Category: CANA News

A High Court judge has sentenced a former police officer to four years in jail after he was found guilty of trying to intimidate a woman into trading sex for her freedom.

Justice Renae McKay also imposed a two year probation on Shaquille Williamson, who had been fired after he was convicted of procuration on June 4. The unmarried father of two will also serve an additional year in prison if he violates the terms of his probation.

The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on July 5, 2023 when during the early hours of the morning the woman and her boyfriend were having sex on the hood of a car when they were startled by a patrol car’s flashing lights.

They scrambled to get dressed, and Williamson, who was in a marked patrol car, ran a name check on them.

The court heard that while he told the woman’s boyfriend that he had no outstanding matters, she had an outstanding warrant for an unpaid traffic ticket.

Williamson suggested that he could make the warrant go away if the woman went with him.

When she told him that she had just had sex with her boyfriend, he allegedly said, ‘I don’t care.’

The woman made a panicked call to Police Control Room while Williamson was talking to her boyfriend. A patrol unit came and Williamson was arrested.

But Williamson said that it was the woman who had suggested swapping sex for her freedom.

Justice McKay in handing down the sentence, said Williamson would have to live with the consequences of his actions, given the publicity surrounding the case.

But she said that a clear message needed to be sent to members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, and other military, that to whom much is given, much is required.

The West Indies drew first blood in their five-match T20I series against New Zealand, defending a modest total of 164 to claim a nail-biting seven-run victory at Eden Park here on Wednesday.

The win, which saw them successfully defend the lowest-ever total at the venue, was set up by a captain’s knock from Shai Hope and a masterful all-round performance from Roston Chase, before a late onslaught from New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner provided a heart-stopping finish.

Sent into bat, the West Indies top order struggled to adapt to the bouncy Auckland pitch after coming off less juicy surfaces on tours of Bangladesh and India.

They found themselves in early trouble at 43 for 3, after Jacob Duffy sent back Brandon King in the first over for three, and then Kyle Jamieson had Alick Athanaze caught for 16.

Jimmy Neesham then got in on the act, as he sent back the inform Akeem Auguste for two.

But skipper Shai Hope orchestrated a rescue mission. Overcoming a sluggish start, Hope weathered the storm and accelerated to a vital 53 off 39 balls, anchoring the innings.

He found a reliable partner in Roston Chase (28), who was involved in the two biggest partnerships of the innings. Hope and Chase added 54 for the fourth wicket, after which Chase and Rovman Powell put on 49 runs for the fifth wicket.

Powell (33), who was dropped twice, helped push the total to 164 for 6, with Romario Shepherd finishing off the innings with a couple of boundaries.

For New Zealand, Duffy was the pick of the bowlers, with a miserly 2 for 19 from his four overs.

The West Indies defence was ignited by a fiery spell from returning seamer Matthew Forde. Playing his first competitive cricket since July, Forde was menacing with the new ball, troubling the Kiwi top order with swing and pace.

He clean-bowled Devon Conway for 13, in a powerplay burst that yielded just 9 runs from his first three overs.

From the other end, the spin of Roston Chase proved devastating. On a ground known for its short boundaries, Chase’s clever off breaks yielded 3 for 26, tearing through the New Zealand middle order and reducing the hosts to a precarious 107 for 9 in the 17th over.

Jayden Seales wasn’t to be undone, as he bagged three for 32 to help break the heart of the Kiwi batting lineup.

Just as a comprehensive victory seemed certain, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner launched a stunning counter-attack. He smashed an unbeaten 55 from just 28 balls, single-handedly turning the chase on its head.

His late fireworks, which included a 23-run over off Forde, electrified the sparse crowd and brought New Zealand back from the brink.

The match went down to the final over, with the Black Caps needing 20 runs. Santner clubbed a six off Romario Shepherd to keep hopes alive, but the bowler held his nerve under extreme pressure to seal the win by seven runs.

West Indies bowling coach Ravi Rampaul was pleased that his troops were able to come away with the victory.

‘We’re very happy with our performance. You know, we didn’t have much time here, and coming and seeing how the guys performed with the energy that they put in and the execution that they did in the match was really commendable. ‘

St. Lucia Wednesday welcomed the Doha Political Declaration describing it as a framework to ‘accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), strengthen implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, and foster inclusive and sustainable development.

Equity, Social Development and Ecastical Affairs Minster, Joachim Henry, addressing the second World Summit for Social Development here, said as a small island developing state, St. Lucia seeks to build a resilient, inclusive society where all individuals have access to opportunities, participation and dignity through a ‘people-centred approach’

Equity, Social Development and Ecastical Affairs Minster, Joachim Henry, addressing DOHA conference in Qatar on Wednesday.

He said key initiatives include promoting decent work, making thousands of women permanent employees, establishing a Ministry for Persons with Disabilities, ensuring free maternal and child healthcare, expanding social housing and pensions, and providing early childhood and tertiary education.

Global leaders meeting here have adopted a landmark pledge to build a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable future for all people, a guiding document the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described as ‘a booster shot for development’ and ‘a people’s plan’.

The UN said that by adopting the Doha Political Declaration by consensus, countries agreed to step up efforts to deliver on the promises made 30 years ago at the first Social Summit in Copenhagen and to accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Declaration renews and expands the 1995 commitments to meet today’s complex challenges, strengthening action on the interlinked pillars of poverty eradication, decent work, and social inclusion. It calls for universal, gender-responsive social protection and equitable access to health and education while emphasizing the need to counter misinformation and hate speech that threaten democratic values.

Cuba’s Prime Minister, Marrero Cruz, said that three decades after Copenhagen, humanity faces unprecedented challenges under an unjust international order.

He said millions still suffer from hunger and conflict, denouncing ‘genocide by Israel’ and threats by the United States against Venezuela.

He emphasized that unilateral coercive measures, including the economic blockade imposed on Cuba for over 60 years and its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, remain among the greatest obstacles to sustainable development.

The Cuban prime minister said most countries, as demonstrated at the General Assembly, stand against this ‘criminal policy’, calling for the establishment of a new, fairer international order.

Several countries focused their statements on expanding safety nets and improving food security and other basic social services.

‘Place people at the heart of development,’ urged the representative of the Gambia, who said his country is prioritizing social development by expanding opportunities for all, particularly women and youth.

Several key players are missing from New Zealand’s squad which will face West Indies in a five-match T20I series beginning Wednesday.

Injuries have ruled out Finn Allen (foot), Lockie Ferguson (hamstring), Adam Milne (ankle), Glenn Phillips (groin), and Ben Sears (hamstring), while former skipper Kane Williamson is also missing after he announced his retirement from the shortest format on Sunday.

Fast bowler Matt Henry has also been left out with an eye on the ODI and Test series with the Caribbean side.

Glenn Phillips will miss the series against West Indies with a groin injury.

Mitchell Santner will captain the side once again, that includes fast bowler Kyle Jamieson and spinner Ish Sodhi, while uncapped pacer Nathan Smith is in line to earn a T20I debut.

New Zealand coach Rob Walter is looking forward to the series against the West Indies, which will be the side’s final series prior to the T20 World Cup that is scheduled to take place early next year.

‘It’s great to have five opportunities to take on a dangerous side like the West Indies.

‘I know the team is looking forward to getting into the rhythm of a full series and building some momentum following the rain-affected series to start the summer,’ Walter said.

‘The T20 World Cup is coming closer and I know it will be on people’s minds, but we need to make sure our focus is on this series at home and playing well in front of our fans.’

NEW ZEALAND SQUAD: Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Tim Seifert, Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi.

The Fathers’ Association of TT (TFATT) wants urgent legislative reform after it claims that data collected over a five year period shows that one in every three men tested was not the biological father of the child they believed to be theirs.

‘Between January 2020 and September 2025, 440 tests were conducted on men who were told they were the biological fathers of their children,’ TFATT president, Rhondall Feeles, told a news conference.

‘Out of those, 143 men, about 33 per cent, were proven not to be the biological fathers. That means one in every three men tested was not the father of the child they were raising,’ he said, adding ‘can you imagine with a ratio of one in every three, how rampant this can be?’.

Feeles told reporters that there were several instances where men ended up in legal trouble over maintenance for children who were not biologically theirs. He recalled the case of Marlon Thompson, who had to pay TT$35,000 (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) in maintenance for a child, which a DNA test proved was not his biological son.

‘We were able to have the maintenance removed, and the magisterial level, the magistrate had no power at all to quash the warrant. Though he no longer had a maintenance to pay, he still had a warrant and faced imprisonment for a child that was not biologically his,’ Feeles said adding that a stay was eventually granted by a High Court Judge, and the matter was quashed about two years later.

Feeles also cited a 2019 case where a 31-year-old man demanded a paternity test after paying alimony for his two children. At the hearing for the maintenance and custody case brought by his wife, the man learnt that the two children were not biologically his.

When asked by the magistrate about the money he had paid, the man said he was more affected by the emotional toll of learning the daughters weren’t his. The magistrate dismissed the wife’s application for maintenance .

Feeles said the majority of men don’t care about the maintenance.

‘What they care is that the daughter they held, the son they held, the relationship they held, the one they held, the trust they had in the other party is no longer there.’

The TFATT said it is urging government policymakers to revisit the recommendations of the 2018 Joint Select Committee (JSC), which examined the perceived inequality faced by fathers. That report had called for mandatory DNA testing before maintenance orders are granted by the Family Court.

Feeles said the association recently wrote to Attorney General John Jeremie and then Chief Justice Ivor Archie on the matter.

In the October 7 letter to Jeremie, the TFATT asked for legislation for mandatory paternity testing before issuing child maintenance orders; criminalising a woman’s intentional misleading of a man to believe a child is his, labelling it paternity fraud; and to allow in cases of proven paternity fraud allow compensation for the father, counselling for the father and children, and referring the matter to the police for investigation.

Feeles said while Jeremie expressed interest in the matter, he knows it would take some time for the legislation to be enacted. As such, he asked the Chief Justice in an October 14 letter to issue a proactive direction to require DNA tests for all existing and future maintenance matters and in cases where a man was intentionally lied to about the child being his, allow compensation to him, counselling for him and the children, and to refer the matter to the police for investigation.

An October 17 letter from the Chief Justice Chambers said the matter was receiving consideration. Feeles has since called on newly appointed Chief Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh to continue work on the matter.

Several Caribbean politicians are seeking election to the City Council as New Yorkers head to the polls Tuesday to choose a new mayor.

Haitian-born Brooklyn Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, who is seeking re-election, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that she’s ‘proud to be running for re-election to continue delivering real results for the people of the 46th District.

Farah N. Louis

‘As a nurse, small business owner, and immigrant from Haiti, I know what hard work looks like, and I’ve spent every day fighting to bring resources, services, and respect back to our community,’ she said.

‘While others seek to divide or roll back the progress we’ve made, I’m focused on building up our neighborhoods, investing in our schools, improving healthcare access, and standing up for working families, immigrants, and seniors,’ she added.

‘Our community knows what’s at stake, We’ve come too far to let those who align with extremism that attacks immigrants, undermines healthcare, and works to weaken public education represent us.’

Narcisse’s City Council colleague and compatriot, Rita Joseph, also told CMC that she had no opponent in the Primary Elections in June and will also have none in the general elections for the 40th Council District in Brooklyn.

‘I’m walking back to my seat. Previously, incumbents always have opponents. I’m honestly humbled by it. When nobody steps up to challenge you, that means something. It means the community trusts you. And I don’t take that lightly-I’m going to keep showing up for our schools, our kids, and our families the way I have been.’

Mercedes Narcisse

When asked what she’s most proud of, Joseph, a former public school teacher in Brooklyn, responded that it was the first AIMS programme in September, a specialised early education setup for kids with autism and other developmental needs at the P.S. 6 Annex on Flatbush Avenue.

Joseph, who taught at Public School 6 in Flatbush, Brooklyn, for more than 20 years before getting into politics, said ‘this one hit close to home. ‘

City Council member Farah N. Louis, the daughter of Haitian and Bahamian immigrants, is seeking her final term in representing the 45th District in Brooklyn.

‘It has been the honour of my life to serve the people of Council District 45,’ she told CMC. ‘As I seek my final term, I am more energized than ever to continue delivering real results for our neighbors.

‘The work we’ve accomplished together is just the beginning, and I will not stop until we’ve built a foundation for lasting change in our district. Throughout my tenure, I have been a tireless champion for the most vulnerable members of our community and New York City, while fighting relentlessly to improve quality of life for all District 45 residents.’

As she runs for my final term in the New York City Council, Louis said she remains ‘laser-focused’ on the priorities that she said matter most to District 45.

New York State Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the Haitian-American chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn, said: ‘No matter how you vote, or who you vote for – make sure your voice is heard.’

In addition to candidates for elected office, there are six questions on the ballot this year.

New York City Board of Elections (BOE) said that ballot proposals are ‘suggested changes to the state and city’s governing documents, the State Constitution and the City Charter.

‘Voters get to decide on the changes they want to see passed,’ it said.

The main opposition New National Party (NNP) says it will boycott Tuesday’s sitting of Parliament saying it was doing so ‘after careful review of the troubling pattern of unacceptable behaviour and blatant disrespect demonstrated’ by the government.

The NNP said it will also not be attending the November 6 sitting of the Senate.

The opposition party said that the last parliamentary sitting last Tuesday ‘was chaotic’ with Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell scolding ‘the Speaker and unilaterally dictated the adjournment of the House.

‘It came after serious procedural failures, with members receiving documents late, a clear breach of parliamentary norms and respect for the institution.’

The NNP said that ‘the adjourned date for the sitting of the House was unilaterally dictated to the Speaker by the Government side without consultation with members of the Opposition or respectful adherence to established parliamentary norms and practices.

‘The leader of the opposition’s request for appropriate consultation on the date was ultimately trivialized,’ it added.

The NNP said that the opposition members’ absence from the Parliament on this occasion is an act of principle.

‘As the Opposition in Parliament, we stand firm in protest against the intolerable erosion of our democratic parliamentary norms, the continued shameful attempts to marginalise the official Parliamentary Opposition, and the creeping authoritarianism that has no place in Grenada’s Parliament.

‘We cannot condone a process that mocks the very principles we as members of the House were elected to uphold,’ it added.

Prime Minister Mitchell is due to make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday regarding a request from the United States to temporarily install a radar at the Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA) and the deployment of US military assets on or near Grenada.

With a win over Bangladesh in their last T20I series, West Indies white-ball captain, Shai Hope says his troops are bursting with confidence ahead of their matchup with New Zealand.

The Windies, who are coming off an impressive 3-0 series win over Bangladesh, will take on the fourth ranked New Zealand in the first of five T20Is on Wednesday.

It was just their second bilateral T20I series win in nine outings and halted a losing slide following defeats to Nepal, Pakistan and Australia.

The regional side has not defeated New Zealand in a T20I series since 2012 and has lost three consecutive series to the Black Caps.

However, speaking in a pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Hope said the West Indies were still on a high and were hoping to carry that momentum into the New Zealand series.

‘Coming off that 3-0 victory that we had in Bangladesh is a great confidence booster for us as a team, so it’s just to keep challenging ourselves and testing ourselves to see where we’re at as a team and building to that World Cup.

‘.You have to take a lot [of pride], especially going into conditions that you may not have faced ever in your career and getting the success that we’ve had says a lot about the unit, the strength of the unit and like I said it’s a great confidence booster going into this series,’ Hope said.

‘It’s a place I’m sure the batters and even the bowlers will be much happier to be playing on these surfaces, but yes, confidence booster from Bangladesh, and hopefully we can turn things around in New Zealand and get a lot more success here.’

Hope acknowledged that the conditions in New Zealand were expected to be much different than the ones they faced on the Asian subcontinent.

Therefore, he said it would be important for the players to adapt to those conditions as quickly as possible.

‘Slightly different conditions, maybe totally different conditions, but as we all know it’s one of the biggest things of being a professional cricketer; you have to be able to adapt to the conditions you go into.

‘Like I always speak about, conditions, dimensions, adaptability, and in this particular situation you have to understand that I don’t just expect the New Zealand bowlers to put it in the slot for the shorter straight boundaries either, so it’s about understanding what you’re going to get and formulating those plans to be as successful as possible, whether with bat in hand or ball in hand,’ Hope explained.

‘On the back of that success in Bangladesh it’s about trying to repeat. We want to be a very good team and it’s about consistency and if you want to be the best you have to beat the best in their home territories, so it’s something else we need to tick off our boxes.’

The managing director of the state-owned oil and energy company, Staatsolie, Annand Jagesar, is pleased with the company’s financial and production figures.

‘Our production, refining, and offshore activities are proceeding according to plan. The Gran Morgu project, with which Suriname is expected to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day starting in 2028, is on schedule and within budget,’ Jagesar told shareholders at a meeting where Rudolf Elias was elected as the new chairman of the Supervisory Board of the state-owned company.

Elias had previously served as managing director of Staatsolie from 2014 to 2021.

According to Jagesar, the project will not only generate direct revenue through royalties and taxes but also contribute to local employment and business activity.

‘Local content development is crucial. We want Surinamese employees and businesses to actively participate in this growing sector,’ Jagesar told the shareholders.

The state-owned Communications Service Suriname (CDS) said that with the appointment of Elias, Staatsolie strengthens its strategic oversight during a crucial phase of further growth in the oil and gas sector, both onshore and offshore.

It said that the new board, together with the management, will oversee professional governance and sustainable value creation for Surinamese society.

Supervisory board member Sergio Akiemboto spoke of the importance of close cooperation between the board, management, and the state as shareholder.

‘The supervisory board represents the shareholder and safeguards the direction and vision of the State within Staatsolie. At the same time, our task is to supervise, monitor, and advise, so that the management can adequately fulfill its responsibilities,’ Akiemboto said.

‘Oil revenues must be used to strengthen other sectors, such as education, agriculture, and tourism so that we can build a resilient and diversified economy.’

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

ST. JOHN’S – Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, Tuesday called for the Caribbean to remain a zone of peace warning against the impact of the military build-up by the United States ostensibly to deal with drug traffickers in the region.

PORT OF SPAIN -Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has doubled down on her support for the United States war on drug traffickers in the Caribbean, saying also that ‘many drug money-funded businesses’ are pumping money into a public relations campaign against the US initiative.

ST. GEORGE’S – Grenada government says it will not enter into any agreement that violates local, regional and international law as it still reviewing a US request to establish radar at Maurice Bishop International Airport.

ST. JOHN’S – The Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF) is denying reports of unauthorized American military activity on the island, saying that the presence of Canadian military officials are as a result of the planning process for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held here next year.

GEORGETOWN – The Guyana government says the global environment is impacting the revenue of the oil and rice industries, but remain confident that the country’s economic projections would be met.

SPORTS:

AUCKLAND — With a win over Bangladesh in their last T20I series, West Indies white-ball captain, Shai Hope says his troops are bursting with confidence ahead of their matchup with New Zealand.