Category: CANA News

West Indies defeated Nepal by 10 wickets in the third and final T20I of the Unity Cup here at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Scores

NEPAL 122 in 19.5 overs (Khushal Bhurtel 39, Sandeep Jora 14; Ramon Simmonds 4-15, Jediah Blades 2-20).

WEST INDIES 123-0 in 12.2 overs (Amir Jangoo 74 not out, Akeem Auguste 41 not out)

*Nepal won the 3-match series 2-1

The Dominica government says public servants including teachers are to receive millions of dollars (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) in backpay following the conclusion of salary negotiations.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said the negotiations were concluded last month with the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU) and the Dominica Association of Teachers(DAT) for the period 2021-2024 and 2024-2027.

He said that the agreed-upon salary measures have come info effect starting this September and that public officers will receive an eight per cent salary increase, three per cent in 2024/25, two per cent in 2025/26, and three per cent in 2026/27 over the 2024-2027 period. Skerrit said in addition, back pay totaling EC$2,974,064.23 will be disbursed by November 2025.

He said effective this month teachers will receive salary increases on the same schedule, along with new allowances to support their work.

Skerrit said that the government has committed to the payment of a new resource allowance, and they will receive back pay amounting to EC$1,051,589.57, scheduled for disbursement in October 2025.

He said effective July 2025, the Police Welfare Association (PWA) had also agreed to an eight per cent increase over the 2024-27 Triennium.

According to Prime Minister Skerrit, officers across the board are receiving a monthly risk allowance of EC$250 from July 2025 along with financial support to the PWA. He said back pay of EC$465,334 was also paid to the officers in May, 2025.

‘Our public officers and our teachers are the backbone of national development, and we are happy to have reached this agreement with both parties,’ Skerrit told reporters, adding ‘I thank the leadership of the DPSU and the DAT for their constructive engagement throughout this process, and I salute all public officers and teachers for their service to country’.

Meanwhile, trade unions here have launched a trade union congress (DTUC) under the theme ‘Consolidating Trade Union Power through Unity and Solidarity’

The TUC brings together the DPSU, the DAT, the Dominica Amalgamated Workers Union (DAWU) and Waterfront and Allied Workers Union (WAWU).

Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Joni T. Musabayana (DBL), said that the launch of the DTUC ‘is no small achievement,’ saying ‘it is the beginning of a new chapter for the workers of Dominica.

‘This step strengthens workers’ representation in the country. It also strengthens your voice in the Caribbean, and in the wider international labour movement.’.

‘Unity is not only about standing together. It is also about being effective. No single union, however strong, can on its own shape the national agenda. A united congress gives you a stronger seat at the table of social dialogue. It allows you to speak with one voice in defence of workers’ rights. It makes it possible to influence policy, to negotiate better conditions, and to stand firm against injustice.’

The DTUC is headed by Steve Michael Joseph of the DPSU.

With the highly anticipated Test series against India on the horizon, West Indies vice-captain Jomel Warrican has expressed a quiet confidence in his team’s preparations, emphasising a focus on the present moment and the hard work being put in on the training grounds in Ahmedabad.

West Indies vice-captain Jomel Warrican

The Caribbean squad has been acclimatising for the past couple of days, and Warrican, a left-arm spinner who could play a pivotal role in the subcontinental conditions, believes the intensive camp has been beneficial.

‘It’s given us a lot of confidence, me as a left-arm spinner,’ Warrican stated.

While he acknowledged the past success of left-arm spinners against the Indian batting line-up, he was quick to dismiss any notion of relying on history.

‘It’s impressive that left-arm spinners have done well against India, but at the same time, you can’t live too much in the past. You have to be in the present and just focus on the job at hand.’

The team’s preparation has been thorough, featuring two demanding all-day sessions designed to simulate the rigours of a Test match. According to Warrican, every department is being fine-tuned.

‘The batsmen have been doing a lot of drills, whether it be sweeping, playing off the back foot, for our defensive or lofty shot, just backing the game plan,’ he explained.

The bowlers, too, are leaving no stone unturned. ‘The spinners or the pacers, or should I say the bowlers, have been hitting their lengths on target very consistently, doing a lot of spot bowling as well, and then taking that into bowling against the batsmen.’

Underpinning the intense physical work is a clear mental philosophy instilled by the coaching staff. The message is to play with freedom and enjoyment.

‘The coaches have really instilled in us to be free and back your game plans and enjoy your cricket,’ Warrican shared. ‘Any time you step on a field, don’t be tense. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Just try and enjoy the moment and live in the moment. Just have some fun while you’re playing, but still be aware of what’s happening around you.’

The Central Bank of the Bahamas (CBB) says preliminary indicators are that the domestic economy grew at a moderated paced up through the month August, relative to the year earlier, as performance indicators continued to trend closer to their expected medium-term potential.

‘Notably, tourism output rose at a slower pace, as a result of more constrained activity in the high value-added stopover segment, although the cruise sector earning growth remained buoyant,’ the CBB said in the publication of its Monthly Economic and Financial Developments (MEFD) August 2025 report.

It said the unemployment rate increased for the first quarter of 2025, vis-à-vis the final quarter of 2024, owing in part to a decrease in employed persons, and a rise in the labour force participation rate.

The CBB said that monetary trends for August were marked by a contraction in banking sector liquidity, as the growth in domestic credit outpaced the rise in the deposit base. Further, external reserves decreased, underpinned by net foreign currency outflows through both the public and private sectors.

The Central Bank said that indications are that growth in tourism sector earnings slowed in comparison to 2024, owing to accommodation capacity constraints in the stopover segment. ‘Nonetheless, the cruise segment continued to register year-to-date robust gains and attract foreign investments in the development of onshore private destinations, despite a slowdown in the month of July.’

Official data provided by the Ministry of Tourism showed that for the month of July, total arrivals decreased by 3.3 per cent to 1.1 million visitors, vis-à-vis the same 2024 period. Specifically, sea passengers reduced by 3.8 per cent to 0.9 million. In addition, air traffic declined by 0.9 per cent to 0.2 million.

The CBB said that recent data from the Nassau Airport Development Company Limited (NAD) revealed that total departures, reduced by three per cent to 150,366 in August, relative to the same period last year.

In particular, US departures declined by 5.1 per cent to 130,911. In an offset, non-US departures rose by 14.5 per cent to 19,455.

The CBB said that in the short-term vacation rental market, data provided by AirDNA indicated that in August, total room nights sold rose by one per cent to 55,790.

‘However, given increased inventories, the occupancy rates for both entire place and hotel comparable listings declined to 36.9 per cent and 37. per cent, respectively, from 38.8 per cent and 42.1 per cent in the previous year.

‘The average daily room rate (ADR) for entire place listings increased by 11.8 per cent to US$510.78, compared to the prior year. Likewise, the average daily room rate (ADR) for hotel comparable listings moved higher by 1.1 per cen to US$173.47, relative to the comparative 2024 period.’

The CBB said that based on provisional quarterly estimates compiled by the Bahamas National Statistical Institute, labour market conditions deteriorated over the first quarter of 2025 as against the final quarter of 2024, owing in part to a rise in the number of unemployed persons, and a hike in the labour force participation rate.

In particular, the number of employed persons decreased to 214,725 in the first three months of 2025, relative to 218,240 in previous quarter, although marginally higher than the 213,585 persons recorded in the first quarter of 2024.

‘Correspondingly, the unemployment rate rose to 10.8 per cent in the first quarter from nine per cent in the prior quarter, and 8.7 per cent in the comparable period of 2024. Further, the youth unemployment rate increased by 2.9 percentage points to 20.9 per cent in the review quarter, as compared to same quarter of the preceding year.’

In August, the reduction in external reserves moderated to US$74.7 million from the US$92.4 million in the previous year, for an ending balance of US$2,888 million.

The CBB said underlying this outturn, the Central Bank’s net sale to commercial banks tapered to US$52.3 million, from US$75.4 million a year earlier. Similarly, commercial banks’ net foreign currency outflow to their customers declined to US$53.9 million, from US$85.8 million in the same period of 2024.

Meanwhile, the Central Bank’s net foreign currency outflow to the public sector widened to US$31.4 million, from US$23.9 million in the preceding year.

The Central Bank said that as economic indicators converge closer to their medium-term growth potential, the domestic economy is forecasted to expand at a slower pace in 2025, compared to 2024, mainly in line with tourism sector performance.

‘Notably, performance in the stopover segment-which is partially linked to movements in the US-sourced market-is expected to register moderated gains, against the backdrop of accommodation constraints and more subdued consumer confidence in the US. However, the cruise sector is expected to sustain robust growth-albeit a less dominant weight in earnings estimates.

‘Further, new and ongoing foreign investment projects, with a significant focus on onshore cruise attractions, are expected to provide impetus to the construction sector. Notwithstanding this, downside risks to the outlook have risen, due to increased tariffs on international trade, and uncertainties related to the major economies’ trade policies, which have the potential to slow tourism demand, and constrain global growth.’

The CBB said that other exogenous risks to the outlook remain relevant, including the direct and indirect effects of heightened geopolitical tensions and elevated global oil prices.