Category: CANA News

Police say they have detained three people in connection with the explosion at a gas station that killed one person and injured several others on Sunday night, but that the main suspect is stil on the run.

‘Information obtained from these arrests has provided key leads to investigators. The principal suspect, who remains at large, is being actively sought as the investigation continues,’ the police said in a statement.

They said that among those arrested is a Venezuelan national and that all three men are assisting with the investigation.

The authorities have not released any name to identify the main suspect being sought, but video image disseminated by them said the man, who is wanted for terrorism, speaks Spanish.

A six-year-old girl, who was in a car in the Mobil gas station compound in the capital was killed when the contents of a bulky black plastic bag exploded near the vehicle in which she and others were occupants. Four others were injured.

The explosion that rocked several parts of the capital city occurred at about 7:24 pm (local time) and according to closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance video, the man was seen entering the gas station and attempting to place the bulky bag in a waste disposal bin next to a fuel pump, but an attendant who was seated there told him not to do so.

The video recording shows him leaving the gas station through the western entrance but not before placing the bag next to the car. As the car was reversing slowly, the device in the bag exploded and rocked the car.

Meanwhile, the main opposition, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), is demanding that the government screen migrant workers and foreigners, while the other opposition grouping, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) said that security should be boosted at several key installations, in the wake of Sunday night’s explosion.

‘We call on the government to strengthen protection of critical infrastructure such as fuel depots, power substations, and public markets through updated safety audits and drills,’ APNU said in a statement.

WIN, which became the country’s main opposition grouping after securing the second most amount of seats in the September 1 regional and general elections, called for heightened national security measures and intelligence coordination and ‘stricter border monitoring and background checks on all non-Guyanese entrants.’

The party said two explosions at the Ruimveldt Police Outpost and the Guyana Power and Light’s substation in May 2025 and Sunday night’s incident were ‘interconnected’ ‘attacks’ warning that a number of persons crossing Guyana’s borders with open access to every sector of the society ‘might be members of the Venezuelan army or intelligence services, and not all have good intentions.’

It accused the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration of ‘allowing the influx of tens of thousands of Venezuelans into our country’ that compromised the nation’s national security.

In an obvious reference to the United States military build-up in the Caribbean and fears that the stage is being set to depose the Nicolás Maduro administration in Venezuela under the guise of fighting narco-trafficking, WIN said Guyana needed to be wary of the implications. ‘Given the current geopolitical dynamics, Guyana must remain on full alert for any potential negative repercussions or retaliatory actions from Venezuela,’ that party said.

The Jamaica Scorpions will have a new captain at the helm when they begin their quest for glory in next month’s CG United Super50 Cup.

Regular skipper, John Campbell, who is part of the West Indies squad to face New Zealand in a three-match Test series, will not be part of the team having been granted leave to focus on that assignment, which begins December 2.

John Campbell will not feature for Jamaica in the upcoming CG United Super50 Cup

The Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) has not yet named the new captain, with the announcement expected in the coming days.

However, according to reports following a meeting earlier this week, middle-order batsman Brad Barnes is understood to be the front-runner for the role, with young batsman Kirk McKenzie and experienced all-rounder Peat Salmon also considered strong candidates.

The JCA has announced a 14-man squad which will take part in the tournament from November 19 to 29 in Trinidad and Tobago.

It features a core of experienced players, such as former West Indies vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood, along with a promising crop of rising stars, including McKenzie, Jordan Johnson and Abhijai Mansingh.

The Scorpions will take on the Guyana Harpy Eagles in their opening match at the Queen’s Park Oval on November 19.

SQUAD

JAMAICA SCORPIONS: Jermaine Blackwood, Marquino Mindley, Peat Salmon, Kirk McKenzie, Jordan Johnson, Abhijai Mansingh, Carlos Brown, Javelle Glen, Romaine Morris, Brad Barnes, Ojay Shields, Jeavor Royal, Tamarie Redwood, and Khari Campbell.

Having lost their last three T20I series, the West Indies are trying to turn things around against Bangladesh, says veteran player Rovman Powell.

The regional side entered the three-match series against the hosts reeling from 2-1 defeats against Nepal and Pakistan respectively, along with a 5-0 whitewash at the hands of Australia at home back in July.

In fact, the West Indies have won just one of their last eight T20I series, with their lone victory coming in a 1-0 triumph over minnows Ireland during their tour of England in June.

Among those defeats was a 3-0 drubbing by Bangladesh back in December 2024, where they were thoroughly outplayed at home.

However, the West Indies took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series against the hosts by winning Monday’s opening match by 16 runs at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium.

Victory in Wednesday’s second T20I at the same venue will help them secure the series with a match to spare.

They were led by standout performances by Player-of-the-Match Powell and captain Shai Hope with the bat, and Jason Holder and Jayden Seales with the ball.

Powell blasted 44 runs from 28 balls and shared an unbroken partnership of 83 with Hope, to boost West Indies up to 165 for three in their 20 overs.

Holder and Seales then took three wickets apiece to see them bowl out Bangladesh for 149 in 19.4 overs.

Speaking in a post-match interview following the win, Powell said the West Indies were aware of their recent struggles in the game’s shortest format.

However, he gave the assurance that they were doing everything in their power to get the sixth ranked Windies back to their winning ways.

‘We’ll try our best. Losing seven matches in a row, it doesn’t leave a good taste in our mouth.

‘Myself and the guys are eager to turn that around and being 1-0 up against Bangladesh provides that opportunity for us to turn it around,’ Powell said.

‘We know Bangladesh is a tough team, especially at home, so we’re definitely looking towards the next game to see how best we can improve and win this series then.’

The Barbados-based Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) Tuesday said that the international satellite company, Eutelsat, is providing assistance to CBU members affected by the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

The category 5 hurricane is is forecast to have catastrophic effects on Jamaica and cause significant damage to Cuba, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas.

The CBU said that broadcast services in the path of the storm are expected to lose critical transmission infrastructure.

But the satellite service provider, which has partnered with the CBU for nearly a decade is offering no cost access to its satellite assets in the region.

Eutelsat will provide satellite capacity (C or Ku band) free of charge to help re-establish video transmissions once the monster storm passes. In addition, Eutelsat is on standby to support contacting regional satellite integrators to coordinate technical assistance.

‘The Eutelsat team which serves Latin America and the Caribbean has consistently proven its commitment to the region and its media services. This offer of assistance is a further demonstration of the Eutelsat philosophy of collaboration and support,’ said CBU President Anthony Greene.

SVP Media Americas from Eutelsat J. Ignacio González-Núñez, said, ‘at Eutelsat, we stand with our partners and colleagues across the Caribbean as they face the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa.

‘In times like these, communication becomes a lifeline. Our priority today is to help restore communication and broadcasting services as quickly as possible,’ he added.

With Hurricane Melissa already reached landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, it has forced matches in the 2025 CONCACAF Caribbean Cup to be rescheduled.

CONCACAF announced that the decisive second leg between Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant FA and Trinidad and Tobago’s Defence Force FC, initially scheduled to be played on Thursday at the National Stadium, has been postponed due to the severe weather expected to impact the country.

Mount Pleasant FA will now play their CONCACAF Caribbean Cup match against Trinidad and Tobago’s Defence Force FC on November 5.

That match will now be played on November 5.

Additionally, the entire two-legged series between O and M FC and Cibao FC has also been pushed back, with the first leg to be played on October 30, and a week later on November 6.

The governing body said the decision was made ‘to ensure the safety of all parties’ following consultation with local authorities and in close coordination with the involved clubs.

The Jamaica government anticipates that emergency and relief flights will be able to land at the Normal Manley International Airport (NMIA) on Thursday, following the passage of the category 5, Hurricane Melissa later on Tuesday.

Energy, Telecoms and Transportation Minister, Daryl Vaz told a news conference that some telecom subscribers have already been affected by the storm, which is packing maximum sustained winds of 175 miles per hour and is expected to pass over or near the island at around midday (local time).

He said regarding the operations at the NMIA, discussions have been held with the relevant authorities to accommodate the emergency flights after the passage of the storm.

‘The assumption is that the system will leave Jamaica at the end of today.and that the impact on the Norman Manley International Airport is not extensive,’ he said, adding that the authorities will use Wednesday to survey the damage, clean up the facility and restore equipment.

‘These emergency relief flights could therefore be accommodated as early as Thursday,’ he said, noting that the authorities are not yet certain what will happen with Sangster International Airport at Montego Bay, which will face a lower category storm.

‘The good news is that the Ian Fleming International Airport is being considered as a part of contingency planning.and we could get into Ian Fleming with several types of aircraft and that will help us significantly based on the distance between Ian Fleming and Montego Bay’.

Vaz said the oil and energy company, Petrojam, has indicated that all three international airports in addition to all aerodromes are at 75 to 80 per cent capacity with aviation fuel and as a result will allow for the movement of aircraft immediately after the storm.

‘In addition Petrojam has two to three weeks supply of aviation fuel at its Kingston and Montego Bay storage facilities,’ he added.

He said the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) has reported that the electrify grid has already been impacted by hurricane conditions, resulting in several power outages across the island.

He said that several aspects of the JPS operations have been ‘forced out of service by the hurricane force winds and lightening and asa result approximately 240,000 or 30 percent of JPS customers are without power out of a possible 700,000’.

But he said that JPS is also reporting the majority of hospitals continue to be supplied with sufficient electricity and others are operating on standby generators.

‘There is no plan at this time to shut down the grid. JPS crews continue to respond and restore electricty to customers where it is safe to do so,’ Vaz said.

He said with regards to telecoms, at least 26 per cent of DIGICEL customers are off line primarily due to the loss of power with a further 209 sites running on generators and nine on batteries.

For fibre to home customers, at least 20 per cent are off line as a result of a loss of electricity at their homes.

Vaz said the authorities are working to increase spectrum bandwidth ‘as we know from our experience.that the mobile infrastructure will recover much quicker than the fixed (lines)’.

Vaz said he has since signed licences for additional spectrum with the mobile phone operators here.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHCC), said that the storm, which is about 55 miles, south, south east of Jamaica, will bring catastrophic winds, flsh flooding and storm surge .

It said Melissa is moving toward the north-northeast near seven mph and a turn towards the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected later today, followed by a faster northeastward motion on Wednesday and Thursday.

‘On the forecast track, the core of Melissa is expected to make landfall on Jamaica during the next several hours, move across southeastern Cuba Wednesday morning, and move across the southeastern or central Bahamas later on Wednesday.’

The NHC said that little change in strength is expected before Melissa makes landfall on Jamaica.

‘Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica and southeastern Cuba as an extremely dangerous major hurricane, and it will still be at hurricane strength when it moves across the southeastern Bahamas.’

Tropical storm conditions are occurring in Jamaica, and catastrophic hurricane-force winds are expected to begin during the next few hours. Melissa is expected to bring rainfall of 15 to 30 inches to portions of Jamaica.

The eye of the extremely dangerous category 5 Hurricane Melissa is approaching western Jamaica on Tuesday with maximum sustained winds of 175 miles per hour (mph).

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHCC), said that the storm, which is about 55 miles, south, south east of Jamaica, will bring catastrophic winds, flash flooding and storm surge .

Jamaicans anxiously awaiting the passage of Hurricane Melissa on Tuesday.

It said Melissa is moving toward the north-northeast near seven mph and a turn towards the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected later today, followed by a faster northeastward motion on Wednesday and Thursday.

‘On the forecast track, the core of Melissa is expected to make landfall on Jamaica during the next several hours, move across southeastern Cuba Wednesday morning, and move across the southeastern or central Bahamas later on Wednesday.’

The NHC said that little change in strength is expected before Melissa makes landfall on Jamaica.

‘Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica and southeastern Cuba as an extremely dangerous major hurricane, and it will still be at hurricane strength when it moves across the southeastern Bahamas.’

Tropical storm conditions are occurring in Jamaica, and catastrophic hurricane-force winds are expected to begin during the next few hours. Melissa is expected to bring rainfall of 15 to 30 inches to portions of Jamaica.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said Jamaica has been receiving pledges of support for hurricane preparation and recovery from its regional and international partners.

‘We have received calls of support from our partners – the United Nations, United States, the British, the French, the European Union, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

‘All the Caricom countries have reached out to pledge support in one way, shape or form and I want to thank all of them for being so willing to support our recovery efforts and our preparation efforts as well,’ he said.

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton has confirmed that three people have died and 13 others have been injured in hurricane preparations.

He said the deaths occurred while the individuals were preparing for the category 5 storm that is showing signs of fluctuations in intensity before making landfall.

Meanwhile, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) says it is closely monitoring the hurricane that is already affecting Jamaica, and expected to affect Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas in the next few days.

PAHO said that as part of its readiness measures, it has prepositioned emergency medical kits and supplies in Haiti. These include interagency emergency health kits, trauma kits, and cyclone response kits stored at the Central Medical Warehouse (PROMESS) in Tabarre, on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, for rapid deployment as needed.

Additional stocks of essential medicines, medical and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) supplies, and laboratory materials are maintained at the PAHO Regional Strategic Reserve in Panama.

PAHO’s multidisciplinary regional response team are ready for deployment to assist with health damage and needs assessments, coordination, emergency care, re-establishing essential health services, and the prevent and control of outbreaks, among others.

In Jamaica, authorities have activated the national Emergency Operations Centre to coordinate the response, including hospitals and health centers.

The Guyana police Tuesday said the Venezuelan national, identified as the main suspect in the bombing incident that resulted in the death of a six-year-old child on Sunday night had entered the country illegally.

Head of the Criminal Investigations Department, Deputy Police Commissioner, Wendell Blanhum, told a news conference that the suspect, identified as Daniel Alexander Ramirez Peodomo, had indicated that he brought the explosive device into the country hours earlier.

Home Affairs Minister, Oneidge Walron (center) with members of the police and military at the joint press conference on Tuesday evening

‘Among other things that he mentioned to us is that he brought the device in from Venezuela to Guyana. He also indicated that the device had a switch which he activated when he exited the vehicle which was parked within the vicinity of the gas station,’ Blanhum told reporters.

Blanhum said Peodomo, and a Venezuelan accomplice arrived in Guyana illegally by boat Sunday morning, but declined to immediately divulge the motive for the attack that resulted in the death of Soraya Bourne and injury to four others.

The police officer also refused to provide any information about the type of explosive that was used.

Police could not say whether Peodomo was militarily trained, but pointed out that he was a member of the ‘R’ gang associated with the feared Sindicato gang. He said information about the suspect was shared with the Caracas Bureau of INTERPOL.

Blanhum said nine persons, including four Venezuelans, were in custody since the investigations began on the night of the incident.

Police had earlier announced a five million dollar (One Guy$=US$0.004 cents) reward for information leading to the arrest of the main suspect, whom the police had described as a Spanish-speaking national.

Home Affairs Minister, Oneidge Walrond, on Tuesday night said the authorities will be pursuing the death penalty for Peodomo.

‘The penalty for terrorism under the section quoted by the Commissioner (of Police Clifton Hicken) is death, and we will be pursuing that,’ she said, telling reporters ‘we will be making a case for the death penalty’.

Walrond said she is sure President Irfaan Ali, who is in Saudi Arabia, will greenlight such actions.

‘One life, Guyanese life, is still too much. I am absolutely sure that our Commander in Chief, our President, will sign off on that order (for the death penalty),’ she said.

Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken said police used government’s surveillance cameras that are hooked up to regional command centres to locate the prime suspect at Vergenoegen Side Line Dam, East Bank Essequibo.

Despite public reservations that the picture of the suspect did not match those that had been released in wanted bulletins, the police officers sought to reassure the public that they had their man.

Hicken said soldiers would be joining police in intensified patrols, in the wake of Sunday night’s incident; the third such bombing for the year.

Blanhum did not comment on possible links between the incidents in May and last Sunday, saying that the matter was before the court. A Guyanese man was arrested because he allegedly aided two Spanish-speaking men whose pictures were circulated in wanted bulletins but they were never arrested.

Jamaica is bracing for the passage of Hurricane Melissa on Tuesday as the category 5 storm is expected to move across southeastern Cuba Wednesday morning, and the southeastern or central Bahamas later on Wednesday.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC), said that the storm, which has already been blamed for three deaths in Jamaica, is about 115 miles, west south west of the capital, Kingston.

It has maximum sustained winds of 175 miles per hour (mph) and Melissa is moving towards the north-northeast near five mph. A turn towards the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected later today, followed by a faster northeastward motion on Wednesday and Thursday.

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton has confirmed that three people have died and 13 others have been injured in hurricane preparations.

He said the deaths occurred while the individuals were preparing for the category 5 storm that is showing signs of fluctuations in intensity before making landfall.

‘Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica and southeastern Cuba as an extremely dangerous major hurricane, and it will still be at hurricane strength when it moves across the southeastern Bahamas,’ the NHC warned.

Tufton has expressed sadness over the storm-related deaths.

‘Condolences to the family members who lost loved ones,’ he said, adding that the health system would provide the necessary support for those individuals.

‘We understand the need to prepare but we urge extreme caution in that preparation. If you need help, call for help but be careful to protect yourself during the preparation because already we are seeing the tragedy of lives,’ Tufton said.

The NHC said that a hurricane watch is in effect for Turks and Caicos Islands, while a tropical storm watch remains in effect for Haiti.

Tropical storm conditions are occurring in Jamaica, and catastrophic hurricane-force winds are expected to begin this morning. Within the eyewall, total structural failure is likely, especially in higher elevation areas where wind speeds atop and on the windward sides of hills and mountains could be up to 30 per cent stronger.

Melissa is expected to bring rainfall of 15 to 30 inches to portions of Jamaica and catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely.

A life-threatening storm surge is likely along the south coast of Jamaica today. Peak storm surge heights could reach nine to 13 feet above ground level, near and to the east of where the center of Melissa makes landfall.

‘This storm surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves. On the northwest coast of Jamaica, near Montego Bay, there is the possibility of tw to four feet of storm surge above ground level.

‘Swells generated by Melissa are expected to affect portions of Hispaniola, Jamaica, eastern Cuba, and the Cayman Islands during the next several days, likely causing life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,’ the NHC warned.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping has expressed ‘ deep concern for, and solidarity with’ with Jamaica as well as Haiti, The Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands which are in the path of the record-breaking system, Hurricane Melissa.

‘We commend the efforts of national disaster management agencies and emergency responders who have been working to ensure everyone’s safety and well-being. We urge everyone to heed the official advice and information shared to secure lives against the wrath of this devastating system,’ the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said in a statement.

‘CARICOM reaffirms its commitment to a collective effort to support recovery and reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of the hurricane, including through the coordinated efforts of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA),’ it added.

The extremely dangerous category 5 Hurricane Melissa has made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, with officials warning about the catastrophic winds, flash flooding and storm surge associated with the storm, already blamed for three lives.

As the storm inches closer to the island, a representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said that the category 5 system ‘will be the strongest on the planet this year’ putting a million people at direct risk, ‘including families which are still recovering from Hurricane Beryl’ which hit Jamaica 16 months ago.

WFP Jamaica World Food Programme workers discuss the distribution of aid in a warehouse in Jamaica.

‘Roofs will be tested. Flood water will rise. Isolation will become a harsh reality for many,’ said Necephor Mghendi, the Trinidad-based IFRC’s head of Delegation for the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.

The tropical cyclone specialist with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO),  Anne-Claire Fontan, quoting the Miami based National Hurricane Center (NHC), said ‘total structural failure is likely.

‘I have never seen this sentence before. it’s a massive impact that is expected to be in Jamaica,’ she said.

The NHC in its latest bulleting said that the storm is about 40 miles south east of Negril in Jamaica and has maximum sustained winds of 185 miles per hour.

Melissa is moving toward the north-northeast near nine mph and a turn towards the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected later today, followed by a faster northeastward motion on Wednesday and Thursday.

‘On the forecast track, the core of Melissa is expected to make landfall on Jamaica during the next couple of hours, move across southeastern Cuba early Wednesday morning, and move across the southeastern or central Bahamas later on Wednesday,’ the NHC said.

It said that little change in strength is expected before Melissa makes landfall on Jamaica.

‘Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica and southeastern Cuba as an extremely dangerous major hurricane, and it will still be a strong hurricane when it moves across the southeastern Bahamas.’

Fontan said that the system will bring three times the normal amount of precipitation for a rainy month in Jamaica, or up to 27.5 inches.

‘It means that there will be a catastrophic flash floodings and numerous landslides. In addition to the rain and to the destructive wind, you will have storm surge that is expected as well on the southern coast of Jamaica with a three to four meters high in addition to destructive waves,’ she said.

Mghendi said that while Melissa is moving as a very slow speed , the ‘extreme’ rainfall and winds are expected to cause ‘extensive infrastructure damage, isolating communities and cutting off essential services for days if not weeks.

‘The humanitarian threat is severe and it’s immediate,’ he said.

Many families are currently still rebuilding from the impacts of Beryl last year and restoring their livelihoods.

‘Melissa now threatens the same communities and maybe all the activities will be wiped out,’ he warned.

‘This is an example of how. extreme climate weather events can actually provide shocks to communities and stretch the capacities to withstand them,’ Mghendi said, adding that coastal communities remain financially strained, and informal settlements are at risk from intense winds as well as soils that are already saturated by the rainy season, with an ‘increased likelihood of landslides’.

The spokesperson for UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Jens Laerke said the first order of business is to save as many lives as possible in the event’ explaining that this is ‘why we’re seeing evacuations going on, shelters being built. advice is going out.’

Mghendi said that in Jamaica the authorities have prepared some 800 shelters and that volunteers are supporting evacuations, helping distribute relief items and reinforcing early warning messages.

Laerke added that an anticipatory mechanism facilitated by the UN has been activated in Cuba and Haiti which lie on the hurricane’s path, triggering a four million US dollar million allocation from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to pre-position food, water, hygiene items and health supplies.

‘What are going to be people’s basic survival needs? Food, clean water. shelter and of course medical care,’ he said, explaining that when massive flooding hits, clean water is in short supply, driving a surge in health and epidemic risks.

Asked about the availability of relief items the IFRC’s Mghendi said that within Jamaica itself enough supplies had been prepositioned to provide immediate assistance to some 800 households. Beyond this, supplies for 60,000 households can be delivered to Jamaica and other countries like the Bahamas ‘within four hours,’ he said.

‘After we release them, there will be a need to replenish and that’s where we’re hoping for global solidarity.

‘In events like this, the world comes together and we anticipate this will be the case. This is one of the storms of the century and I believe the global community will come together to respond collectively,’ he added.