Category: CANA News

Veteran cricket commentator, Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira believes that Cricket West Indies (CWI) erred by sending a West Indies senior team to play minnows Nepal instead of a developmental team.

The regional side, led by Akeal Hosein suffered a shocking 2-1 defeat against their lower-rated opponents in their recently concluded three-match T20I series in the United Arab Emirates last month.

The result was the first victory for Nepal against a Full Member in any format and sent shockwaves across the cricketing community.

During an interview on Isports on i95.5 FM on Friday, Perreira, who spent over 50 years as a commentator, said it would have been better served to send a young, inexperienced side instead of including some of the senior players.

Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira

‘We had beaten Nepal the previous visit with an ‘A’ team led by [Roston] Chase. I didn’t see the need to put the West Indies’ good name on the line by picking the team that they picked.

‘I would have gone and I suggested it, with a development team. Some of the players they picked, the younger players with little experience like [Amir] Jangoo, but I wouldn’t have gone for [Jason] Holder, I wouldn’t have gone for [Obed] McCoy, I wouldn’t have gone for [Kyle] Mayers. I would have gone for a development team and we would have at least exposed a number of young men with a development team,’ Perreira explained.

‘I think they focused on trying to win the series. They were more interested in winning the series than development and I think they missed an opportunity. Prior to beating Afghanistan when they were developing, this is their first major victory as a young nation. We have done them a great deal of good, and they have done us a great deal of harm.’

Furthermore, he said the decision to schedule the Nepal series so close to the conclusion of the Caribbean Premier League placed the West Indies at a disadvantage.

He said they had very little time to prepare after a long flight to Dubai and then played three matches in four days.

‘Well it was just rush, rush, rush. If we had in fact been able to agree with CPL to come one week earlier, we wouldn’t have been in the kind of rush that we were.

‘There was no camp.we left here the 23rd and it was just too rushed. I don’t believe they were prepared mentally. It’s a long journey to Nepal and their cricket has developed,’ Perreira said.

‘But why expose the good name of the West Indies to be embarrassed? Just maybe to get a victory to crow about.’

A major intelligence-led operation involving several arms of national security disrupted an attempted drone-based contraband smuggling operation near the Arouca Maximum Security Prison between Friday evening and Saturday morning.

Some of the contraband intercepted in the operation.

Acting on credible intelligence, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance in the Forde Street Extension, Bon Air area, after receiving reports of individuals attempting to use a drone to smuggle contraband into the prison.

A search of a nearby bushy area resulted in the apprehension of two suspects-a 13-year-old boy from Oropune Gardens and a 26-year-old man from Tunapuna- who attempted to flee by running through dense vegetation and leaping from a 25-foot embankment.

They were held following a targeted search of a river in the area. Police said one of them sustained injuries during his escape attempt and was treated at a medical facility.

Several items were confiscated during the operation, including a drone and controller, 16 drone batteries, 15 Samsung cell phones, over a kilogramme of cannabis, 256 packs of cigarettes, 50 packs of rolling papers, 20 packs of hemp, 12 lighters, a digital scale, 15 cell phones, 12 charging blocks, a power bank, two LCD screens, 16 wired headsets, 15 USB cables, nail clippers, a nail file and a flick knife.

A simultaneous search inside the Maximum Security Prison turned up additional contraband.

A nearby premises was also searched under Section 12 of the Emergency Powers Regulations, 2025, but no illegal items were found.

Investigations are continuing under the supervision of Acting Corporal Hyde.

In a statement, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) said investigations are continuing.

It said it remains committed, along with the Prison Service, to disrupting criminal networks and preventing illegal items from entering correctional facilities.

The exercise was coordinated by Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro, Deputy Commissioner Suzette Martin, and Senior Superintendent of Prisons Lee Davis.

The joint operation involved personnel from the TTPS, the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Specialist Units, the Port of Spain Task Force, the Multi Operational Police Section, the Crime Scene Unit, the Prison Service, and the Special Investigative Unit.

A 19-year-old labourer from ‘D’ Field, Sophia, has been charged with several cybercrime and sexual offences involving a minor, including child pornography.

Police said on Saturday that Jeremiah James was arrested on September 28 by ranks from the Turkeyen Police Station and later charged by the Cybercrime Unit with multiple offences under the Cybercrime Act and the Sexual Offences Act.

The charges include possession of child pornography in a computer system, procuring child pornography, using a computer system to commit child luring, and causing a child under 16 to watch a sexual act.

James appeared before Senior Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court on October 2. He pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and causing a child to watch a sexual act, but not guilty to the charges of child luring and procuring child pornography.

He was remanded to prison, and the matter has been adjourned to October 16.

An officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) is expected to appear in court on Monday, charged with misbehaviour in public office related to tampering with drug evidence.

According to a statement from the TTPS on Saturday, the probe was initiated after a discrepancy was discovered in narcotics exhibits lodged at the Barataria Police Station, following a successful anti-narcotics operation conducted in the Macoya Industrial Area. The original seizure resulted in the arrest of three individuals and the recovery of 89 packets of suspected cannabis.

When inconsistencies were later discovered in the exhibit count, Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro ordered a full investigation. The Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) launched a probe, which officials said revealed a deliberate attempt to tamper with evidence and led to the identification of the suspect officer.

Commissioner Guevarro said corruption would not be tolerated within the ranks of the service.

‘Corruption will find no shelter in this organisation,’ he declared. ‘I will continue to stand firmly behind the thousands of officers who serve with honour, but I will go all out to remove those who seek to stain our noble occupation. Integrity is not something that can be taken; it is something you choose to give away. And when you do, you also give up your place among us.’

He added that the police badge is not a shield for dishonour, but a symbol of trust that must be earned daily through integrity and service.

‘To those who believe they can exploit their position for personal gain, let this serve as notice that we are watching, we are acting, and we are not afraid to clean our own house,’ the top cop cautioned.

‘To those who believe they can exploit their position for personal gain, let this serve as notice that we are watching, we are acting, and we are not afraid to clean our own house.’

The Commissioner commended the officers who carried out the original seizure and the PSB investigators for their diligence, saying their actions uphold the reputation of honest officers throughout the TTPS.

Financial struggles and inferior playing conditions in the Caribbean are contributing to the West Indies’ poor performances on the cricket pitch, says Test captain Roston Chase.

Chase made the comments following his side’s humiliating loss by an innings and 140 runs to India inside three days in the opening Test match on Saturday.

However, he maintained that he was not looking for an excuse for his side’s recent struggles after they slumped to their fifth Test defeat in six matches this year.

West Indies Test captain Roston Chase speaking at the post-match press conference following his side’s defeat to India in the opening Test.

It was also the fourth consecutive Test match that the West Indies had lost inside three days, dating back to the home series against Australia in July.

Speaking in a post-match press conference on Saturday, Chase said there was a need for improved infrastructure as well as better pitches and playing conditions.

‘.What I would say is that obviously there is a struggle in the Caribbean for finances, so whatever help we can get I hope that they do get it so that they can strengthen the infrastructure for the cricket.

‘I think the systems in the Caribbean are a bit poor in terms of training facilities and stuff, but I’m not using that as an excuse or something to hide behind for our poor performances that we’ve been putting out lately. I still think the onus is on the players to find some way to churn out runs and wickets,’ Chase said.

The skipper said playing conditions in the region made it difficult for them to be competitive on the international stage.

He said batters in particular found it challenging to score runs, as was evident in the series against Australia where not a single batsman scored a century.

‘.The pitches in the Caribbean are not really batsmen friendly, so guys don’t really bat for long periods and score those big scores.

‘And the outfields in the Caribbean are really slow so when you hit the ball in the gaps and you think you have four you probably end up with just two, so those are some of the problems that we’re faced with in the Caribbean, so that’s why you see guys averaging so low,’ Chase explained.

‘If you look at the past series that we had against Australia, I think that’s the first time I’ve ever played an international series and a batsman never scored a hundred in three matches.’

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency on Friday released new information it deems to be the ‘criminal history’ and ‘immigration history’ of alleged undocumented Guyanese national Ian Andre Roberts, who was serving as Des Moines, Iowa’s school superintendent at the time of his September 26 arrest.

ICE said when officials of the agency approached Roberts, he identified himself, then sped off, abandoned his vehicle, and hid in a brushy area about 200 metres away, where ICE officers located him with help from Iowa State Patrol officers.

Roberts was charged on October 2 with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms.

‘Roberts’ rap sheet and immigration history reveal a long record of criminal conduct in the United States,’ it said. ‘He should never have been serving in a role overseeing children in Iowa’s largest school district.’

ICE said Robert’s criminal record includes charges for criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell, criminal possession of narcotics, criminal possession of a forgery instrument and possession of a forged instrument in New York on July 3, 1996; a charge, on November 13, 1998, for third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle in Queens, New York, which was dismissed July 6, 1999; and a November 1, 2012 conviction for reckless driving, unsafe operation and speeding in Maryland.

ICE said Roberts was charged on February 3, 2020 for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon (having a loaded firearm outside his home or business); third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (an ammunition feeding device); and fourth-degree weapon charges.

‘A document from February 4, 2020, indicates that the second-degree criminal possession charge was inchoate,’ ICE said.

On January 20, 2022, it said the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania convicted Roberts of unlawful possession of a loaded firearm.

On September 26, 2025, ICE said Roberts was arrested with a Glock 9mm pistol and a fixed-blade hunting knife in his possession. He also had US$3,000 in cash, the immigration enforcement agency charged.

On October 2, 2025, it said Roberts was criminally charged with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms.

ICE said Roberts’ immigration history includes two visas, four green card applications (for permanent residency) and ‘subsequent denials, and several trips.’

ICE said Roberts, on June 1, 1994, entered the United States at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York on a B-2 non-immigrant visa.

He was classified as ‘a visitor for pleasure’, ICE said.

It said Roberts departed the US on ‘an unknown date but returned before his 1996 arrest for narcotics possession.’

On March 8, 1999, ICE said Roberts entered the US through California’s San Francisco International Airport as an F-1 student visa holder.

ICE said the visa was set to expire on March 7, 2004, and that Roberts departed the US on an unknown date.

On June 28, 1999, it said Roberts reentered the US through San Francisco on the same F-1 student visa, and departed the US on an unknown date.

On August 30, 1999, ICE said Roberts reentered the US at JFK International Airport on the same student visa.

ICE said Roberts, on February 9, 2000, filed an application for employment authorisation, ‘which US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approved April 5, 2000, with an expiration date of April 1, 2001.’

On September 4, 2000, ICE said Roberts left the US from JFK International Airport and re-entered the US again, on September 30, 2000, at JFK International Airport on the same F-1 student visa.

On May 21, 2001, ICE said Roberts filed a green card application with USCIS, ‘which the agency rejected January 3, 2003.’

ICE said, on May 15, 2018, Roberts filed another green card application with USCIS, ‘which the agency again rejected on May 30 that year.’

On June 4, 2018, ICE said Roberts filed another green card application, ‘which USCIS rejected for the third time June 20 that year.’

The immigration enforcement agency said that on July 15, 2018, Roberts filed for employment authorisation documents, ‘which USCIS granted on December 18 that year, giving the documents an expiration date of December 18, 2019.’

On July 16, 2018, ICE said Roberts filed, for the fourth time, a green card application, and that USCIS denied it on January 24, 2020.

On November 18, 2019, ICE said he filed another application for employment authorisation documents, which USCIS approved on December 3 of that year and issued an expiration date of December 18, 2020.

ICE said Roberts updated his address with USCIS on February 11, 2020.

On October 2, 2020, USCIS issued Roberts a notice to appear before an immigration judge.

On May 22, 2024, ‘an immigration judge in Dallas, Texas, ordered Roberts removed in absentia.’

On April 24, 2025, an immigration judge in Dallas denied Roberts’ motion to reopen his case.

ICE officials arrested Roberts in Des Moines, Iowa, on September 26, 2025.

‘He is now in US Marshals custody and will be prosecuted for his recent crimes,’ ICE said.

‘At the time of his arrest, Roberts was working as the Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, despite being an illegal alien with a final order of removal and no work authorisation,’ it added.

During a targeted enforcement operation on September 26, 2025, ICE said its officers approached Roberts in his vehicle, and after identifying himself, he sped away.

‘Officers later discovered his vehicle abandoned near a wooded area,’ it said. ‘State Patrol assisted in locating the subject, and he was taken into ICE custody.’

ICE said the investigation into how Roberts acquired the handgun is being turned over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

‘It is a violation of federal law for those in the US without legal status to possess a firearm and ammunition,’ ICE said.

Sam Olson, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations St. Paul Field Office Director, said: ‘This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement. This should be a wake-up call for our communities to the great work that our officers are doing every day to remove public safety threats.

‘How this illegal alien was hired without work authorisation, a final order of removal, and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district,’ Olson added.

West Indies Test captain Roston Chase has placed the team’s dismal showing in the opening Test against India squarely on the shoulders of the batsmen.

The Windies were routed for 162 and 146 in their first and second innings respectively, on their way to a demoralising innings and 140-run defeat to the home side inside three days at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

While no West Indies batter scored 40, Dhruv Jurel, Ravendra Jadeja and KL Rahul all hit centuries in India’s mammoth first innings total of 448 for five declared.

Speaking in a post-match press conference on Saturday following the defeat, Chase admitted that the team’s batting continued to be a major concern.

‘Obviously we had a poor batting display, and this is something that has been plaguing us for the past two series. We’ve not been able to bat at least 80 overs, bat a day, or even get 250 or 300 runs on the board.

‘Anytime you win a toss in a Test match and bat and you don’t bat out the first day, you’re always going to be behind the eight ball,’ Chase said.

‘We didn’t start well and we never really put any partnerships in place. We never really got back into the game, we never put those partnerships together and we paid for it.

‘In the table obviously, they are ranked higher than us so they’re supposed to be a stronger team, but I think we could have done better. I don’t think that the wicket was a wicket that we should be bowled out twice under 200, 250. I think it’s a pitch that we could have at least gotten 300 runs in the first innings. I thought it was a very good batting wicket,’ he added.

Chase, who opted to bat after winning the toss, maintained that his decision was not to blame for the loss.

He said the West Indies’ batsmen needed to work on their defensive tactics heading into the second Test on Friday at New Delhi.

‘I don’t think the decision was a bad decision. We saw the wicket and although it had a bit of moisture, we still thought that it was a good wicket to bat first on. We thought that once we batted well and the openers went out there and saw off that moisture, it would have been a good wicket to bat on as we did see coming on later into the first day.

‘I just think that it’s a case where our defense needs to be a bit tighter. I find that we gifted some of the wickets too easily,’ Chase said.

‘There was some rough and some balls were spinning out of the rough, but there weren’t any devils in the wicket, and I still thought it was a wicket you could stand up and bat on as shown by the Indian batters.’

‘I think we need to trust in our defense a bit more, because I can’t say that we weren’t scoring because the run rate was still good, but I just think that we need to be a little more solid in our defense,’ he added.

Barbados’ tourism sector has recorded a 5.43 per cent increase in stayover arrivals between January and August 2025, for a total of 503,000 visitors. And for the first time, the United States has surpassed the United Kingdom as the island’s leading source market.

Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.’s (BTMI) Chief Executive Officer, Andrea Franklin said the US led tourist arrivals, followed by the UK and the Caribbean.

‘Arrivals from the United States of America stand at 179,753 visitors, making the USA now our number one source market this year,’ she said on Friday, the final day of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s State of the Tourism Industry Conference at the Hilton Barbados Resort. ‘This is particularly significant because all of you who may know Barbados and the history of tourism in Barbados, you know that the United Kingdom has always been our number one source market.

‘This year, as well, we have the Caribbean performing very well. They are now our number three market, with 70,984 visitors coming from the region,’ she stated.

Franklin credited the BTMI’s focus on airlift expansion for the US becoming the leading source market for the island.

‘So, what we did was a real double down on our airlift strategy. And we really went after building airlift to the destination out of the US market. So, in winter 2025, we had in excess of 60,000 additional seats from the US market. So, our airlift strategy was the pivotal point for us in terms of building the capacity to the destination out of the market,’ she explained.

‘From January to August this year, stayover arrivals in Barbados increased by 5.43 per cent compared to the same period in 2024. That’s an additional 25,000 visitors who chose our island. To put that into perspective, arrivals grew from 477,891 in 2024 to 503,000 in 2025. These numbers tell us that Barbados is not only attracting more visitors but also strengthening its position as a destination of choice in the region.’

Cruise arrivals also showed some growth, with an increase of 117,776 cruise passengers visiting the island. ‘Cruise performance so far for the year, and our stats are only showing January to July, we’ve welcomed 599,826 cruise passengers, which is a growth of 24 per cent over the same period,’ Franklin reported.

She further revealed that the Barbados Port Inc. is enhancing its cruise infrastructure aimed at improving the visitor experience.

‘Some of the things that the Port are working on are ongoing modernisation and expansion of the facility at the Bridgetown Cruise Terminal, including improving the passenger flow, embarkation and disembarkation services and port aesthetics. Plans are also on the way for greener port operations, including looking at digitalisation and shore power readiness and the introduction of smart port technology to streamline logistics and enhance operational efficiency,’ she noted.

Franklin also mentioned significant investments in the island’s accommodation sector, with new hotels expected between 2026-2027. These include the Blue Monkey Hotel and Beach Club, Hotel Indigo, the Royalton Vessence (the Barbados property will be the first one under that label), Pendry Barbados, Hyatt Ziva, Beaches Barbados (Sandals brand).

West Indies rising star Ackeem Auguste has signed with MI Emirates for the upcoming season of the DP World International League T20.

Auguste, who will join fellow West Indians Romario Shepherd and Andre Fletcher on the squad, is expected to strengthen MI Emirates’ batting lineup with his elegant stroke play during the tournament, which runs from December 2, 2025, to January 4, 2026.

The 22-year-old left-handed batsman was part of the West Indies team that played Nepal in a three-match T20I series recently, scoring an unbeaten 41 in the third match which the Windies won by 10 wickets.

Auguste, a Saint Lucian, earned the callup after a solid showing for the Saint Lucia Kings in the recently concluded Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League, where he averaged 25.44.

He follows in the footsteps of fellow Saint Lucian McKenny Clarke, who was signed by the MI Emirates franchise in 2022.

Antigua and Barbuda and Sri Lanka have officially established diplomatic relations, following the signing of an agreement on Friday in Washington, D.C.

The agreement was signed by Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders, and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States, Mahinda Samarasinghe, on behalf of their respective governments.

‘The establishment of diplomatic ties between Antigua and Barbuda and Sri Lanka will enhance the existing friendly relations and cooperation in the political, socio-economic and cultural spheres for the mutual benefit of the two countries,’ said a joint statement from the ministries of the two countries.

The agreement comes as Antigua and Barbuda prepares to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2026. Sri Lanka previously hosted the summit in 2013.

‘Antigua and Barbuda and Sri Lanka can work together to ensure the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting is a success for the Organisation and all member states,’ Ambassador Sanders said.

He said that before CHOGM in Antigua and Barbuda, Prime Minister Gaston Browne was ‘working toward establishing diplomatic relations and visa waiver agreements with as many Commonwealth countries with which such arrangements do not already exist’.