Category: CANA News

A 23-year-old man has been remanded into custody until July 20 this year, after he appeared in court Tuesday charged with the murder of seven year-old primary school student, Adriel Aftab Mohamed.

Mohamed, a student of Zeelugt Primary School, was killed during the deadly attack that occurred at his home during the early hours last Friday. Police said his 71-year-old disabled grandmother has been hospitalised suffering from injuries received during the incident. On Tuesday, Shaeed Mohammed, called ‘Max’, appeared before Magistrate Alisha George at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, charged with his murder. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge. The matter was adjourned to July 20, 2026, for a report on statements.

Mohammed was arrested on Saturday and Deputy Commissioner and Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum had disclosed that detectives secured digital evidence linking the suspect to the crime scene at the time of the attack.

A post-mortem examination conducted on Monday found that the child died as a result of an incised wound to the neck. Investigators also observed evidence of both sharp and blunt force injuries on the boy’s body, injuries consistent with the use of a knife.

Police have since recovered a knife from the crime scene, which investigators said the suspect identified as the weapon used to kill the child and injure his great-grandmother.

West Indies Academy trail Sri Lanka Emerging Players by 83 runs with five wickets remaining after reaching 273 for five at the close of play on the second day of their four-day match at the Mahinda Rajapaksha International Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.

Scores

SRI LANKA EMERGING PLAYERS 356 in 90.2 overs (Anjala Bandara 163, Nisala Abeyratne 48, Asitha Wanninayake 41, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 25, Shakthi Udara 13; Ryan Bandoo 3-45, Johann Layne 3-68, Jediah Blades 2-83).

WEST INDIES ACADEMY 273-5 in 72 overs (Rivaldo Clarke 72 not out, Mavendra Dindyal 60, Shaqkere Parris 55, Damel Evelyn 35, Amari Goodridge 14 not out, Mbeki Joseph 13; Shakthi Udara 3-85).

Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz wasted several good opportunities to score and were held to a goalless draw by Panama in the second of two international friendlies here at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez Gutiérrez Stadium on Tuesday.

Jamaica won the opening friendly 1-0 on Friday at the same venue and should have gone into the halftime break up by at least two goals. The visitors were awarded a penalty after Natasha Thomas, one of five changes to the starting team from the first game, was tripped as she dribbled across the 18-yard box in the 26th minute.

However, veteran Deneisha Blackwood’s penalty shot cannoned into the crossbar.

Jamaica almost went ahead 10 minutes later, but Panama’s goalkeeper Yenith Bailey just got her hands to the ball to deny a header from Thomas.

The Reggae Girlz also had another chance to win the game at the death, but Konya Plummer’s point-blank shot was well saved by Bailey, who blocked it for a corner.

The result ensured Jamaica extended their unbeaten run against Panama to four games.

The Archbishop of Castries, Gabriel Malzaire, has been appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Catholic Diocese in Grenada, after Pope Leo XIV officially accepted the resignation of the Trinidadian-born Bishop of St. George’s, Clyde Harvey.

Harvey offered his resignation as it is mandatory for Bishops in the Catholic Church to do so once attaining the age of 75. Archbishop Malzaire will remain in the position until a new bishop is named.

Bishop Harvey had submitted his resignation on November 9, 2023, in keeping with the requirements of canon law, which calls on bishops to offer their resignation upon reaching the age of 75.

At the time, the late Pope Francis did not accept the resignation and instead requested that he continue serving as bishop until January 31, 2026. On June 9, 2026, Pope Leo XIV formally accepted Bishop Harvey’s resignation.

Bishop Harvey’s tenure will be remembered also for the high-profile dispute with Father Gerard Paul, who had publicly called the Gaza war a ‘wholesale slaughter’ and criticised the Catholic Church in Grenada for remaining silent on the issue during clergy retreats and public masses.

In April 2024, Bishop Harvey issued an indefinite suspension to Father Paul, citing persistent contentious remarks and failure to follow church rules. By mid-April, a team of mediators, including former attorney general Dr. Francis Alexis, brokered a truce.

Archbishop Malzaire is expected to visit Grenada shortly and will preside at the monthly devotion at the Marian Shrine in Battle Hill on Sunday, June 14, at 3 p.m.

The process to appoint a new bishop for the Diocese of St. George’s will now begin under the direction of the Vatican.

The St. Lucia government has extended to the end of December next year, an amnesty to settle outstanding tax liabilities while benefiting from a full waiver of interest and penalties on eligible taxes.

Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre, speaking at the weekly pre-Cabinet press briefing, described the measure as one of the most generous tax relief initiatives ever offered by any administration here.

‘What is important to note is that all interest and penalties due on taxes up to December 2025 will be waived,’ Pierre said.

The current amnesty, which was scheduled to expire in May 2026, provides taxpayers with a 100 per cent waiver of penalties and interest on outstanding tax obligations for earlier tax periods. Government officials have previously stated that the programme applies to all categories of taxes, including Value Added Tax (VAT), income tax, property tax and other statutory obligations.

Pierre told the reporters that the extended amnesty will continue to cover all forms of taxation, including VAT collected by businesses on behalf of the government but not yet remitted.

‘VAT collected by businesses ought to be paid immediately to the government. We understand sometimes there are going to be issues, so we will be waiving these interests and penalties.’

Pierre noted that his administration has pursued similar tax-relief measures since budget 2023 as part of a broader strategy to encourage compliance while easing financial pressures on businesses and individuals.

Cabinet also approved the continuation of several consumer-relief initiatives aimed at shielding households from higher living costs.

Among the measures being extended are the zero-rating and VAT exemptions on a range of grocery items, a policy first introduced as part of the government’s response to global inflation and rising food import costs. Government said the concessions were intended to reduce the cost of dozens of essential food products for consumers.

Pierre said the decision comes as international developments continue to place upward pressure on prices, particularly through higher energy costs that affect transportation, food production and imports.

The government will also continue VAT concessions on selected building materials for an additional two years. The measure, first implemented in 2023, removed VAT from a range of construction inputs, including lumber, cement, steel, and galvanised, with the stated objective of lowering construction costs and stimulating economic activity.

In addition, the administration will maintain the waiver of service charges on food items.

Pierre said the combined measures are intended to cushion consumers from external economic shocks while supporting continued growth in St. Lucia’s construction sector, which has been among the strongest-performing segments of the economy in recent years.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, says nearly 600 children under the age of 16 had been referred to the Child Care and Protection Agency between 2020 and 2025 after they became pregnant.

Dr. Prasad told the National Assembly that the records of the agency showed that during the period 2020 to 2025, a total of 584 pregnant girls who were all under the age of 16 were referred to the Child Care and Protection Agency.

Dr. Persad was responding to a series of questions filed by the leader of the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), Amanda Walton, who spoke of a high number of teenage pregnancies recorded during the past five years, saying that it paints a troubling picture of the state of affairs of young girls in Guyana.

‘The figure is actually deeply, deeply concerning because you’re talking about almost 600 children under the age of 16 becoming pregnant over a five-year period. And these are not simply statistics. Each number represents a child whose circumstances require serious scrutiny from a child protection, health, education, and law enforcement perspective,’ Walton said.

‘So what this figure suggests is that adolescent pregnancy among very young girls remains a significant issue that demands sustained national attention. It really underscores why it is important that our systems not only respond to these cases but measure outcomes.

‘We need to know what happens to these girls after they enter the system. Are they safe? Are they remaining in school? Are they receiving support? Are these interventions making a difference? And those are the questions that the data should help us to answer.’

Walton also questioned the Human Services Minister on the number of girls under the age of 16 who had given birth and had been referred to the agency.

But Dr. Persaud said that data was not available, explaining that while the Child Care and Protection Agency’s system captures reports of underage pregnancy, the data is not further disaggregated to highlight the number of girls who would have subsequently given birth.

She said in her written response that the agency is unable to provide a separate figure for girls under the age of 16 who give birth during the specified period, 2020 to 2025.

Dr. Persaud said that such matters are treated as child protection concerns and are assessed to determine the presence of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, with appropriate interventions implemented in each case.

Walton also questioned the Human Services Minister on whether there was a mandatory referral protocol in place between the Ministry of Health and the Child Care and Protection Agency when a child under the age of 16 is confirmed pregnant.

But the Parliament was told that there is an established inter-agency practise that sees cases involving minors who are pregnant being referred to the CPA.

Dr. Persaud said private health care providers as well as the Ministry of Health notify the agency when a pregnancy involving a child under the age of 16 is identified, as such cases may indicate sexual abuse under the law.

But she noted that there is no single stand-alone policy titled Mandatory Referral Protocols, assuring the National Assembly that the referral process is guided by the Protection of Children Act, in particular Sections 4 and 6, and the Sexual Offences Act, which establishes that sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 constitutes a criminal offence, thereby necessitating reporting and investigation.

Parliament was also told that are established inter-agency procedures that are followed by the health, social services and law enforcement sectors.

Dr. Persaud said the Ministry continues to strengthen formal coordination mechanisms to ensure (4:48) consistency, timelines and accountability in the referral and response process, and is in the process of developing policies which were not in place previously.

But Walton urged that the new protocols and procedures must be put in writing, noting that the fact that there is a legal obligation and an established practise is welcome and is very important.

‘I think, however, good systems should not depend solely on institutional memory or informal practise. Clear written protocols will help to promote consistency, accountability, training and oversight. What I had hoped to get from the Minister is that there are these protocols, they are contained in these manuals, so that we are sure that the system doesn’t collapse if somebody exits, because they are the repository of all of the institutional information.

‘That was not forthcoming from the Minister,’ Walton said, adding ‘the law provides a general framework.

‘You have to, however, drill down to processes, practises and guidance for your officers as to how this report is done, the manner in which this report is compiled, etc. So I had hoped for a far more fulsome answer from the Minister, but I will be pressing more, because her answers have raised actually more questions than answers.

Half centuries from captain Rivaldo Clarke, Mavendra Dindyal and Shaqkere Parris have given the West Indies Academy a slight advantage over Sri Lanka’s Emerging Players at the halfway mark of the first unofficial ‘Test’ here on Tuesday.

Clarke ended the day unbeaten on 72, Dindyal scored 60 and Parris stroked 55, as the visitors finished the day on 273 for five in reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 356.

The Windies were given a decent start by openers Mbeki Joseph and Damel Evelyn, with the pair adding 42 runs inside six overs.

Pacer Nisala Abeyratne eventually broke the stand when he held on to a return catch to dismiss Joseph for 13. Dindyal joined Evelyn at the crease and the two maintained the momentum during a 40-run partnership. When off spinner Chamod Battage had Evelyn caught behind for an aggressive 35 off 29 balls, it led to a minor collapse which saw the Windies slip from 82 for one to 134 for four.

Left-arm spinner Shakthi Udara was the main architect, trapping Kevlon Anderson lbw for two, before having Dindyal caught and bowled for a well-played 60 off 79 balls that contained six fours and one six.

However, Clarke and Parris came to their side’s rescue with a crucial partnership of 115 runs for the fifth wicket that put them back on track.

The Windies looked to be cruising on 249 for five, when Udara struck again to remove Parris shortly after he reached his half century. In all he faced 115 balls and hit three fours.

Amari Goodridge ensured there would be no further losses, as he finished the day on 14 not out, while Clarke has so far faced 132 balls and struck seven fours and one six in his innings.

Udara has been the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with 3-85.

Earlier, resuming the day on 302 for eight, Sri Lanka added 54 valuable runs for the last two wickets.

Overnight batters Anjala Bandara and Nisala Abeyratne extended their partnership to 142 runs before the latter was run out two runs short of a well-deserved half century.

Last man Battage contributed just one run in his partnership of 21 for the last wicket with Bandara, who was trapped lbw by Ryan Bandoo for 163 off 217 balls, with 19 boundaries to bring the innings to a close.

Bandoo ended with 3-45, Johann Layne took 3-68 and Jediah Blades 2-83.

The Guyana government has warned health officials who operate outside of the country’s new centralised medical supply system that they will be sent home.

President met with regional health officers (RHOs), hospital administrators, ministry officials and the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) on Monday, confirming that the platform will become the sole system governing pharmaceuticals and medical supplies across the country’s health sector from July 1. He said the new system carries clear standard operating procedures and defined sign-off responsibilities.

‘If you act outside of that, we have no other choice but to send you home. The investment we are making to ensure the people of this country have the best possible healthcare includes our facilities, hospital administrators, and RHOs. These facilities come under your leadership.’

Under the new arrangement, regions can no longer purchase emergency drugs independently. Any emergency purchase now requires sign-off from the Director of Regional Health Services, the CMO and the head of the materials management unit (MMU).

A wider committee, including the minister, the advisor, the permanent secretary, and the chief pharmacist, will convene monthly via Zoom to determine emergency supply needs across the entire health system, covering the Georgetown Public Hospital and all regional hospitals.

President Ali said the system is designed to reduce losses from expiration, damage and overstocking to below industry standards, with a dashboard that ensures real-time visibility of what is available.

The platform is already live, and on July 1, all other systems will be collapsed, leaving it as the only one in operation.

‘We know there are certain things that you can’t avoid stocking, that you may not use, whether it’s venom, antivenom…But that is controlled by the MMU. There is absolutely no situation where the regions must be purchasing emergency drugs unless there is a clear sign-off on the system,’ said Ali, who was joined at the meeting by the Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh.

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

BRIDGETOWN – More than a decade after it warned that the Caribbean had some of the highest homicide rates in the world, particularly in countries as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Belize, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has released a new report highlighting a disconnect between security policies and the structural causes of violence.

NASSAU – Prime Minister Philip Davis has defended his embattled Finnace Minister, Michael Halkitis, over calls for his resignation who has acknowledged serving as the president of a company linked to convicted drug smuggler Jonathan Gardiner.

ROSEAU – The leader of the main opposition Unuted Workers Party (UWP), Dr. Thomson Fontaine, says while he welcomes ‘differing views’ he will not tolerate ‘distraction, division or misrepresentation to derail the serious national conversation we must now have.

GEORGETOWN – Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, says nearly 600 children under the age of 16 had been referred to the Chrild Care and Protection Agency between 2020 and 2025 after they became pregnant.

NEW YORK – Caribbean immigration advocates have welcomed a ruling by a United States federal district court judge striking down President Donald J. Trump’s ‘unlawful’ immigration restrictions.

SPORTS:

HAMBANTOTA -Half centuries from captain Rivaldo Clarke, Mavendra Dindyal and Shaqkere Parris have given the West Indies Academy a slight advantage over Sri Lanka’s Emerging Players at the halfway mark of the first unofficial ‘Test’ here on Tuesday.

KINGSTON – With only one game of their One Day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka being played, West Indies white ball captain Shai Hope has stressed the importance of the upcoming five-match series against New Zealand towards the regional team automatically qualifying for the 2027 ICC World Cup.

The Barbados Workers Union (BWU) has vowed to fight plans by one of the island’s largest construction companies to lay off workers as part of its efforts to ‘downsize and realign the workforce’.

C.O Williams Construction Ltd, a prominent civil engineering firm, in a June 5 internal memo sent to workers, said ‘the company’s overall capacity to sustain the workforce at the current levels has significantly declined due to sustained operational challenges that have impacted the company’s competitiveness. ‘As a result, the company must downsize and realign the workforce,’ the 66-year-old company said, adding ‘to this end, this letter serves as notice in accordance with company practice and national laws to inform you of the impending redundancies that will commence on or shortly after June 12, 2026.’

But the BWU is calling on the construction company to justify its decision amid a nationwide building boom.

‘The union does not treat any redundancy exercise as a routine administrative matter. Behind every name on a list is a worker, a household, and a set of obligations that cannot be reduced to figures on a page,’ it said in a statement.

‘Our immediate priority is to protect the dignity, rights and entitlements of the affected workers, and to ensure that no worker is unfairly treated in the process. The company has indicated that its position is connected to current business pressures, including the loss of contracts and challenges within the wider construction environment.’

The BWU said that while those explanations are for the company to advance, the union has made it clear that workers must not be asked to carry the full burden of conditions they did not create.

‘The BWU has therefore sought to engage in meaningful consultation, to receive justified evidence on the basis for the proposed redundancies, to ensure fair and objective selection, and to secure the payment of all lawful and negotiated entitlements due to workers.’

The BWU said that Barbados needs a construction industry that values skill, experience and decent work.

‘The Barbados Workers’ Union remains opposed to unnecessary job loss and will continue to defend the principle that workers must never be treated as expendable when businesses come under pressure’.

The company has since advised the workers to contact its human resources department if they had any questions or concerns.