Category: CANA News

The Guyana government has signalled its preparedness to extradite the leader of the recently formed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Azruddin Mohamed, and his father, Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohamed, who are wanted in the United States on several fraud related charges.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, speaking on his weekly ‘Issues in the News,’ Facebook programme on Tuesday night, said that Guyana is both ready and willing to facilitate an extradition request for the Mohameds once requested by the United States authorities.

‘Guyana is ready, willing and most able to diligently discharge its legal duties and obligations under the current extradition framework that exists with the United States of America in relation to this matter, and we remain committed to that course.

‘At this point in time, we are awaiting the request, and once the request is received then the requisite legal process will unfold in accordance with the procedure set out in the law,’ Nandlall told viewers to his programme.

On Monday, it was revealed that the United States authorities had indicted the WIN leader and his father on charges related to wire and mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, stemming from tax evasion on gold exports and the importation of a Lamborghini luxury car.

Denying the allegations contained in the 11-count indictment, Mohamed said he and his father would fight any extradition request by the United States.

‘We are going to fight it here in the court. We are innocent,’ he said, adding ”I’m going to defend myself vigorously because I’m innocent. I am innocent of all these charges and I know it’s heavily political with this administration’.

The indictment come just over a month after Mohamed led his newly formed political party to become the main opposition party in the National Assembly.

If found guilty on the charges of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, the Mohameds, who were sanctioned by the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in June last year, could separately face a maximum of 20 years on each count, as well as maximum supervised release of three years, a maximum fine of US$250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss.

On the charges of wire fraud, the politician businessman could also be sentenced to 20 years imprisonment and maximum supervised release of three years and a fine of US$250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss.

The Grand Jury is also seeking a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, three years supervised release and a fine of US$500,000 or the value of the property involved in the transaction for conspiracy to commit money laundering.

‘I have noted the allegations peddled against me and my family. While there are legal constraints on how much I can share at this juncture, I am permitted to say this much in the interim; the leadership of the (ruling) PPP (People’s Progressive Party) has been advancing a sustained narrative against the Mohameds aimed at discrediting us,’ Mohamed said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

But Nandlall said Guyana’s extradition treaty with the United States dates back to more than 100 years and has been repeatedly used by both countries, dismissing the allegation of a political motivation.

‘It is nonsensical for anyone to contend that these processes or this process is being motivated by some political agenda, is inspired by some political incentive or is in any manner whatsoever tainted by politics or some other irrelevant consideration’.

Nandlall said that a review of the US indictment against the Mohamed would show that their alleged crimes covered two different Guyana Governments and two different US Governments also.

‘You would quickly realize that they (indictment) spans a period that goes back to 2017 and what that means is that this process commenced long before long the PPP government got into office. In fact it spans two governments of Guyana and two governments of the United States.

‘The charges as set out in the indictment is between 2017 and 2024 and for most of that period, by their own pronouncements, the Mohameds were close to the PPP. How is it now that the PPP has some narrative and the PPP is somehow involved in some process that can be described as political persecution.

‘One has to be delusional to entertain that type of thinking that the conceive that the PPP has the ability to influence the mighty Department of Justice of the United States of America and their accompanying law enforcement agencies of the US to carry out political agendas of the PPP, to think that the PPP is able to persuade those mighty organisations to carry out its political agenda, that must be the product of a special mind,’ the Attorney General said.

He described Mohamed’s ‘political persecution’ claim as outrageous, saying ‘once that (US) request is made, a process which is outlined both in the Fugitive Offenders Act is triggered, and a series of legal steps have to be followed, all of which are outlined in the legislation.

‘Guyana has made it very clear that it is ready, willing, and most able to diligently discharge its legal duties and obligations under the current extradition framework that exists with the USA in relation to this matter, and we remain committed to that course.’

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.0 rattled several Caribbean countries on Wednesday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) said that the quake, which occurred at 5.07 am (local time) was at a depth of eight kilometers (km).

It said that the quake was felt 206 km east north east of Point-à-Pitre, the capital of the French country of Guadeloupe, 233 km east of Saint John’s in Antigua and Barbuda and 246 km north east of Roseau, the Dominica capital.

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Wednesday, October 8, 2025.

BELMOPAN – Belizeans residing on the island of Caye Caulker are on Wednesday voting to decide whether marijuana should be legalised for production and sale three years after the process had been shelved.

PARAMARIBO – Suriname is seeking to become the first country in the world to issue Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs), a new mechanism within the Paris Climate Agreement, similar to carbon credits and is looking to the German-based Deutsche Bank for assistance.

PORT OF SPAIN – Prime Minister Kamla Persad says she remains confident that the courts will ‘deliver a just result’ with respect to her Housing Minister, Dr. David Lee, who along with a businessman, had been taken into custody by police on Tuesday.

GEORGETOWN – The Guyana government has signalled its preparedness to extradite the leader of the recently formed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Azruddin Mohamed, and his father, Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohamed, who are wanted in the United States on several fraud related charges.

KINGSTON – Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton says he welcomes the conclusion of a report by the Integrity Commission(IC) even as he expressed ‘regret’ at ‘any hurt or reputational damage that may have resulted from the prolonged public scrutiny.

SPORTS:

NEW DELHI – West Indies head coach Daren Sammy is looking forward to a much-improved showing from his side when they take on India in the second and final Test match here on Friday.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad says she remains confident that the courts will ‘deliver a just result’ with respect to her Housing Minister, Dr. David Lee, who along with a businessman, had been taken into custody by police on Tuesday.

‘We have respect for the courts of the land. Minister Lee was acquitted of these allegations before. Now that the charges have been relaid we have confidence in the courts to deliver a just result,’ she said in a brief statement.

On Tuesday, the police said that judicial warrants had been issued for the ‘apprehension’ of Lee and businessman Hugh Leong Poi.

The statement gave no details why the warrants were issued , but added that ‘in accordance with the legal mandate and without delay, both individuals were taken into custody by officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, and are presently undergoing standard processing procedures.

‘The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service remains committed to upholding the rule of law and executing all judicial instructions with integrity, impartiality, and procedural rigour,’ the statement said.

Opposition Leader, Pennelope Beckles, has called on Prime Minister Persad Bissessar to immediately inform the country whether Lee will continue to serve as a minister of Government while facing criminal charges.

‘The PNM is calling on the Prime Minister to act in accordance with established protocols, in the face of the issuance of an arrest warrant for Dr Lee. Public trust and confidence in the integrity of the Cabinet must be protected. Leadership demands accountability,’ the party said in a release signed by Beckles.

‘Due process and respect for the rule of law are cornerstones of our democracy, and every citizen is entitled to a fair trial before the courts. However, public confidence in the integrity of the Cabinet and the governance of Trinidad and Tobago must also be protected,’ said Beckles, who is also an attorney.

She recalled that when former attorney general Anand Ramlogan SC and former national security minister Jack Warner were both arrested while serving in previous Persad Bissessar-led governments, they were immediately removed from office.

Prior to the April 28 general election, Lee was cleared of fraud charges related to tax exemptions on his vehicle as a parliamentarian.

Acting Chief Magistrate Christine Charles dismissed the charges of conspiracy to defraud and misbehaviour in public office after upholding a no-case submission presented by Lee’s legal team, led by Wayne Sturge and Mario Merritt.

The magistrate ruled that the prosecution presented insufficient evidence to sustain the charges or proceed to trial. She also acquitted Leong Poi of Sport Outlet Limited, who faced a joint charge with Lee for conspiracy to defraud.

In September 2022, authorities accused the pair of conspiring to defraud the state of TT$1.4 million (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) in tax revenue related to the importation of a Mercedes Benz G63 AMG, valued at over two million dollars.

The charges involved TT$293,094.02 in Value Added Tax (VAT), TT$298,650 in motor vehicle tax, and TT$824,548.62 in customs duty.

Prosecutors had alleged that Lee falsely claimed ownership of the vehicle to benefit from tax exemptions granted to MPs. The alleged offences occurred between 24 March and 8 June 2019.

Meanwhile, Lee remained under the care of medical professionals at the Port of Spain General Hospital on Tuesday night after complaining of feeling unwell following his arrest.

The Trinidad Express newspaper reported Wednesday that shortly after his arrest, Lee complained of feeling unwell and was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital, after he had what may have been a panic attack.

Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell Wednesday urged the international community to support the Caribbean’s efforts to advance sargassum valorisation as he called for scalable and sustainable responses to the sargassum crisis affecting the Caribbean region.

Addressing the third European Union-Caribbean Global Gateway Conference on Sargassum here, Mitchell said that the ‘time has come to move from research to results,.

Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell speaking at the the third European Union-Caribbean Global Gateway Conference on Sargassum

‘Our islands cannot wait for another wave of sargassum to tell us what we already know that we must turn this challenge into an engine for sustainable growth, job creation, and environmental renewal,’ he told the delegates to the conference convened within the framework of the Global Gateway Forum.

The event has brought together high-level decision-makers, industry leaders, academics, and financial institutions from across the Caribbean, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Europe. The aim is to accelerate the shift from pilot projects to scalable, sustainable, and commercially viable solutions to the region’s growing sargassum challenge.

Prime Minister Mitchell told the conference that Grenada is committed to transforming what has long been perceived as an environmental burden into a catalyst for resilience, innovation, and green economic growth.

But as he emphasised the urgency of collaborative, action-oriented partnerships, Prime Minister Mitchell called on the international community to support the Caribbean’s efforts to advance sargassum valorisation through three strategic measures.

He said these were immediate technical assistance to establish robust monitoring systems, enhance laboratory testing capabilities, and deploy modular pilot units capable of demonstrating commercially viable value streams within the next six to 12 months.

In addition, the Grenadian prime minister called for what he described as blended finance and grant support to de-risk early-stage investments and empower community-based enterprises through targeted incubation programs and workforce development initiatives.

He is also urging market and policy support to stimulate sustained demand via public procurement, facilitate regional trade access, and support the development of standards and certification mechanisms essential for market integration.

The conference here is organized under the auspices of the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda (GGIA) and represents a significant milestone in fostering tangible cooperation between the European Union, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

It also serves as a strategic steppingstone toward shaping actionable outcomes in the lead-up to the EU-CELAC Summit 2025.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched new guidelines designed to support health workers and other professionals in identifying and responding to vaccine misinformation,, which it describes as a growing phenomenon that threatens to undermine confidence in immunization and jeopardize public health progress across the region.

The guides provide practical tools for key audiences, including health workers, national immunization program managers, health communicators, journalists, educators, and content creators, to strengthen their capacity to recognize and counter false or misleading messages about vaccines.

‘Studies have shown that exposure to vaccine misinformation, even for a short period of time, can negatively influence people’s perceptions and their decision to get vaccinated,’ said Daniel Salas, Executive Manager of the Special Programme for Comprehensive Immunization al PAHO.

‘Even individuals who have been vaccinated in the past can be negatively influenced by misinformation.’

The documents outline common strategies used to spread false information, such as using data without scientific evidence, appealing to strong emotions, promoting conspiracy theories, discrediting experts or institutions, and selectively using true information to make false claims appear legitimate.

They also offer guidance on identifying red flags in misleading materials, including frequent spelling or grammatical errors, sensationalist headlines, and the excessive use of capital letters or exclamation marks.

PAHO said given the vital role that health workers play as the most trusted source of information on immunization, the materials include recommendations on how to respond with empathy and transparency to patients who express doubts or fears due to misinformation. PAHO said it has also developed tailored guidance for journalists, offering suggestions on how to provide balanced, evidence-based coverage of vaccination while avoiding the inadvertent spread of anti-science narratives.

For educators, the guides propose classroom activities to help strengthen students’ media, digital, and health literacy, encouraging them to critically assess the information they encounter on social media and other platforms.

The guidelines emphasize that combating misinformation must go hand-in-hand with broader efforts to build trust and increase vaccination coverage.

‘Human behavior is complex, and while addressing misinformation is essential, it’s not a silver bullet,’ Salas said.

‘In areas with low coverage, we encourage countries to apply tools such as microplanning and the guidance on social and behavioral drivers of vaccination to gain a deeper understanding of community perceptions, social norms, and potential logistical barriers.’

PAHO said that through the publication of these new guides, it aims to support countries of the Americas, including the Caribbean in strengthening vaccine confidence, reinforcing national immunization programs, and sustaining the region’s long-standing leadership in vaccination, one of the greatest public health achievements in the Americas.

The Jamaica government has presented a Green Paper on the National Policy for Culture, Entertainment and the Creative Economy.

Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister, Olivia Grange, tabled the document in Parliament on Tuesday.

‘This Green Paper’s forward-looking approach places a premium on a just and cohesive society, equity and inclusivity, empowered communities, preservation of our rich heritage, respect for cultural diversity and cultural expressions,’ Grange told legislators.

Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister, Olivia Grange, tabling the document in Parliament on Tuesday.

‘The instrument embraces and promotes innovation, as well as the leveraging of frontier technologies that power our creative economy within an ethical framework, and likewise focuses on sustainability and resilience for culture, entertainment and the creative economy,’ she added.

Grange said the Green Paper reflects a bold and visionary design, shaped by ongoing consultative processes with cultural experts and Entertainment, Culture and Creative Industry (ECCI) practitioners.

She noted that ECCI practitioners are positioned at the heart of Jamaica’s human and economic development, recognising their power as engines of human and socio-economic development and transformation.

‘It encapsulates a number of benefits and protections, which will enshrine safeguards around the Jamaica Entertainers and Creatives Insurance Plan, which provides both health and life insurance for our entertainers, creatives, cultural practitioners and our cultural communities,’ Ms. Grange said.

‘It undergirds incentives around tools of trade, facilitates preferential and free movement of entertainers, creatives and cultural practitioners and strengthens the sector through the recognition, integration and sustainability of Associations within the sector,’ she added.

Jamaica’s creative economy is already a significant contributor to national development, generating more than five per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and supporting nearly three per cent of employment.

Grange told Parliament that this performance places entertainment, culture and the creative industries alongside tourism, construction, and agriculture as vital pillars of the economy.

She said that the impetus of this policy design is to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development and growth, through the provision of an enabling environment for the ECCIs, with a strategic plan to address capacity-building, investment needs, and infrastructure requirements.

The policy will also provide for effective governance frameworks; strengthen regimes for data collection and intellectual property rights protection, as well as increased public access to them; target the elimination of barriers to trade; and increase support to the sector in favour of safeguarding the status and mobility of the artiste and anchoring sustained, vibrant, and thriving industries.

‘We are confident that this policy construct, complementary legislative action and diligent implementation will be a critical success factor in transforming people’s lives, communities, society and economy. This represents a key part of the Government’s overall strategy for achieving Jamaica’s Vision 2030 and global Sustainable Development Goals,’ the Minister said.

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton says he welcomes the conclusion of a report by the Integrity Commission(IC) even as he expressed ‘regret’ at ‘any hurt or reputational damage that may have resulted from the prolonged public scrutiny.

‘I am, however, pleased that the IC has reported no illegality by any party involved, and I am relieved that the report brings clarity to the facts. Throughout this process, I have remained focused on fulfilling my duties as Minister of Health and Wellness and on advancing the public health agenda in the best interest of the Jamaican people,’ he said in a statement.

The report came just over five years after the IC opened an investigation into allegations regarding the development and implementation of a social marketing campaign, during the period January 2016 – December 2020.

The campaign, named Jamaica Moves, is part of the health ministry’s coordinated national response to the increased incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The ministry explained that the campaign was designed to educate, engage, and build supportive environments, with the goal of reducing NCDs by 25 per cent by the year 2025.

In its report, the IC said its director of investigation found that a total of 15 contracts, with a cumulative value of J$78.5 million (One Jamaica dollar=US$0.008 cents) were awarded to Market Me over the period January 2017 to March 2021.

Fourteen of those contracts, with a cumulative value of J$73.6 million, were awarded by the health and wellness ministry, while the other contract, valued at J$4.9 million, was awarded by the National Family Planning Board by way of the direct contracting procurement methodology.

The matter became controversial after it emerged that Tufton and one of the principals of Market Me had a friendship before he became health minister.

But in its report, the IC found that Tufton had introduced Market Me to the ministry as the company’s proposal for the Jamaica Moves campaign fit with his view on lifestyle and wellness issues.

The Commission said that while its director of investigation saw no evidence that Tufton was directly involved in the award of a contract to Market Me, his ‘actions could reasonably be considered to have indirectly influenced the engagement of Market Me, which ultimately resulted in that entity being awarded contracts of just under $80,000,000’.

The IC cited Tufton for a conflict of interest and also described as ‘a serious irregularity’ the health ministry’s decision to enter into a contract with the marketing company ‘on the basis of the receipt of an unsolicited proposal’.

The has recommended that the health and wellness ministry refrains from ‘the improper use of the direct contracting procurement methodology and ensure that this methodology is utilised only within the parameters of the Public Procurement Act and the attendant regulations, guidelines and circulars’.

Additionally, it recommends that the ministry ensures that at all times it has in place a comprehensive procurement plan which facilitates value for money, prudent financial management, and which allows the ministry to plan more effectively in the procurement of goods, works and services, while adhering to international best practices and applicable laws and procurement guidelines.

‘It is further recommended that the ministry ensures the execution of proper procurement planning as a critical and important first step in the procurement cycle to avoid, inter alia, the occurrence of engaging in the ad hoc acquisition of goods and services, as well as eliminating the need to reimburse a contractor for expenditure incurred during contract implementation and between contracts,’ the Commission added.

It also recommended, in relation to Tufton, that the matter be referred to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

But in his statement, Tufton said that ‘this matter has remained in the public domain for several years and, at times, has cast unfair doubt not only on my own integrity but also on the reputations of others involved, including members of the Ministry and legitimate contractors.

‘I regret any hurt or reputational damage that may have resulted from the prolonged public scrutiny,’ he said, adding ‘I am, however, pleased that the IC has reported no illegality by any party involved, and I am relieved that the report brings clarity to the facts.

‘The Commission’s findings have helped to clarify the facts and put to rest years of speculation, allowing the public to have a clear and accurate understanding of the matter. I respect the processes now before the Speaker of the House and shall remain committed to serving with integrity, accountability, and an unwavering focus on national development,’ Tufton added.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley Wednesday urged the 56-member Commonwealth grouping to led by example and demonstrate that democracy, even in the most trying times, remains the fairest and most effective path to peace, prosperity, and human fulfillment.

Delivering the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference Emilia Lifaka Memorial Lecture, Prime Minister Mottley said democracies everywhere now are under pressure, some from debt and distrust, from division amplified by digital rage and from sheer fatigue.

‘Yet each week offers reminders of why we endure the arguments and why we keep repairing the house. The French crisis shows the cost of fragmentation. The recognition of a Palestinian state shows the demand for conscience in statecraft.

‘You may agree. You may disagree. But the point is the same. In democracies the decision and the dissent can live under the same roof. That is why democracy remains the fairest path we have to peace and to dignity,’ she said.

Mottley said it is important to work together with renewed purpose toward a future where democracy thrives, within borders and in a shared global community.

‘Let us move forward hand in hand, with courage and conviction, to build a Commonwealth where democracy is not a privilege of the few, but the birthright of all,’ she said, acknowledging that ‘this is not simply the work of government with the work of all of our citizens, and those of us will know better must guide and prepare to allow those who may not yet be awakened to this reality, the opportunity to join us in this battle that truly will determine whether we progress or whether we regress into the domination of countries and individuals by a few.

‘It is against this backdrop that we address how we secure the rights and aspirations of our people within the boundaries of our nations. How we protect them from the excessive power of any executive or any parliament. How we build democracies that deliver for every resident. We know what we must do. Let us do it together.’

Mottley, who delivered the third Emilia Lifaka Memorial Lecture in honour of the late Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) International Executive Committee and Deputy Speaker of Cameroon, said it was taking place at a time when global issues ‘tests both our patience and our purpose’.

She noted that in Paris this week the government changed again, and the timetable for the budget now hangs in the balance.

‘A prime minister has gone as quickly as he arrived. Institutions hold, but the strain is visible. It is a reminder that democracy is not a ceremony. It is labour. It is the daily work of building trust and accepting limits on power.

‘In the same span of days, France’s role in the world drew fierce debate when its president recognised a Palestinian state before the United Nations. Some applauded a moral stand. Others warned about timing, legality, and security.

‘The same democratic house hosted both the decision and the dissent. That is what democracies do. They argue in public. They defend minority views. They return to the table the next morning.’

She told those attending the lecture that the purpose here today is not to romanticise democracy, but to maintain it and accept the discipline that makes freedom possible.

‘I have often said there is value in a short international frame, because our Caribbean lives are not sealed off from the wider world. We live within an international rules-based order. But context must not become a cul de sac. It must lead somewhere’.

She recalled the poem by the late St. Lucian Nobel Prize winner, Derek Walcott that when you break a vase the love that reassembles the fragments is stronger than the love that took its symmetry for granted.

‘Our task is reassembling. So let me move from the global to the immediate. From theory to the workbench. From principles to the practice by which we keep faith with our people,’ she said, adding that Barbados and the region did not inherit ‘perfect institutions.

‘We built and are still building them. Barbados has chosen, again and again, to place strength in institutions rather than in individuals,’ she said, making references to the policy decision taken by the Caribbean island to develop its democracy.

‘What, then, does a healthy democracy look like in our practice. It is not a slogan. It is a system that yields predictable freedoms and predictable fairness,’ she said, noting the importance of free and fair elections, the judicial system, rights and responsibilities with a civic culture that breathes and information and accountability.

‘Let me ground those anchors with simple pictures. An election worker who is respected by both parties because she runs a clean register every time. A magistrate who is known for listening with patience and writing with clarity. A police officer who escorts a march he does not agree with because the marchers are his people and the law protects their voice.

‘A permanent secretary who knows that the numbers in a quarterly report must match the numbers at the Treasury and that the press will ask if they do not. When these habits become normal the country breathes easier, investment flows more readily, and citizens choose confidence over cynicism.’

She said it was also important to name the things that can crack the beams.

‘A failure of courts to hold executives to account. A failure of citizens to recognise their power and to use it. The reach of stronger countries into the choices of smaller ones. The climate crisis that disrupts the best made plans with a single season of rain and wind.

‘A global finance system that keeps the field tilted against the vulnerable. If we pretend these pressures do not exist we will end up repairing a roof after water has already ruined the house. The discipline of maintenance is to find the leak while the rain is still falling and to fix it now.’

She said for the Caribbean, her message is simple.

‘Our scale is not a weakness. It is a laboratory. We can modernise constitutions faster than continents. We can experiment with new mechanisms for judicial appointments, new charters of citizenship, new models for independent oversight that match the reality of small societies where everyone knows everyone and conflicts of interest must be managed in the open.

‘Let us export not only goods and talent, but also good governance. Let our universities, our bars, our auditors, our media houses, our churches and mosques, our community organisations become the mesh that holds our democracies in shape.

‘Let us accept that the applause line is not the result. The result is a school that works, a court that is fair, a police service that is trusted, a clinic that welcomes, a port that moves.’

Mottley said that people do not live inside concepts, but live inside consequences.

‘They want to know that if they speak up they will not be punished. That if they go to court they can be heard. That if they vote it will count. That if they disagree with a prime minister or a party they will still have a place in the national home. ‘

She said this is why she often repeat the words of rhe late Jamaican reggae super star, Bob Marley, adding ‘we must see our citizens, we must hear them, and we must feel what they are going through, because he who feels it knows it’.

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) says it will launch the second edition of its Panorama of Productive Development Policies in Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 report on Thursday.

It said that the publication not only reiterates the need to scale up and improve these policies to drive the productive transformation required for the region and escape the low-growth trap in which it is mired, but also sets forth specific ways to achieve it.

The report will be presented by ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, and Marco Llinás, Director of the Division of Production, Productivity and Management.

The report provides for a diagnostic overview of productivity in Latin America and the Caribbean, including data on labour productivity per worker, per hour, by sector, by firm size, and by territory, among other key indicators. It also examines recent experiences in productive development policies across the region.

It also delves into three complementary strategic dimensions, namely science, technology and innovation (STI) policies; cluster initiatives and other forms of productive coordination; and green and inclusive productive development policies.

In addition to analysing the region’s situation in each of these areas, the report provides a series of recommendations on how countries and subnational territories can strengthen and scale up their productive development policies to foster the needed transformation.

To overcome the low-growth trap, ECLAC said the report underscores the urgent need to redouble efforts to promote the productive transformation of regional economies through productive development policies that can boost productivity and enable higher, sustained, inclusive and sustainable growth.