citizenship to foreign investors in returning for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of the country.

The government said that the Symbol of Love Museum and Monuments will feature a range of attractions designed to position Fort Thomas as a world-class cultural and tourism epicenter.

These include a Caribbean history museum and an international museum, a botanical garden with water features; restaurants, bars, and coffee shops overlooking the Caribbean Sea as well as convenience stores and souvenir shoppes and a jetty to expand sea access.

It will also feature replicas of internationally renowned world heritage sites and monuments, celebrating figures who shaped global history.

Prime Minister Drew said that the project is ‘about preservation and transformation’ and that the design ensures Fort Thomas’ story will be ‘celebrated within the museum,’ serving as a living classroom for students and a place for visitors to learn about Caribbean and world history.

‘Our students will be able to walk these grounds and learn about Caribbean and world history in a living classroom, while our visitors will gain a deeper appreciation of who we are as a people,’ the Prime Minister said, adding that the project aligns with St. Kitts’ tourism brand ‘Venture Deeper,’ which encourages visitors to explore the nation’s culture, heritage, and spirit.

‘Today, as we turn this soil, we breathe life back into Fort Thomas. We are restoring its purpose to serve our people, to educate our students, to welcome our visitors, and to inspire generations yet to come.’

The government said that the Fort Thomas redevelopment stands as part of the government’s continued commitment to sustainable tourism, heritage preservation, and economic revitalization, aligning with the Sustainable Island State Agenda (SISA).

The former president of the Senate, Chester Humphrey, says the Grenada government should convene a sitting of the Parliament to debate a request by the United States install radar equipment and associated technical personnel at the Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA) here.

Humphrey, who has already indicated that he would be willing to lead a peace protest against Washington’s request, told a television progrmme here on Monday night that he is of the opinion that legislators should play a role in the decision process of the Dickon Mitchell government.

‘I think it’s important to convene a sitting of parliament on this before the government makes any commitment to the Americans one way or the other. Parliament needs to meet on this matter,’ said the veteran trade unionist, adding that the matter should not be used to score political points.

‘Secondly, I don’t think this is an opportunity for scoring political points, I think we have to support the government,’ said Humphrey who served as the Labour Movement representative in the Upper House for more than two decades and served as the President General of the Grenada Technical and Allied Workers Union for 26 years.

Last week, the Grenada government acknowledged that it had received a request for the temporary installation of radar equipment and associated technical personnel at the Maurice Bishop International Airport from the United State government.

‘The Ministries of National Security, Legal Affairs and Foreign Affairs are carefully assessing the request and reviewing the request in technical consultations, in coordination with the Grenada airports Authority and other relevant agencies,’ the Mitchell government said, adding that it is carefully reviewing the request in accordance with established national procedures.

‘Any decisions will be made only after all technical and legal assessments are completed. We wish to assure our citizens that any decision taken will be guided by Grenada’s sovereignty, public safety, and national interest, including the protection of our tourism industry, the traveling public, and the country’s economic well-being,’ the government said, adding it would continue to keep the public informed as developments unfold.

Also appearing on the television programme was political scientist Dr. Ivelaw Griffith, a former professor of political science and provost and senior vice president at York College of The City University of New York.

‘I think it is incumbent on the government to act now by having not only consultations with the appropriate constituencies within Grenada but also be mindful of the broader geopolitical intercourse that this might involve and extend the consultations beyond the Caribbean,’ said Griffith, who has been a consultant to Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and other agencies, and has testified before the United States Congress on Caribbean security issues.

‘Some CARICOM (Caribbean Community) leaders are silent on this matter for two reasons, they don’t want to voice their views, especially if that view is against United States approach. They may be so disinclined because of the very United States new approach to dealing with them in relation to the Cuban workers issue in relation to visas that may be revoked or threatened the revocation including Grenada where the threat against one minister was there.

‘There may be concerns in regard to return of people from their nations and requests to support people from non Caribbean nations in their place. So, there are a number of other reasons why some Caribbean leaders may want to take the reticent approach,’ said Griffith, the Guyana-born scholar, who received the 2015 William J. Perry Award for Excellence in Security and Defense Education.

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has launched its e-services landing permits allowing aircraft requesting permission to land in Guyana to do so now, digitally.

From its establishment in 2003, aircraft operators were required to make requests on paper, before trannsitioning to email in 2007.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, said that Guyana is now on par with standard international operating procedures and that drone operators will be afforded the opportunity to file their requests online soon.

He acknowledged that while there were some challenges in launching the new feature, it isnonethless a step in the right direction, emphasising that the permit is also critical to medical evacuation.

GCAA’s Director General, retired Lt Col Egbert Field, said this achievement is an indication of the institution’s commitment to enhancing aviation safety, efficiency and accessibility of Guyana’s airspace.

He said the initiative embodies the government’s plans to ensure the public service is both accessible and efficient for all stakeholders.

Operators seeking permission to land in Guyana can visit https://permits.civilaviation.gy, after which they will be directed to log in. Those without an account are required to sign up for one.

The following five documents are required for approval: a valid medical for flight crew, a valid license for flight crew, a valid certificate of registration, a valid certificate of airworthiness and a valid aircraft insurance.