Category: CANA News

Five men charged in connection with a major cocaine seizure in British Virgin Islands waters have been freed after a magistrate upheld a no-case submission and dismissed the charges against them.

Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards cleared Cesar Diaz Abrahim and Ronald James of Trinidad and Tobago; Joel Santana Santos and Francisco Mejia Ortiz of the Dominican Republic; and Candido Rois Quezada of St Kitts and Nevis.

They had been charged with importation of a controlled drug and possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.

The five were among six people arrested after police intercepted the cargo vessel C Elizabeth II near Virgin Gorda in December 2025.

Their trial began in May, with the five pleading not guilty. The sixth accused, the vessel’s captain, entered a separate plea.

Police witnesses told the court that officers approached the vessel during the early hours of December 9 after spotting it at sea and saw several people moving quickly on deck and throwing packages overboard.

Police later recovered 32 bags from the sea. Six people were found aboard the vessel when it was taken to Port Purcell, while three additional bricks of suspected cocaine were reportedly discovered on board.

However, defence attorney E. Leroy Jones argued that prosecutors had failed to prove that his clients knew about or exercised control over the drugs.

The defence also challenged the identification evidence, questioning whether officers could reliably identify any of the five men as the people seen throwing packages from the vessel, given the distance, lighting conditions and difference in height between the cargo ship and the police boat.

During cross-examination, one police witness acknowledged that while he saw more than three people throwing items overboard, he could not identify which individuals were responsible.

Richards subsequently upheld the defence’s no-case submission, bringing the proceedings against the five men to an end.

The Jamaica Kingsmen reached 150 for nine in 20 overs after being sent in by the Barbados Tridents in the 34th match of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League at Kensington Oval here on Saturday.

JAMAICA KINGSMEN 150-9 in 20 overs (Maaz Sadaqat 47, Usman Khan 18, Hassan Khan 16, Keacy Carty 15, Kirk McKenzie 11, Andre Russell 10; Jakeem Pollard 3-38, Gudakesh Motie 2-7, Daniel Sams 2-41).

Guyana is building backup capacity into its electricity network to reduce disruptions when equipment fails or is taken offline for maintenance.

Team Leader of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) Executive Management Committee, Kesh Nandlall, said the approach will be incorporated into future infrastructure projects to allow power to continue flowing through another line or transformer when one is unavailable.

‘What we are building out, and in all our future infrastructural projects, we are building redundancy,’ he said during a tour of the Goedverwagting substation on Friday.

‘So that if we are ready to take down one of these transformers, we have another one there and we won’t have any outage.’

Nandlall explained that under the existing system, taking some transformers out of service for maintenance can result in customers losing electricity.

The upgraded network is being designed with alternative pathways so that power can continue flowing when equipment is taken out of service.

‘If one-line trips or if one transformer trips, it goes to the other one and the interruption of the customers is not there,’ he said.

The works form part of a US$422.2 million programme to strengthen Guyana’s electricity transmission and distribution network and prepare it to receive power from the 300-megawatt Gas-to-Energy project at Wales.

The Goedverwagting substation will be a key part of the upgraded system, receiving electricity generated at Wales and transmitting it across the interconnected network.

Power from the Gas-to-Energy plant will be transmitted to Goedverwagting at 230 kilovolts (kV) before being reduced to lower voltage levels for distribution.

The substation will also connect with GPL’s existing Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS), including the Sophia substation.

The new facility has been designed with additional capacity to accommodate future electricity demand.

A new 69kV transmission line will connect Goedverwagting to the Columbia substation, replacing existing infrastructure along the railway embankment. Monopoles for sections of the transmission network have already been constructed.

A 230kV transmission network will also extend east to Williamsburg, where another substation will reduce the voltage to 69kV.

That network will connect with the Onverwagt and Number 53 substations, while electricity can also be transmitted farther east to the Skeldon substation.

The expanded network will eventually connect communities along the corridor towards Moleson Creek.

Nandlall said the investment is necessary to ensure electricity generated under the Gas-to-Energy project can be efficiently transmitted to homes and businesses.

Meanwhile, commissioning is nearing for the 300-megawatt Goedverwagting substation and the US$20 million National Control Centre.

The control centre will allow GPL to monitor and manage electricity flows across the national grid in real time, improving its ability to respond to faults and manage demand.

New substations at Chateau Margot and Enmore, along with the expansion of the Columbia substation, are approximately 60 per cent complete.

The programme includes multiple transmission routes and backup infrastructure intended to limit disruptions when equipment fails or requires maintenance.

The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) has named a 44-member team to compete at the XIII South American Games.

The competition will take place in Argentina and is scheduled to run between September 12 to 26.

Athletes from Guyana will take part in athletics, archery, boxing, esports, squash, table tennis, taekwondo and tennis.

The Games will be staged across the three host cities of Rosario, Santa Fe and Rafaela, bringing together more than 4,000 athletes from 15 countries. The programme will feature 43 sports and 60 disciplines.

Importantly, the Games will provide qualification opportunities for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

GOA President Godfrey Munroe said the size and diversity of the delegation demonstrates the continued development of Guyana’s high-performance sporting system.

‘The participation of athletes across eight disciplines reflects the growing breadth of Guyanese sport and the determination of our national federations and athletes to compete successfully at the highest regional level.

‘These Games are not only about immediate results; they are an important part of our wider athlete-development and qualification pathway towards the 2027 Pan American Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,’ Munroe said.

‘The Guyana Olympic Association remains committed to working with our national federations, athletes, coaches, Government and other partners to provide the support necessary for our athletes to compete with pride and distinction.’

Guyana and Qatar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance agricultural technology, promote more sustainable and innovative farming practices and strengthen the capacity of their agricultural sectors.

The agreement provides a framework for cooperation in agricultural technology, with an emphasis on the use of modern technologies to support sustainable agricultural development in both countries.

The MoU was signed on Wednesday by Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Hilton Todd, and Qatar’s Minister of Municipality, Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, during President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s State Visit to Qatar.

The agreement was concluded during Ali’s September 6-10 visit to Qatar, which provided an opportunity for further high-level engagement between the two countries.

During the visit, Ali held official talks with Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, at the Amiri Diwan, where they discussed opportunities to broaden cooperation and strengthen bilateral relations.

Todd accompanied Ali during the visit and participated in engagements aimed at expanding Guyana’s international partnerships.

As part of the visit, Guyana’s Embassy in Doha hosted a special celebration of the country’s 60th Independence Anniversary under the theme ‘Building Guyana’s Global Brand.’

The event showcased Guyanese people and products and promoted the country’s growing international trade opportunities.

The visit also included the launch of the Guyanese UMAMI product line in the Qatari market, promoting its commercial potential.

Guyana and Qatar established diplomatic relations on August 23, 1996.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors Women kept alive their dream of qualifying for the Women’s Caribbean Premier League playoffs with an impressive 25-run victory over the previously unbeaten Trinbago Knight Riders Women here on Saturday.

The Knight Riders would have been favoured to win their third consecutive match after restricting the Amazon Warriors to 119 for eight in their 20 overs at Kensington Oval.

However, pacer Shabnim Ismail broke the backbone of the Amazon Warriors’ batting, ultimately leading to them being only able to get up to 94 for nine. Ismail, who was named Player-of-the-Match, struck with the third ball of the innings by dismissing Laura Harris for a first ball duck, and also bowled captain Deandra Dottin for 13 and had Yastika Bhatia caught behind for six, to make the score 22 for three at the end of five overs.

Fellow pacer Shamilia Connell then had Marizanne Kapp caught on the fine leg boundary in the ensuing over, and followed up by bowling Jannillea Glasgow off the inside edge three balls later, to see the Amazon Warriors collapse to 22 for five.

Madeline Penna led a fightback with a gutsy 28 off 22 balls, but the Ashmini Munisar and Sheneta Grimmond struck at crucial times to ensure they never got close to their target.

Ismail ended with 3-21, while Connell took 2-12 and Grimmond 2-19.

Earlier, the Amazon Warriors wasted a decent start by their top order that saw them advance to 98 for three at one stage, before losing five wickets for 14 runs in the latter end of their innings that left them 112 for eight in the 20th over.

After Marizanne Kapp dismissed openers Tazmin Brits and Eboni Brathwaite, Shemaine Campbelle, who topscored with 31 and Erin Burns, who made 17, kept the runs flowing during a 42-run partnership.

But once Campbelle was dismissed by Laura Harris, the Amazon Warriors lost their way, with Dottin and Shikha Pandey stifling the middle and lower order batters with disciplined bowling.

Pandey was the pick of the Amazon Warriors’ bowlers with 2-9, while Kapp took 2-20 and Dottin 2-26.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors Women defeated the Trinbago Knight Riders Women by 25 runs in the fourth match of the Women’s Caribbean Premier League at Kensington Oval here on Saturday.

Scores

GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS WOMEN 119-8 in 20 overs (Shemaine Campbelle 31, Erin Burns 17, Realeanna Grimmond 16, Tazmin Brits 15, Eboni Brathwaite 13; Shikha Pandey 2-9, Marizanne Kapp 2-20, Deandra Dottin 2-26).

TRINBAGO KNIGHT RIDERS WOMEN 94-9 in 20 overs (Madeline Penna 28, Shikha Pandey 15 not out, Deandra Dottin 13, Karishma Ramharack 12, Jahzara Claxton 10; Shabnim Ismail 3-21, Shamilia Connell 2-12, Sheneta Grimmond 2-19).

A United Kingdom law firm is helping the Government develop legislation to regulate social media while protecting freedom of expression and other constitutional rights.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall said the firm is supporting the country’s legislative review by examining regulatory models from jurisdictions around the world and developing a draft framework suited to Guyana’s circumstances. ‘We have a number of sources of documents that we are examining together to ensure that we have a modern, comprehensive, and transparent framework that is in keeping with the modern realities of social media,’ Nandlall told reporters on Friday.

The review is also taking into account recent legal developments in the United States, including litigation involving Meta in several states.

Nandlall said the Government has examined court rulings and the proceedings that led to them to better understand the legal issues surrounding social media regulation.

At the regional level, Guyana is also considering work commissioned by CARICOM Heads of Government on developing a legislative and regulatory framework for social media.

The Government has received a first draft from the CARICOM initiative, which is being reviewed alongside international models and legal precedents.

Nandlall stressed that the Government’s objective is not simply to impose controls on social media, but to establish safeguards that address emerging concerns without undermining fundamental freedoms.

‘You don’t want any measure that will in any form or fashion infringe the constitutional right of expression and other liberties guaranteed to the citizens of Guyana,’ he said.

He said the central challenge is to strike an appropriate balance between addressing harmful practices targeted by the proposed legislation and preserving citizens’ rights and liberties.

The ongoing review is expected to inform a framework that is comprehensive and transparent and responsive to the changing digital environment while remaining consistent with Guyana’s constitutional protections.

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) says it is prepared to maintain public safety as detainees held under Preventive Detention Orders (PDOs) are released ahead of the expected end of the State of Emergency later this month.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Suzette Martin, said in a statement on Saturday that the revocation of a PDO or the release of a person held under one does not, in itself, provide a basis for police action against that individual. She said, however, that a person’s release does not mean an investigation has ended. ‘Where a person remains the subject of an active investigation, the TTPS will continue to gather evidence and pursue that investigation to its proper conclusion, whether during the State of Emergency or after it has been lifted. Any further action will be founded on evidence and taken strictly in accordance with the law,’ Martin said.

Martin said the police divisions, intelligence, investigative and operational units have been coordinating to manage the transition, with the policing response guided by intelligence, evidence and the law.

‘I want to reassure the national community that the TTPS has made the necessary operational preparations to manage this transition and to maintain public safety,’ she said.

‘There will be appropriate police visibility and targeted operational activity in areas where our assessments indicate that this is necessary. We will continue our efforts to disrupt illegal firearms, gang activity and other serious criminal threats, while protecting victims, witnesses and vulnerable communities.’

Martin assured the public that officers are expected to conduct themselves professionally and proportionately, while respecting the rights of all individuals.

Several people detained under PDOs issued during the current State of Emergency have been released as the emergency period draws to a close.

Legal challenges arising from the use of the preventive detention powers remain before the courts.

The TTPS is urging members of the public to remain calm and vigilant and to cooperate with the police by reporting criminal activity and immediate threats.

‘The emergency powers may change. Our responsibility to public safety does not,’ Martin said.

The Barbados Tridents Women elected to bat after winning the toss against the Jamaica Empress Women in the fifth match of the Women’s Caribbean Premier League at Kensington Oval here on Saturday.

SQUADS

BARBADOS TRIDENTS WOMEN: Hayley Matthews (captain), Kiran Navgire, Pooja Vastrakar, Suzie Bates, Madeline Green, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Mandy Mangru, Shawnisha Hector, Qiana Joseph, Afy Fletcher, Harleen Deol.

JAMAICA EMPRESS WOMEN: Stafanie Taylor (captain), Chinelle Henry, Aaliyah Alleyne, Amy Hunter, Rashada Williams, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Meg Lanning, Nonku Mlaba, Rosemary Mair, Syeda Aroob Shah.

Umpires: Chris Wright, Jacqueline Williams.