Category: CANA News

The Belize government says it is seeking legal advice to determine who should be held responsible for the death of a 25-year-old welder last weekend after a ‘training bomb’ he thought was a decoration, exploded.

Jose Valencia,25, had been hired to weld two hooks onto the side of what he was told were decorative training bombs. Valencia had been hired by former parliamentary representative for the San Jose Nuevo Palmar Village, northwest of here, Dave Burgos, to weld the hooks.

However, the bomb was not just for decoration and proved to be extremely deadly when it was set off while Valencia was carrying out his work.

Home Affairs Minister, Kareem Musa, said the police are combing through Belize’s laws to determine what, if any, charges can be levied. He is also questioning whether the British military will take any responsibility for leaving behind these deadly devices in Belize.

‘That is something that we will have to get legal guidance on in terms of responsibility, how it is that Mr. Burgos even came into possession of these things. Because like I mentioned and as it turns out, extremely dangerous to have in your possession, something like that. So we will have to look at the legal options,’ Musa said.

The government had earlier issued a statement indicating that an unexploded and exploded ordnance (UXO) found last week in San Jose Nuevo Palmar Village was a ‘training bomb’ and that the general area was once used as a training ground, ‘and therefore, similar findings may occur’.

It said that the UXO was identified as a MK1, General Purpose Medium Capacity/ Aircraft Bomb and that it was ‘confirmed to be a training bomb.

‘These MK1 General Purpose Medium Capacity Bombs are typically armed with TNT; however, this particular training bomb contained only a ‘spotting charge.’ This charge serves as an exploder, producing a small explosion to mark the point of impact during training exercises,’ the Ministry of National Defence and Border Security said.

Assistant Superintendent of Police, Stacy Smith, said that the police department in connection with the Belize Defense Force (BDF) ‘who is the primary experts as it relates to identifying and categorizing what exactly the device is are in dialogue and we are reviewing the Dangerous Goods Act to the determine what, if any, charges can be brought in light of what the expert opinion as to what exactly that material is.

‘Further to that, a file is being compiled.and that will be forwarded to the office of the DPP for the directives there from,’ she added.

Media reports said that Burgos had three bombs in his possession and following the explosion, members of the BDF were able to safely defused the other two.

Burgos said he thought they were harmless training props meant for decoration.

The ministry said that the explosion caused by the UXO created a crater measuring approximately three feet wide and two inches deep.

‘The Ministry wishes to advise the public that this general area was once used as a training ground, and therefore, similar findings may occur.’

The ministry said that the BDF Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team, which serves as the national expert authority in such matters, emphasises that ‘if any person encounters a suspected UXO, do not touch, move, or tamper with it, immediately report the finding to the Belize Defence Force so that the ordnance can be safely disarmed and removed’.

The World Bank Tuesday said that Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) continues its efforts to reignite growth and create more and better jobs, but progress remains constrained.

The Washington based financial institution said that the regional growth rate is expected to edge up slightly, from 2.2 percent in 2024 to 2.3 per cent this year, even as many individual economies face downward revisions in their projections

It said that these adjustments reflect, in part, an external environment that offers limited support, shaped by a cooling global economy, falling commodity prices, and greater uncertainty.

According to the World Bank, monetary authorities in the region continue to manage inflation competently, but the ‘last mile’ is proving longer and rockier than expected.

It said interest rates in advanced economies have slowed their decline, constraining interest rate reductions across the region, and delaying the needed relief for households, banks, and governments’ fiscal accounts. Investment, both public and private, remains depressed, and any momentum for ‘nearshoring’- the practice of bringing offshore operations to close or friendly countries-is stalled, both because of the rise in global uncertainty and because of a lack of preparedness in the region’s enabling environment to attract and host it.

In his first major interview since taking the helm, newly installed Trinidad and Tobago Women’s Football Head Coach Angus Eve has issued a bold declaration of intent, expressing firm belief that he can guide the Women’s Soca Warriors out of their first-round group and into the final round of qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Angus Eve

Speaking on a special edition of the i95.5 FM ‘-6 to 26’ World Cup Podcast with hosts Andre Errol Baptiste and Tony Lee, Eve acknowledged the significant challenges ahead but framed them as a historic opportunity.

‘We’ve never done it before, so obviously, there’s an opportunity to do something that has never been done. And I believe in that sort of thing,’ Eve stated, underscoring his motivation for accepting the role. ‘I believe in giving back to my country.’

The coach, who had a brief stint with the women’s program earlier this year, said that experience was pivotal.

‘I got a better sense of women’s football and the sacrifices that they make to be a part of a sport that they love, and I just wanna contribute to that.’

However, Eve was candid about the uphill battle his team faces. He revealed that the female program has been inactive for approximately 18 months and that there is no active women’s football league currently running in the country.

This, coupled with societal differences in how young women access the game, has created a significant preparation deficit.

‘Female players don’t just do like men, you know,’ Eve explained. ‘You could send your son down on the corner, and he will sweat on the roadside with the other players. Parents don’t normally send their daughters out like that. So, they haven’t been actually active for a little while.’

The immediate challenge involves squad selection. With the country still awaiting the proclamation of the much-anticipated ‘Grandparents Law,’ which could expand the player pool, Coach Eve confirmed that a mainly locally based team will be utilised for the crucial first qualifier against Barbados in November.

He also noted that rival nations, including Barbados, have already begun their preparations, putting Trinidad and Tobago on the back foot.

Despite the obstacles, Eve is looking beyond the first round. He addressed the daunting fixture against regional powerhouses Jamaica, a game scheduled by the TTFA before his appointment. Rather than shying away, he welcomes the test.

‘I’m welcoming the opportunity for our girls to go and show what they can do against a top-ranked team like Jamaica, because then it will give us a better yardstick on the teams that we have to play later on,’ Eve said. ‘When you’re playing in a qualifying series, you have to play the best teams to qualify, so this will be a good test.’

Acknowledging the team has never beaten a major Concacaf force like the USA or Canada, Eve called for realism but not a lack of ambition.

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Tuesday said that judicial warrants had been issued for the ‘apprehension’ of the Minister of Housing David Lee and businessman Hugh Leong Poi.

David Lee

In a statement, the TTPS said that ‘ these warrants were filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) pursuant to Section 23(5) of the Indictable Offences (Preliminary Enquiry) Act’.

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.

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.

The future has arrived for the Reggae Boyz, and its name is Seymour Reid. The 17-year-old sensation, alongside Inter Miami’s Ian Fray, has officially joined the senior national team camp, bringing a fresh jolt of energy and anticipation to Jamaica’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

The two new invitees are looking forward to their potential roles in the upcoming crucial qualifiers, as the Boyz prepare to face Curaçao away on Friday before returning to a hero’s welcome at home against Bermuda.

For Reid, the call-up is the stuff of childhood fantasy. The young striker, who recently became the youngest Jamaican ever to score in Major League Soccer, shattering a record previously held by Alvas Powell, is still processing the rapid ascent.

‘That news is just a dream come true, to be honest. At 17, senior national team, it’s just different, you know. These players are here, the quality that they have it’s just different. It’s an amazing feeling.’

Reid is no stranger to the national setup, having represented Jamaica at the CONCACAF U-17 Qualifiers earlier this year.

However, this senior call-up cements his status as a history-maker, officially becoming the first player born in 2008 to be summoned for the Reggae Boyz.

On the other side of the camp is Ian Fray, a defender who is accustomed to sharing a pitch with global superstars like Lionel Messi at his club, Inter Miami.

Fray brings a different kind of pedigree, one steeped in Jamaican football lineage. His father, Michael Fray, and his sister, Marlee Fray, have both worn the national colours at the youth level, making this a proud family affair.

Though he is yet to make his senior debut, Fray is no stranger to the National Stadium pitch, having played there with Inter Miami against Cavalier SC in the CONCACAF club championships. Now, he is focused on integrating with the squad.

Reflecting on his first training session, Fray reported a smooth transition. ‘My first practice session went well, and I am gelling already with the players.’

Reid and Fray are expected to jet off with the Reggae Boyz on Wednesday en route to Curacao.

The chief executive officer of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), Adam Stewart, says the company will in 2026 begin working on the design of the Beaches resort it intends to build here.

Sandals had initially announced the construction of a Beaches resort at Buccament Bay, but changed it to the Sandals that opened there in March 2024.

‘That was our original commitment to the country, . to build a Beaches. And of course, we pivoted after COVID to the Sandals,’ Steward said at the signing of a multi-million dollar agreement on Monday.

‘So, prime minister, we are here to sign today an agreement to build at this stage what looks like the vision of a 500-bedroom, $500 million (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) Beaches resort in this country,’ he said ahead of the signing of the confidential documents with Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves

Stewart said that at full capacity, the resort will employ nearly 2,000 Vincentians.

‘But we’ll phase it and, Minister [of Tourism Carlos] James, we have to hit the ground running. We’re going to have to go to American Airlines and JetBlue and Virgin and many other airlines that are not here, and the Sandals effect will take flight to another level,’ he said.

‘. we’re going to do something remarkable. We’re going to put the sandals design studio to the test,’ Stewart said, adding that the spa will be a work of art.

‘This is a volcanic island, and we’re going to use those minerals, all that history, and infuse it into the next generation of Red Lane Spa,’ Stewart said.

‘Gastronomically, Buccan, which sources all of its ingredients from farmers right here on island, farm to table, has been an amazing beta test for the brand. So gastronomically, we’re going to go overboard. From a water park point of view, we’re going to build something extraordinary.

‘Every facet of this hotel will be the best of the best, and it would not have happened without the support, without the mutual respect between the people of this country and our organisation,’ Stewart said and asked to be given a pen quickly ‘because I have a document to sign’.

He said his job at the event was to say thank you.

‘We couldn’t be more excited. We will start designs in 2026 and we will move as expeditiously as we can to start digging Earth, and do something amazing,’ Stewart said.

‘So, to everybody here, everybody in the room, everybody listening. I just really wanted to say a huge thank you. I see somebody offer me a pen. Anything free I take, you know. Give me a pen,’ he said to laughter.

Stewart said that what Sandals had achieved in St. Vincent and the Grenadines so far is the beginning of what it could actually be.

‘We are going to train thousands of Vincentians beyond the direct employment here. We plan on going further. Prime Minister, we have 250 Vincentians on the cusp of going to Turks and Caicos to go and take over and lead the latest Beaches resort, which opens in Turks on March 1, 2026.’

Stewart said the company has more than 150 other Vincentians working in four other islands across the region.

He praised Gonsalves’ ‘constant leadership at CARICOM about Caribbean connectivity and integration.

‘Let me say it here: Nobody is coming to rescue this region. It is on the people of this region to recognise that the almighty created the most beautiful tapestry for us to share with the world, and tourism, in many instances in these islands, is the largest economic driver, and Sandals is so unbelievably proud to be the most decorated and awarded hospitality in the entire Western Hemisphere.

‘And to be Caribbean-led, born and bred, it is a shining, living example of what we can do together.’

Stewart said that whenever someone refers to the Caribbean as ‘Third World’, people should ‘point to the brand, point to the success and the pride, the calypsos, the reggae, the socas, the gastronomic flair that comes out of this region, the athletes, there are too many to name, overall.

‘We should be so unbelievably proud of where we come from,’ Stewart said, adding that he will continue with his team ‘in partnership with the government [of St. Vincent and the Grenadines] and the governments of the Caribbean to champion and explain to the world that if they give us that opportunity to come here, that we will give them the best holiday that money can buy anywhere in the world, bar none’.

President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons says the country does not have money to provide financial support on a monthly basis to the cash-strapped state-owned Suriname Airlines (SLM).

‘You are taking over a company with serious problems that urgently needs a fresh start. The country doesn’t have the money to support SLM every month. We want to get rid of that as quickly as possible. The airline must be able to operate independently again,’ she told the ceremony where the new Supervisory Board (RvC) was sworn into office.

The RvC is led by Chairman Marlon Telting and takes over at a difficult time for the national airline, which has been struggling with serious financial and operational problems for some time.

President Greelings-Simons said it is important that the new board builds on what has already been initiated.

‘We expect the work to continue with the new board and that a good start will be made with new initiatives,’ she added.

Telting said that while he is grateful for the government’s confidence, it is now time to work concretely on recovery.

‘The company has been kept afloat, but now we must take steps together with the management, the board, and the government to make SLM commercially viable.

‘Much has been said about SLM. It’s important that we first fully understand the core of the problems. I’m curious about the management’s initiatives for recovery,’ he added.

Transport, Communications and Tourism Minister, Raymond Landveld, emphasised the importance of a future-proof, commercial course for the airline.

‘We must work towards an SLM that can operate independently in the long term, without being dependent on the state,’ he said, urging the new board to develop a strategic business plan that offers prospects for recovery.

‘With the right course, there can finally be a bright future for SLM,’ he added.

Media reports said that SLM’s debt has increased significantly in recent years and now amount to more than US$125 million.

Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has held talks with the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, John Lee on issues of mutual interest, according to a statement issued by the government here.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, situated on China’s southern coast and according to the official statement, the discussions on Monday were also attended by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Algernon Yau.

It said that in welcoming Skerrit and his delegation, Lee said that Hong Kong is the world’s ‘freest economy and maintains its position as third globally and first in Asia Pacific as an international financial centre according to the newly published Global Financial Centres Index’.

The statement said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government will actively leverage the dual advantage of having national and global opportunities under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, deepen international exchanges and co-operation, further explore emerging markets including Dominica.

The statement quoted Lee as further indicating that he expects that Hong Kong and Dominica ‘will explore more co-operation opportunities and enhance bilateral trade and business exchanges’.

Lee said that Dominica is a Belt and Road economy, while Hong Kong is a key link in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which is China’s main international cooperation and economic strategy. At least 146 countries and 32 international organizations had signed cooperation agreements for the BRI.

The statement said that the (HKSAR) government is committed to serving as a functional platform for the Belt and Road Initiative, leveraging the advantages of being closely connected to both the Mainland and the world, and promoting participation in green co-operation in the Initiative.

Lee urged businesses from Dominica ‘to leverage Hong Kong’s role as a ‘super connector’ and ‘super value-adder’ and its highly internationalised and market-oriented business environment with its pool of professional services talent to explore overseas and mainland markets, jointly seizing the opportunities from the Belt and Road Initiative to achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes,’ the statement added.

The Jamaica government is warning nationals against using unofficial channels in order to acquire legitimate job opportunities overseas.

Labour and Social Security Minister, Pearnel Charles Jr., said that Jamaicans should use official channels in order to protect themselves from fraudulent schemes and potential exploitation.

‘It is very important, as we have a lot of scamming. You have many individuals that try to mimic the Ministry, and some of them even [post] my image and give persons the impression that we are recruiting through Tik Tok [and] Instagram,’ he told Jamaica Information Service (JIS) News.

Charles Jr reaffirmed that there are no registration or placement fees associated with the Ministry’s Overseas Employment Programme, adding, ‘we (continue to remind) persons (that) there is no fee involved at any stage of the recruitment process.

‘Now, understand that you have the government programme, which is run by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. But you do have private entities, companies that do have a licence from the Ministry to (take) persons from Jamaica, overseas. But when it comes on to our agricultural programme, it is only the Ministry that has that authority,’ he said.

The Overseas Work Programme facilitates temporary, skilled employment for Jamaicans, primarily through Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP), and the United States’ H-2A and H-2B visa schemes, which support the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, respectively.

‘Once you have someone asking you to make a payment other than the visa fee, which would mean you have gone through all of the process and just have to pay for your visa, then you know you are dealing with someone who is not authorised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security,’ Charles Jr said.

‘All of those things are high alerts to you that you are about to get scammed, so you should call us. Thankfully, many Jamaicans have reached out to me on social media, some get my number. and they call and we talk to them, and some of them reach out to the Ministry. They ask us, they show us the images before they get involved, and we have been able to really divert them from those potential issues,’ he added.

The Labour and Social Security Minister, noted, however, that despite these efforts, too many individuals remain vulnerable to exploitation.

‘Because they want to access the programme so badly, they are easy to be manipulated by persons who can create perceptions that look very close to what the Ministry would be doing,’ he stated.

‘So this is an important opportunity for me to say to Jamaica. do not fall prey to these scammers. If you ever have any issue, reach out to us. But be advised, we don’t ask you to make any payment when it comes on to recruitment or placement. That’s not the Ministry’s process. . It will never be,’ Charles Jr added. ST. VINCENT-TOURISM-Sandals to begin designing new resort for St. Vincent next year

Residents in the northern Leeward Islands were on Tuesday being urged to monitor the passage of tropical storm Jerry, the 10th named storm of this year’s Atlantic Hurricane season that could become a hurricane by the end of this week.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that the storm was about 1,315 miles east south east of the northern Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour (mph).

‘Interests in the northern Leeward Islands should monitor the progress of Jerry as Tropical Storm Watches could be required later today or tonight,’ the NHC said, adding that the storm is moving towards the west near 24 mph.

‘A decrease in forward speed and a turn to the west-northwest is expected during the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the core of the system is expected to be near or to the north of the northern Leeward Islands late Thursday and Friday,’ the NHC said, warning that Jerry is expected to become a hurricane in a day or two.

It said that swells generated by Jerry are expected to reach the Leeward Islands on Thursday. ‘These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,’ it added.