Category: CANA News

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is to receive an official report from the school where a student was denied the opportunity to use the restroom and subsequently soiled herself.

Portfolio Minister, Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon, made the disclosure during Wednesday’s post-Cabinet press briefing.

‘When I saw that story, of course, as many Jamaicans did, my heart broke,’ Morris Dixon said. ‘My heart was breaking for that student when I heard the story, and so I understand the outrage. I understand how Jamaicans feel and how they feel it as if it were their child, because I felt similarly that that was my child.’

‘As minister, I have to have all the facts, and it’s for that reason that I’ve asked for an investigation of what took place, so that I can get an official report on it with all the facts on the table. And then we will take action after that,’ she added.

The minister said she spoke with the child’s father on Wednesday, noting that the ministry will provide the necessary support needed.

‘I had a good conversation [and] noted that all of Jamaica feels concerned and that we’re worried about his daughter. We conveyed our love for her and that at the ministry we’ll provide whatever support she may need. There was indication that there may be need for some emotional support and some counselling support,’ Morris Dixon said.

‘In the ministry we’ll do that. We have psychologists on retainer, so any child in our system that needs support, we in the ministry, we pay for the psychologist, or if they need a psychiatrist, we also pay for it. So, we’ll provide whatever support that child needs, and the children of Jamaica are at the centre of our decision-making,’ she added.

The minister also revealed that she spoke with the principal of the school on Wednesday, adding that it was important to listen to all sides.

‘I had a good conversation with the principal, and she assured me that the children are at the centre of all of her policies. And that everything she does is with them in mind. She also went through what happened on the day. She’s indicated we will get the official report from the school, and as I said, we’ll meet with the Board, we’ll meet with the parent, with the school, and in the ministry we’ll get to the bottom of it, and we will take action that is needed,’ she added.

Morris Dixon pointed out that many schools have a difficult balancing act, noting that ‘out of safety for the children and out of other incidents that may have happened, you have to make a call as a teacher’.

‘So, I understand the difficulty in that call. But when there are emergencies, we have to act differently. So even when we have the set bathroom breaks, if a child is ill between those bathroom breaks, we have to give them the time to go to the bathroom. And the good thing is, when I spoke to the principal, the official rules at the school match with the ministry’s expectations, and so what we have to do as a ministry is to check if the rules were broken,’ she said.

The Barbados Tridents defeated St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by four wickets in the 32nd match of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League at Kensington Oval here on Thursday.

Scores

ST KITTS and NEVIS PATRIOTS 118 in 20 overs (Wanindu Hasaranga 45, Jason Holder 24, Alick Athanaze 16, Jeremiah Louis 13; Chris Green 4-20, Daniel Sams 2-21, Gudakesh Motie 2-30).

BARBADOS TRIDENTS 120-6 in 18 overs (Quinton de Kock 44 not out, Sherfane Rutherford 23, Shadrack Descarte 19, Zachary Carter 13; Jason Holder 3-31, Naseem Shah 2-11).

The Jamaica Empress Women reached 100 for eight in 20 overs after being sent in by the Trinbago Knight Riders Women in the third match of the Women’s Caribbean Premier League at Kensington Oval here on Thursday.

JAMAICA EMPRESS WOMEN 100-8 in 20 overs (Rashada Williams 40, Chinelle Henry 22 not out, Syeda Aroob Shah 12 not out; Karishma Ramharack 3-11, Laura Harris 2-10).

The final count in Monday’s Roseau North by-election has confirmed a decisive victory for Dominica Labour Party (DLP) candidate Ashma McDougall, who secured 1,473 of the 2,520 valid votes cast.

United Workers Party (UWP) candidate Daniel Andrew Lugay received 998 votes, while independent candidate Sherman Boston polled 49 votes. In the preliminary count, McDougall was reported to have secured 1,506 votes, compared with 983 for Lugay, with Boston polling 50.

The Electoral Office said 2,566 ballots were polled from 7,892 registered electors, representing a voter turnout of 32.50 per cent.

Forty-six ballots were rejected.

The final figures show McDougall with 58.45 per cent of the valid vote, compared with 39.60 per cent for Lugay and 1.95 per cent for Boston.

Following the result, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said the outcome should end the debate over whether Dominica is on the right or wrong track for development under the DLP.

‘I believe that Roseau North has spoken for the whole country. Roseau North has spoken for every part of the country, and I believe that the rest of the country has heard you and seen you,’ Skerrit told DLP supporters.

‘And so I believe that the debate in Dominica is over on whether the country is on the right track or the wrong track. And I think Dominica is on the right track based on what you have said in Roseau North,’ he said.

Skerrit also said he was pleased with the support the DLP received from young voters and indicated that McDougall would be included in the Cabinet.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former minister Miriam Blanchard on June 12 due to ill health.

The final count replaces the preliminary figures released after Monday’s poll, when McDougall was reported to have received 1,506 votes, Lugay 983 and Boston 50.

Karishma Ramharack produced a Player-of-the-Match performance as the Trinbago Knight Riders Women demolished the Jamaica Empress Women by nine wickets to go top of the table in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League here on Thursday.

Ramharack snared three wickets in the space of two overs as the Empress Women were restricted to a paltry 100 for eight in 20 overs after they were sent in at Kensington Oval.

Opener Yastika Bhatia then blasted an unbeaten 57 off 34 balls to power the Knight Riders Women to 104 for one in just 11.1 overs, leaving them as the only unbeaten team in the tournament.

The Empress Women were on the backfoot from the get-go, losing Amy Hunter by the run out route and then Meg Lanning in consecutive deliveries, to slip to seven for two in the second over. Captain Stafanie Taylor and Rashada Williams tried to repair the early damage during a 29-run partnership, but Ramharack’s introduction ruined their efforts.

The off spinner had Taylor caught for nine and also claimed the wickets of Djenaba Joseph and Zaida James to reduce the Empress Women to 44 for five in the 10th over.

Williams battled during her knock of 40 of 47 balls, but when she became the sixth wicket to fall with 75 runs on the board, Chinelle Henry, who scored an unbeaten, patient 22 off 26 balls and Syeeda Aroob Shah, who finished on 12 not out, got them up to three figures.

Ramharack finished with 3-11, while Laura Harris supported with 2-10.

The Knight Riders Women then made light work of their target, losing the solitary wicket of Laura Harris for 22.

Bhatia, who slammed six fours and three sixes in her innings, along with skipper Deandra Dottin, who scored a quickfire. unbeaten 22 from 15 balls, shared an unbroken partnership of 69 in 37 balls, to see their side to victory with 53 balls to spare.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the Organisation of American States (OAS), Sir Ronald Sanders, is calling for stronger development cooperation between OAS member states and the organisation’s Permanent Observers.

Sir Ronald, who chairs the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), made the call at a special meeting he convened on Wednesday.

The meeting, attended by OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin, brought together the 32 active OAS member states and Permanent Observers, including the European Union, China, Spain, Italy, France, Morocco and Japan.

Sir Ronald said development should not be treated as secondary to the other principal concerns of the inter-American system.

‘Development is not the fourth pillar of the inter-American system. It is the foundation of the other three,’ he said.

He argued that human rights are diminished when people cannot feed their families, access health care or educate their children.

He said democracy loses authority when citizens see no path to decent work or an improvement in their lives, while security becomes fragile when the lawful economy offers young people no credible opportunities.

Sir Ronald also linked inadequate development to migration pressures.

‘Migration, which commands so much of our collective attention, often begins where hope and opportunity have ended,’ he said. ‘When development fails, the other pillars do not stand untouched. They begin to fracture.’

Sir Ronald acknowledged the support provided by Permanent Observers from Europe and Asia to the OAS in the areas of democracy, human rights and security.

However, he said development had not received comparable attention in the organisation’s external partnerships.

He argued that a more prosperous hemisphere would create stronger markets, more reliable trading partners and wider opportunities for investment and trade.

He said continued exclusion from economic opportunity could fuel political frustration, insecurity and migration pressures.

Sir Ronald also called for greater support for climate-resilient development, particularly for small island states that are repeatedly forced to borrow to replace infrastructure destroyed by severe storms.

‘Development cooperation is not charity at the margins of foreign policy,’ he said. ‘It is an investment at the heart of shared stability and shared prosperity.’

Sir Ronald proposed that Wednesday’s meeting be the first in a series of practical engagements between CIDI and the Permanent Observers aimed at building partnerships and producing measurable results.

Guyana’s agriculture sector has recorded significant growth since 2020, with increased production, expanded agro-processing and greater use of technology, according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha.

Mustapha, speaking in an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI) last Tuesday, said the sector had undergone ‘massive transformation’ over the past six years.

‘I know for a fact also that we have seen massive transformation taking place in the agriculture sector,’ he said.

According to the DPI, the agriculture budget increased from GYD$18.4 billion (GYD$1=US$0.0048) in 2020 to $113.2 billion in 2026, an increase of approximately 515 per cent.

Rice production rose from approximately 500,000 tonnes in 2020 to 825,000 tonnes in 2025, while production of 15 priority commodities increased from 1.41 million tonnes to 1.81 million tonnes over the same period.

Corn production increased by more than 330 per cent and coconut production by 235 per cent.

Guyana has also expanded into soybean cultivation, with efforts underway to produce sufficient protein locally for the animal feed industry.

The livestock sector recorded 12.5 per cent growth between 2020 and 2025, with poultry production increasing from 43,736 tonnes to 91,382 tonnes. Beef, pork and egg production also recorded increases.

Thirteen agro-processing facilities have been established across the country, including in hinterland communities, allowing farmers to extend the shelf life of their products, access new markets and earn greater returns.

Mustapha said the facilities were part of efforts to modernise the sector and enable farmers and agro-processors to add value to their products.

‘We have been a primary producer for too long, and as a country moving forward, modernising the agriculture sector, we want to ensure that our farmers and agro-processors have the facilities so that they can add value to their products,’ he said.

The sector has also seen increased youth participation, with approximately 1,200 shade houses established through government programmes over the past five years.

Hydroponic facilities in Regions Two, Five and Ten are creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs to produce and market high-value crops.

Hinterland agriculture is also receiving attention, with 300 acres of onions expected to be cultivated in Region Nine this year.

The government is also supporting increased production of dragon fruit, watermelon, cassava and other crops, while investments in storage and processing are being advanced to strengthen market access.

Mustapha said food security remained the ministry’s foremost agricultural priority for the next four years.

‘Food security in one word,’ he said.

Mustapha also pointed to Guyana’s role in CARICOM efforts to reduce the region’s food import bill.

He recalled that when President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali assumed responsibility as lead Head of Government for agriculture and food security within CARICOM, Guyana advanced a strategy aimed at reducing the region’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2030.

‘Guyana has emerged as the leading CARICOM country advancing the agri-food system and at the same time a leading voice in prioritising food security,’ Mustapha said.

He noted that Guyana is chairing the CARICOM ministerial task force on agriculture and food security, with countries across the region increasingly seeking Guyana’s technical expertise and assistance as they strengthen domestic food production.

Mustapha said Guyana’s agricultural expansion was ultimately about building a resilient food system capable of serving domestic and regional markets.

‘We are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and I am very optimistic as Minister of Agriculture that we will reduce the food import bill of the country, reduce the food import bill of CARICOM and at the same time increase production,’ he said.

Five non-nationals, including Venezuelans, have been detained following the discovery of an illegal mining operation in Guyana’s Potaro mining district.

The Ministry of Natural Resources said on Thursday that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) held the five as part of ongoing enforcement efforts against illegal mining.

Several pieces of mining equipment and a quantity of gold were seized during the operation.

The ministry said investigations are being conducted jointly by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission’s (GGMC) Corps of Wardens and the GPF.

It reiterated that there will be no tolerance for illegal mining and reminded miners and other stakeholders that they must obtain the necessary permissions and ensure their operations comply with Guyana’s mining and environmental laws.

The ministry said the GGMC, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, will continue surveillance and enforcement activities across all mining districts.

Those found operating outside the law will face the consequences, the ministry said.

It added that all non-nationals previously found involved in illegal mining activities are being deported.

Trinidadian-born academic Carole Boyce-Davies has been appointed to a newly endowed chair in Caribbean Studies at Howard University, further recognising her contribution to the study of the Caribbean and African diaspora.

According to the Miami Herald, Howard University announced that Boyce-Davies will hold the Eric Eustace Williams, Ph.D., Endowed Chair in Caribbean Studies, a position named in honour of the late historian and Trinidad and Tobago statesman Eric Williams. Williams, who taught at Howard University, went on to become Trinidad and Tobago’s first prime minister when the country achieved independence from Britain in 1962.

Boyce-Davies is currently chair and professor of African Diaspora Literatures in Howard’s Department of Literature and Writing. She joined the university in 2023 after an academic career that included appointments at Cornell University, Northwestern University and Florida International University (FIU). At FIU, she directed African New World Studies from 1997 to 2006 and helped establish the Eric Williams Lecture Series with Williams’ daughter, Erica Williams Connell.

‘Doing the work without knowing future impact is what we should all see as part of our personal demands as scholar, writers, thinkers,’ Boyce-Davies said.

She added that when contributions are recognised and carried forward, ‘we all benefit’ as beneficiaries of earlier generations of scholarship.

A former president of the Caribbean Studies Association, Boyce-Davies organised the association’s first conference in Haiti in 2016.

She said her appointment as the inaugural Eric Williams Chair is significant beyond the honour itself, pointing to Howard’s role in advancing Caribbean Studies as an established field of knowledge.

The appointment adds to Boyce-Davies’ extensive academic record. She is H.T. Rhodes Professor of Humane Letters emerita and Professor of Africana Studies and Literatures in English at Cornell University, and also serves as a distinguished visiting professor at the University of Havana.

Her academic qualifications include a master’s degree in African Studies from Howard University and a doctorate in African and Caribbean Literature from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. She also holds an advanced postgraduate degree in International Law, specialising in Intercultural Human Rights Law, from St. Thomas University in Miami.

A former senior clerk at the Central Bank of Belize has been awarded BZ$26,998.50 (BZ$1=US$0.50) after the Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal found that her termination was unfair and unjustified.

Dapheen Bowen, who worked at the bank for nearly 19 years, was dismissed in June 2025 following disciplinary proceedings related to a personal WhatsApp post.

The Tribunal found that the bank failed to follow certain disciplinary procedures required under its Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), including providing Bowen with written notice of the complaint and adequate time to respond.

It also found that reinstatement was impractical because the employment relationship had broken down and a significant period had passed since her termination.

The Tribunal therefore awarded Bowen the compensation, subject to applicable statutory deductions.

Bowen was represented by the Christian Workers Union (CWU). CWU President Leonora Flowers said the union had maintained that Bowen was wrongfully terminated and pursued the matter through the tribunal after efforts to resolve it failed.

Flowers said the case took about 14 months and that the tribunal ruled in the union’s favour on August 28.

‘Once we rely on the law and understand what the law is, we can take our time and get there,’ she said.

In a statement, the Central Bank said it accepts the Tribunal’s findings concerning the disciplinary procedures but maintains its position on the dismissal.

The bank said the case centred on a WhatsApp post that it interpreted as referring to the use of a firearm in the context of workplace frustrations.

‘The Central Bank has always maintained that references suggesting the use of a firearm against others, particularly in the context of workplace frustrations, to be a serious matter,’ it said.

The bank also said institutions cannot ignore conduct that may create fear, undermine trust or raise security concerns, and that employers must be able to respond appropriately to such matters.