Category: CANA News

The Trinidad and Tobago government Friday piloted the Special Operations Bill one day after a state of emergency (SoE) has ended and defending the constitutionality of the new legislation.

Attorney General John Jeremie, who piloted the legislation told Parliament that the constitutionality of the bill is based on the balance that it strikes between the enhanced security powers granted to the services and the protection of fundamental rights and the rule of law.

‘It allows for temporary security measures, cordons and curfews, to be established or declared in closed areas, but there is a large measure of oversight,’ Jeremie said, noting that ‘while the bill gives security forces special powers, warrantless searches under specific circumstances, it is designed to be a limited and temporary measure and it is distinct from a state of emergency’

Jeremie said that the legislation does not grant powers equivalent to a SoE and that the Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration has e examined the constitutionality of limited states of emergency in Jamaica and in Belize.

Jeremie said that in both of those cases, the courts held that the declaration of consecutive states of emergency to treat with crime as a normal crime-fighting tool was unconstitutional.

He said in the case of Jamaica, the court held that the government had breached the principle of separation of powers by issuing consecutive states of emergency in late 2022.

‘Now, this is important.The government in Jamaica did that without seeking parliamentary approval for extensions beyond 14 days as provided for in the constitution. We have done exactly that in this jurisdiction. We have come to this Parliament to seek extensions as required by law.

‘The court found in the Jamaica case that that failure allowed the executive branch unlawfully to use a power reserved for parliament, thus making the declarations void,’ Jeremie said adding that in the case from Belize, the Court of Appeal struck down the declaration of the SoE for reasons which ‘are not on point with ours.

‘In any event, what is before us today is not a state of emergency.It is a piece of legislation. This piece of legislation is in force in both Jamaica and in St. Lucia. In both of those countries, the legislation has not been challenged, has not been ruled to be unconstitutional’

The government in January failed to get parliamentary aproval for the Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs) which had faced criticism over human rights concerns and safeguards surrounding the proposed powers. Under the previous bill, the Prime Minister would have been able to designate communities as Zones of Special Operations, with joint police and Defence Force operations permitted within those areas.

Jeremie said that the government accepts that the new legislation ‘might interfere with the right of the individual to liberty and to the enjoyment of property’ under the Constitution, as well as the right of the individual to respect his private and family life and the freedom of movement.

‘Our view is that any such infringement is reasonable and proportionate in light of the cases of Suraj and Surat. In Suraj…the Privy Council upheld the constitutionality of the COVID-19 regulations and they went on to provide a definitive ruling on the interpretation of section 13 and the special majority requirement.’

But Jeremie said that the Privy Council explained that where legislation infringes fundamental rights and they are enacted by a simple majority, ‘as we shall do today, the threshold for justifying the limitation is higher on the state.

‘On the other hand, where legislation is passed with a special majority under section 13, the court will afford greater deference to the balance struck by Parliament between the restriction of an individual’s fundamental rights and the interests of the whole community.’

Jeremie said importantly, the Privy Council also acknowledged that judges are not equipped to make certain decisions which are better suited to be made by elected officials who act under the advice of technocrats and experts who are based on data and evidence.

‘This bill contains numerous safeguards to ensure that it is both reasonable and proportionate,’ he said, adding that there is provision for the training of police officers and members of the Defence Force who are to operate in a district.

Jeremie among the safeguards is the ability to acquire permits in spite of the cordons and curfews, as well as limitations and protections afforded to citizens during a search and seizure.

‘If you look at clause 15, sub clause 2, of course there is judicial scrutiny for the arrest or detention of citizens in a closed area. And in clause 21, there is provision for the use of body-worn cameras during the conduct of a special operation in a closed area.’

Jeremie said that at the heart of the bill is the government’s ‘resolve to maintain a safe country for all of our citizens’ reiterating that this legislation is about the rights of the people who have borne the burden of violent crime.

‘Grieving parents, families terrorised in their homes, businesses facing extortion and young persons threatened by gangs. The government intends to deal with those problems, and the government will accept its responsibility to deal frontally with the gangs which are in our midst,’ Jeremie told legislators.

St. Lucia has launched a multi-million dollar initiative aimed at improving the reliability of water by reducing the risk of disruptions due to leakages and pipeline failures.

The US$22.83 million initiative is being funded by the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Agence Francaise de Developpment (AFD) and the government of Italy.

They will provide the bulk of the financing with the St. Lucia government and the the Water and Sewerage Company Inc (WASCO) providing the remaining US$7.16 million in counterpart funding.

The Ninth Water John Compton Dam Raw Water Pipeline Replacement Project (NWP) will on completion replace and upgrade five kilometres of aging pipeline between various pumping stations.

Service delivery to over 58 per cent of WASCO’s customer accounts is expected to be improved, impacting homes and economic activity including the tourism sector. Ultimately, more than 56,000 residential and commercial customers are expected to benefit from improvements delivered through the project.

‘Infrastructural projects like this one are not abstract engineering exercises, as much as they are real demonstrations of care for our people,’ said Dr. Shanda Lee Harracksingh, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Minister of Physical Development and Public Utilities, Keithson Charles, said ‘let me put this project in clear terms. It is about people. It means fewer dry mornings in Castries and fewer nights for families in the north not knowing if their taps will run in the morning’.

Cavon White, of the CDB’s Economic Infrastructure Division, said the project is an important investment for financial institution.

‘It will advance Saint Lucia’s water security and resilience by modernising critical infrastructure to better protect communities and economic activity from future climate risks, while helping to secure resilient and sustainable water services for generations to come,’ said White.

WASCO’s chief executive officer, Mrs. Zilta George, said projects of this scale are not undertaken simply to solve the problem before the island.

‘They are investments in the St. Lucia we expect to become, in the communities that will grow, the businesses that will be established and the generations that will depend on it long after those of us gathered here have moved on.’

The NWP advances St. Lucia’s goals for climate adaptation, sustainable development and long-term water security, marking an important step towards a more resilient, modern water system, and a safer, more reliable supply for the people and communities who depend on it daily.

A High Court judge Friday sentenced a 48-year-old man to 18 years in prison after he was found guilty of repeatedly raping a 15-year-old boy, whom he had befriended after running away from his home more than a decade ago.

A nine-member jury had in June found Nigel Gordon Phillip guilty on two charges of buggery after the prosecution had accused him of commiting the crimes during the period April to May 2015.

The court was told that the teen had left his Laventille home along the east-west corridor following an argument with his grandmother, whom he lived with, over his reluctance to join the Military-Led Academic Training (MiLAT) programme.

He went to a fast food restaurant in Port of Spain where he met the then 38-year-old Phillip, who invited the teen to his home after hearing that he ran away and had nowhere to go. His grandmother reported him missing later that evening.

The teen said that Phillip overpowered and buggered him shortly after they arrived at his house. Phillip is reported to have kept the teen at his house for almost two months and buggered him several times. The victim claimed Phillip ordered him to clean the house and wash his clothes.

He also alleged that Phillip got a job for him at a near-by supermarket and would wait for him after he finished his shift. He claimed he was required to hand over his salary when he was paid.

The teenager, who celebrated his sixteenth birthday while at Phillip’s house, eventually escaped and made a report to the police leading to Phillip’s arrest.

In deciding on the sentence to be imposed, Justice Nalani Singh began with a starting point of 11 years, considering also the victim’s age, his vulnerability and the circumstances in which Phillip came to exercise influence and control over him.

‘That created a considerable imbalance in age, maturity, resources, and control. The prisoner’s exploitation of the position which he had assumed materially increases the seriousness of each offence,’ she said.

Justice Singh said that Phillip, who worked as a security officer, Spanish tutor, and football coach, had not been charged or convicted of a criminal offence before being accused by the teen. He was also into a long term relationship and a 16-year-old child, both of whom he is financially responsible for.

‘His previous good character, employment history, and family support justify a meaningful but measured reduction,’ she said, ruing that the sentences should run consecutively and not concurrently meaning that Phillip would serve 18 years instead of nine.

‘Having considered both the individuality of the offences and their factual connection, I am satisfied that an aggregate sentence of 18 years properly reflects the prisoner’s overall criminality and is not disproportionate or excessive,’ she said.

The Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association (GHTA) has commissioned a near half a million dollar (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) project which it says will reduce the volume of recyclable material entering Grenada’s waste stream.

The GHTA said rhat through its Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), the EC$486,000 investment will strengthen Grenada’s capacity to process glass waste bringing into operation an investment first announced in March 2025.

It said that the project represents the largest financial donation received by the Grenada Solid Waste Management Authority (GSWMA) reflecting the tourism industry’s growing involvement in initiatives supporting environmental sustainability and improved waste management.

‘Tourism depends heavily on the quality of the environment in which it operates, so our responsibility must extend beyond our individual businesses. Through the Tourism Enhancement Fund, we have an opportunity to direct resources towards projects that deliver meaningful and lasting benefits,’ said GHTA president Elvis Lewis.

‘ Seeing this equipment now in operation is important because it moves the investment from commitment to tangible impact and strengthens Grenada’s capacity to manage waste more responsibly.’

The Tourism Enhancement Fund is supported through voluntary visitor contributions collected by participating tourism businesses and finances initiatives with environmental, tourism and community benefits.

GHTA chief executive officer, Arlene Friday, said the commissioning marks the point at which the investment begins delivering on its intended purpose.

‘When we made this investment, the objective was to build capacity and support a system that can deliver longer-term value. The commissioning is an important milestone because the equipment can now begin doing the work it was intended to do. It also demonstrates what can be achieved when the tourism industry, Government and public/ private partnerships identify a shared priority and work together to address it.’

The GHTA said that the glass pulveriser forms part of broader efforts to strengthen recycling and waste diversion in Grenada, including improved separation, collection and processing of recyclable materials.

GSWMA has been working to expand the country’s recycling capacity and strengthen the systems required to divert recoverable materials from disposal.

‘Glass presents a particular waste-management challenge when there is no appropriate processing infrastructure available,’ said GSWMA’s integrated resource manager, Lyndon Charles.

‘This system gives us greater capacity to manage that material and incorporate glass recovery more effectively into our operations. The next step is ensuring that collection and separation support the equipment so that we can maximize its use and most importantly, the environmental benefit it can deliver.’

The Jamaica Kingsmen elected to field after winning the toss against the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the second Qualifier of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League at Kensington Oval here on Friday.

SQUADS

JAMAICA KINGSMEN: Rovman Powell (captain), Maaz Sadaqat, Kirk McKenzie, Keacy Carty, Romaine Morris, Andre Russell, Hassan Khan, Keemo Paul, Saim Ayub, Vitel Lawes, Hunain Shah.

GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS: Imran Tahir (captain), Mavendra Dindyal, Mohammad Haris, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Quentin Sampson, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Romario Shepherd, Dwaine Pretorius, Shamar Joseph, Khary Pierre.

Umpires: Deighton Butler, Zahid Bassarath.

TV Umpire: Leslie Reifer.

Reserve Umpire: Gregory Brathwaite,

Match Referee: Reon King.

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett says the Caribbean has consistently asserted that reparations is fundamentally about justice.

‘It is about recognition, accountability and transformation, and about building a just and equitable future for the descendants of those who, as the chattel of colonial owners, endured untold suffering, loss of life and freedom,’ she told the Third Regional Conference on Reparations on Thursday night.

She said that the meeting was taking place at a critical moment in the region’s pursuit of reparatory justice for the crimes against humanity committed in Africa, the Caribbean and the wider African diaspora: genocide and the dispossession of indigenous peoples, trafficking in enslaved Africans and African chattel enslavement in the Caribbean and Americas.

‘These are the crimes against humanity that we can never forget,’ Barnett said, adding that the CARICOM Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice: A Manifesto for the Coming Enlightenment provides a comprehensive framework for this agenda.

‘It places at the centre of our efforts the needs of our people, including public health, education, psychological rehabilitation, cultural development, support for indigenous communities, gender justice, debt cancellation and monetary compensation. It reminds us that reparations must be meaningful and transformative, addressing both the historical wrongs and the resulting contemporary consequences.’

Barnett said that the expanded revised version of the Ten-Point Plan that was adopted by CCARICOM leaders in July this year, and which will be relaunched during the meeting here, brings new vision to the reparations agenda.

‘It records the tremendous progress made in the past thirteen years by the global community and heralds an age of enlightenment, and a new global order based on equity.’

Barnett said regional leaders established the CARICOM Reparations Commission in 2013, with oversight by a Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Reparations, chaired by Barbados to signal the fundamental importance of this agenda to the dignity and development of the Caribbean Community.

On behalf of CARICOM, she expressed ‘deep appreciation’ to the chairman of the Commission, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, and his executive ‘for their tremendous and tireless advocacy, and intellectual leadership of the movement.

‘We also recognise their courage in not backing down from difficult conversations and for leading this regional movement for reparatory justice to a new level of global consciousness. We appreciate the efforts and we congratulate and will continue to support.’

She said that since the establishment of the CRC in 2013, at least 12 member states have established national reparations commissions or committees, demonstrating the region’s collective commitment to advancing the cause of reparatory justice through coordinated national and regional action.

‘Our progress reflects strong partnerships and expanding joint advocacy. Our advocacy has been significantly strengthened by the partnership between CARICOM and the African Union (AU),’ she said, adding that the Second Africa – CARICOM summit held in Ethiopia in September 2025, adopted the ‘Addis Ababa Declaration on Transcontinental Partnership in Pursuit of Reparatory Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations’.

Barnett said this provides an important framework for the continued collaboration on the reparations agenda and also served to build momentum towards the adoption by the United Nations of the landmark resolution ‘The Declaration of the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialised Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime Against Humanity’ on 25 March this year.

‘It embodied a good partnership among Africa, CARICOM and other supporting states, with all CARICOM Member States voting in favour of its adoption,’ she adding that the region is ‘deeply appreciative of the collaboration and solidarity of the African Union’.

She said partnerships with the United Nations (UN) human rights organisations have also been vital to this process and ‘we continue to work closely with the Reparations Commission to advance reparations within the United Nations.

‘We anticipate that our Heads of Government will make strong statements on reparatory justice at the upcoming 81st session of the UN General Assembly and will participate in the High-Level Meeting to Commemorate the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, commencing next week in New York.’

She said CARICOM is also preparing to advance reparations on the agenda of the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Antigua in November.

Furthermore, she said the CRC has developed strong partnerships with the National African American Reparations Commission adding that ‘the partnership with civil society is equally important because the reparations movement has never belonged solely to governments.

‘It has been sustained by scholars, activists, community leaders, artists, faith-based organisations, youth and citizens who have kept the demand for justice alive across generations. Your knowledge, advocacy and lived experience are indispensable to the work before us.’

Barnett also welcomed the presence of representatives of the Indigenous Peoples – of the Garifuna, the Kalinago and the Maroons.

‘As first peoples of this region, your history, rights and aspirations must be respected and supported. We look forward to hearing your voices within the deliberations and to your contribution to defining the next steps.’

Barnett said that the voices of the region’s youtmust remain central, adding ‘they will carry the torch and will inherit the opportunities created by our collective efforts. Their participation is essential if reparatory justice is to become a living instrument for transformation.’

Barnett said that the conference here provides an opportunity to reaffirm the region’s principles, renew its commitment to unity and, critically, to strengthen ts strategy.

‘We must translate advocacy into sustained diplomatic engagement, research into evidence-based historical recognition to inform policy and programmes that improve the lives of our people.’

The St. Lucia government says it remains committed to the safety and security of the population following the circulation of an expletive-laden video of a man expressing frustration about being here as part of the United States migration programme of sending illegal migrants to several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said it has been made aware of a video currently circulating on social media in which the male individual expresses frustration about being in St. Lucia ‘and makes statements referencing violent actions against himself and members of the public.

‘The Ministry recognizes and understands the concern that such statements may cause among members of the public, particularly given the serious nature of the comments made in the video.’

In the video, the man, who is dressed in a uniform of a security firm here, said he wanted to make a podcast to :sir out my frustration’ and how ‘I just hate this country.

‘I hate this country so much that sometimes I be feeling like, you know I did 13 years of my life in prison in America, got out , the US deported me to this country…and I hate this country, this people in this country so…..stupid’.

The man, who does not identify himself speaks of the country in derogatory terms acknowledging that in his 13 years in prison in the United States ‘I read my bible, but you come to a country like this…lame…

‘I hate this country so much that sometimes I just feel like going on a killing spree…killing people until the police kill me,’ he said, urging those viewing the five minute video ‘to help me come to your country’.

In its statement, the ministry said that following inquiries conducted in collaboration with the police ‘the Ministry has confirmed that the individual depicted in the video is a St. Lucian national by birth who was deported from the United States to St. Lucia in March 2023.

‘The Ministry wishes to make clear that the individual is not a third-country national and

is not part of the Third Country National (TCN) Programme recently announced by the Government of St. Lucia.

‘The Ministry further reiterates that persons accepted by St. Lucia under the TCN Programme are subject to the established screening and eligibility requirements applicable to the Programme. The Government remains committed to ensuring that the Communication on this subject Programme is implemented in accordance with the agreed safeguards and national security considerations.’

The government says that it ‘takes seriously any statements that may raise concerns for public safety’ and will continue to work closely with the police and other relevant authorities in relation to the matter and will support any appropriate action that may be required.

‘The Government of St. Lucia remains committed to the safety and security of the people of St. Lucia,’ the statement added.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors reached 206 for four in 20 overs after being sent in by the Jamaica Kingsmen in the second Qualifier of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League at Kensington Oval here on Friday.

GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS 206-4 in 20 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 102 not out, Shai Hope 40, Quentin Sampson 29, Romario Shepherd 10 not out).

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says most of the jobs lost in the tourism sector following the passage of Hurricane Melissa last October, have since retuned.

‘Those that aren’t… there are stages of that recovery, because all the hotels have kept the skeleton staff… so they really have not let everyone out,’ Bartlett said, noting that ‘there are about 11,000 rooms that are to come back on stream… and if we work at one-to-one, that’s about 11,000 workers that are now to come back’.

Bartlett said that a significant number of workers were affected by the passage of the hurricane.

‘In the hotels alone, they directly employ approximately 60,000 people and then, of course, the other areas that are aligned with us… the attractions and so on. So, I would say that we had a 30 per cent hit… so pretty close to 15,000/20,000 workers,’ he said in highlighting the hurricane’s impact on the sector.

Category Five Hurricane Melissa made landfall on October 28, 2025, leaving many hotels and attractions at varying levels of destruction. The storm which killed 45 people left an estimated US$9.9 billion in damages.

On Wednesday, Finance and the Public Service Minister, Fayval Williams, told a news conference that based on what was projected right after the aftermath of Melissa relative to what’s happening now, the island’s economic recovery is on the way.

She said 22 years ago, a storm like Melissa meant Jamaica would have had to enter into a programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Bartlett said approximately 15,000 hotel rooms were out of service in the aftermath of the hurricane.

‘About 6,000 were reopened over the period, and we have 9,000 to go… and the rate at which we are going, we should make that 9,000 complete by the first quarter of 2027,’ he added.

He said that the sector has made steady progress as the 2026/27 winter tourist season approaches. The season is officially scheduled to commence on December 15.

‘We will start the winter tourist season with just about 80 per cent of our capacity; so, the other 20 per cent will come on stream between January and March… April of 2027. Currently, our capacity for accommodation, formal accommodation, is 70 per cent… and we will get to 80 per cent by December. But our actual arrival into the country is running at 80 per cent of last year,’ he said.

Bartlett said that the accommodation subsector, Airbnb, has been making a significant impact on the tourism industry.

‘So, we are really ahead of our room count at the moment. Airbnb has done the filling in, because most of those people have gone to the villas, apartments, and private homes,’ he said, pointing out that the full extent of the reduction in the sector’s fallout will become clearer by the end of the first quarter of 2027.

‘You are going to see the growth in terms of the recovery as more hotel rooms come, for example, into the inventory… as more economic activity is generated by tourism. Bear in mind that tourism… is a huge driver of consumption… and at every point of consumption, it’s revenue that is driven. So even the GCT (general consumption tax) which is applied at the various points of consumption inures to the increase in revenue overall to government and recovery.

‘So, we can say in tourism that (the ministry) is well positioned to maintain growth, and that growth will definitely be realised,’ Bartlett added.

The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) says it has extended the online registration of candidates after indicating that only seven persons had registered to contest the first presidential elections in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country since 2016.

‘At the insistent request of the approved political structures, the CEP informs them that an additional deadline of October 9, 2026, is granted for the online registration of candidates and the submission of required documents,’ it said in a statement. The first round of long-awaited presidential and legislative elections, alongside a constitutional referendum are scheduled for December 13, marking the first time Haitians will be casting ballots since 2016 when President Jovenel Moise was elected. Moise was later assassinated on July 7,2021.

Among the persons who have so far registered for the presidential election is former Haitian president Jocelerme Privert who served during the period February 2016 to February 2017.

Privert said that he has submitted his documents under the banner of the *Ayiti Transfome* group.

The CEP said that as of Wednesday this week, 117 candidates had been nominated for the e Senate, 311 for the Chamber of Deputies, 95 municipal coalitions, 99 Communal Section Administrative Councilors (CASEC), and 47 Communal Section Administrative Councilors (ASEC).

The preliminary results are expected to be published December 19, with final results for the first round scheduled for January 9, 2027. A second round of presidential and legislative elections, along with local elections, is scheduled for February 21, 2027 with final results for the second round of presidential and legislative elections scheduled for March 7, with final local election results expected March 12.

The CEP said that as of September 6, this year, 506,953 persons had been registered since the registration process began on July 20, 2026. The figure represents 12.6 per cent of the CEP’s target of registering four million voters by the October 13, deadline.