Category: CANA News

Shadab Khan scored a boundary-studded cameo and Alzarri Joseph ran over the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ top order to lead the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons to a comprehensive 65-run win in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League here on Tuesday.

Joseph snared four wickets – including the prized scalps of Shai Hope and Rahmanullah Gurbaz – to skittle out the Amazon Warriors for 117 in 14.2 overs, well short of the Falcons’ total of 182 for five at Providence Stadium in their top-of-the-table clash.

The win propeled the Falcons to 13 points from their 10 games and helped them secure a place in Qualifier 1, with a more than likely rematch against the Amazon Warriors looming.

The Amazon Warriors, who have 12 points from seven games, need just one win from their three remaining matches to finish top of the table.

Having romped to six consecutive victories, the Amazon Warriors’ bowling unit seemed to be in full control with the Falcons stuck in first gear at 102 for two at the end of 14 overs.

But the dismissals of Amir Jangoo for a pedestrian 27 off 30 balls and Hasan Nawaz, who scored 36 off 27 balls, sparked a late assault spearheaded by Shadab Khan that saw the Falcons bludgeon 72 runs off the last five overs.

Captain Moeen Ali smashed Romario Shepherd for two sixes in the 18th over before being caught at short third man for 18 off 12 balls.

Fabian Allen hit Shamar Joseph for a six and Khan inside edged him to the fine leg boundary for four in the 19th over that went for 19 runs.

Khan then finished the innings in superb style by clobbering Shepherd for three consecutive sixes and a four in the final over that leaked 26 runs.

Player-of-the-Match Khan scored an unbeaten 30 off just nine balls with three sixes and two fours, while Allen ended on 11 not out – the two sharing an unbroken partnership of 46 off 13 balls.

The Amazon Warriors began positively, with Gurbaz hitting Joseph for two sixes in the opening over of their chase, while Mavendra Dindyal blasted Jayden Seales for a six and a four to see them race to 22 without loss after two overs.

But after being hit for a six over third man and conceding five wides to start the third over, Joseph struck back by bowling Gurbaz for 18 with a beauty of an outswinger.

Three balls later Joseph bounced out Hope for a duck to leave the home side 34 for two.

Shimron Hetmyer was lucky not to be dismissed for a first-ball duck, but his miscued pull shot went just to the left of Joshua James at mid on.

Dindyal was looking good after scoring 25 off 13 balls until he mistimed a drive off Joseph and gave Jayden Seales an easy catch at mid on to leave the score 54 for three in the fifth over.

Joshua James then had Hetmyer caught at point off his first ball and when Khan bowled Quentin Sampson for 12, the Amazon Warriors had collapsed to 74 for five.

Sufyan Moqim accounted for the wickets of Romario Shepherd and Shamar Joseph cheaply, while Khan dismissed Dwaine Pretorius for one to effectively bring the contest to an end at 99 for eight.

Joseph and James then wrapped up the tail, much to the disappointment of the large crowd on hand to give the Falcons a crucial win.

Joseph ended with figures of 4-41, James took 2-11, Moqim claimed 2-18 and Khan 2-19.

The Saint Lucia Kings elected to bat after winning the toss against the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 31st match of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League at Providence Stadium here on Wednesday.

Kemol Savory is making his T20 debut for the St. Lucia Kings. Mehidy Hasan Mraz also gets his first game for the Warriors.

SQUADS

Guyana Amazon Warriors: Imran Tahir (c), Shai Hope (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mavendra Dindyal, Shimron Hetmyer, Quentin Sampson, Romario Shepherd, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Dwaine Pretorius, Shamar Joseph, Khary Pierre

Saint Lucia Kings: Roston Chase (c), Tim Seifert (wk), Kamil Pooran, John Campbell, Charith Asalanka, Kemol Savory, Obus Pienaar, Matthew Forde, McKenny Clarke, Joshua Bishop, Maheesh Theekshana

Umpires: Christopher Taylor, Deighton Butler

TV Umpire: Leslie Reifer

Reserve Umpire: Ryan Banwarie

Match Referee: Denavon Hayles.

The Bahamas government has expressed its ‘sincere appreciation’ to the international observer teams that were in the country for the May 12 general election.

In a statement, the Office of the Prime Minister said that the Philip Davis government thanked the ‘observer teams for the professionalism and independence with which they carried out their work, and for the time devoted to engaging with public officials, political parties, civil society, election administrators and Bahamian citizens. ‘The Government welcomes the role of independent election observation in supporting confidence in democratic institutions and electoral processes. We will carefully review the findings and recommendations contained in their report and consider them as part of our continued work to strengthen the administration of elections in The Bahamas.’

The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) has released its final report on the May 12 general election, providing a particularly useful independent assessment.

It concluded that the election was credible, peaceful and competitive and that the result reflected the will of Bahamians who participated.

But the 96-page report also provides an illuminating examination of the electoral process, political culture, declining voter participation, campaign financing, government communications, the Parliamentary Registration Department, access to information and other weaknesses that remain embedded in our democratic system.

Among the observer teams were the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Election Observer Mission, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Commonwealth Observer Group.

Prime Minister Davis led his ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to a second term, becoming the first incumbent Bahamian leader to secure re-election since 1997. The PLP won 33 of 41 seats, nearly matching the results in 2021.

In the statement, the Office of the Prime Minister said that The Bahamas has a ‘proud democratic tradition’ and that the government ‘remains committed to protecting the integrity of our electoral system, respecting the will of the Bahamian people and maintaining public confidence in our democratic institutions.

‘We thank the observers for their work and for their contribution to this process,’ it added.

The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement in a case in which the Jamaican-born British King Counsel Vincent Nelson has filed a lawsuit alleging breaches of an indemnity agreement he entered into to implicate former attorney general Anand Ramlogan, and attorney Gerald Ramdeen in an alleged legal fee kickback scheme.

In October 2017, Nelson provided a statement in which he claimed that Ramlogan had demanded that he pay him 10 per cent of the legal fees he received for representing the State and State companies during Ramlogan’s tenure between 2010 and 2015.

He said Ramdeen served as the intermediary by allegedly collecting the funds and paying them over to Ramlogan.

Almost a month later, Nelson entered into an indemnity agreement with former attorney general Faris Al-Rawi. In the document, Al-Rawi, as the legal representative of the Government, agreed that Nelson’s statement would not be released into the public domain, including through parliamentary debate.

While the Court of Appeal did not set a date for its ruling, Justice Gillian Lucky said that the Court usually delivers its judgments within six months of an appeal being heard. Lawyers completed their submissions on Tuesday.

Nelson in his appeal, is claiming that High Court Judge Justice Jacqueline Wilson was wrong to reject his case seeking almost TT$100 million (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) in damages based on his loss of earnings after he entered into the agreement in 2017.

Nelson, who made his submissions on Tuesday, said that damage to his professional reputation was a foreseeable consequence of his involvement as an informant being made public.

He told the Appeal Court that Justice Wilson was wrong to refuse to find that the professional damage he suffered was not directly connected to minor breaches of the agreement between him and Al-Rawi, adding that the agreement was broadly drafted and intended to cover a wide range of possible outcomes.

‘If it was within the scope of the indemnity agreement, then remoteness does not apply,’ Nelson said, suggesting that the agreement had to be upheld, otherwise it would undermine the State’s ability to convince informers and whistle-blowers to testify.

‘No informer would come forward if they have no protection,’ Nelson said.

But in response, King Counsel Tom Poole, said that Nelson’s prosecution by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) did not constitute a breach of the agreement and that Al-Rawi only promised to recommend that Nelson not be prosecuted but could not guarantee it.

‘The agreement recognised the DPP had independent constitutional power, including to decide whether to prosecute,’ Poole said, adding that Justice Wilson was correct to rule that the agreement was breached when former government minister Stuart Young shared Nelson’s notarised statement, implicating Ramlogan, Ramdeen and himself, with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), leading to a tax evasion probe.

However, Poole told the Court of Appeal that the breach did not directly lead to Nelson being expelled from his law chambers by his colleagues or the UK Bar Standards Board’s refusal to issue Nelson with a practising certificate.

He said both decisions were based on Nelson being initially charged alongside Ramlogan and Ramdeen and pleading guilty.

The King Counsel said that the decision by the Attorney General’s Office to pay Nelson’s legal fees for the criminal charges did not mean that it accepted liability for Nelson’s inability to practise law.

However in a brief response, Nelson maintained that his inability to practise was based on his removal from his chambers and his difficulty in finding a replacement, as opposed to action taken by the Board.

He said that the Board had never taken disciplinary action against him in the past eight years, adding ‘if it has the power to debar me, then it would have done so.’

In October 2017, Nelson provided a statement in which he claimed that Ramlogan had demanded that he pay him ten per cent of the legal fees he received for representing the State and State companies during Ramlogan’s tenure between 2010 and 2015.

In 2019, Ramlogan, Ramdeen and Nelson were charged with conspiring together to receive, conceal and transfer criminal property, namely the rewards given to Ramlogan by Nelson for being appointed to represent the State in several cases; conspiring together to corruptly give Ramlogan a percentage of the funds; and conspiring with Ramlogan to make him misbehave in public office by receiving the funds.

Shortly after being charged, Nelson entered into a plea agreement with the DPP’s Office in exchange for his testimony against Ramlogan and Ramdeen.

In March 2020, High Court Judge Malcolm Holdip upheld the plea agreement and issued a total of $2.25 million in fines to Nelson for his role in the alleged conspiracy.

Under his plea agreement, the conspiracy to commit misbehaviour in public office charge was dropped, and he was fined for the other two offences. He was also placed on a $250,000 bond to keep the peace for three years.

Nelson then sued the State, alleging that it breached the indemnity agreement. He also filed a separate case seeking to overturn his convictions and sentences.

In October 2022, DPP Roger Gaspard, SC, was forced to discontinue the corruption case against Ramlogan and Ramdeen due to Nelson’s unwillingness to testify while his lawsuits were being determined.

Gaspard said then that the charges may be refiled if Nelson’s position changes.

In July last year, the Jamaican-born British King’s Counsel lost an appeal against his conviction and sentence for conspiracy to commit corruption and money laundering with the Court of Appeal, affirming an earlier decision to extend the time for Nelson to file his appeal.

Nelson is pursuing a final appeal in that case before the UK-based Privy Council.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has dismissed criticisms by five regional associations of women judges, which last week had expressed grave

concern over comments he made last month regarding what he described as lenient sentences for serious criminal offences.

The associations – the Caribbean Association of Women Judges, Commonwealth of The Bahamas Association of Women Judges, Eastern Caribbean Association of Women Judges, the Guyana Association of Women Judges and the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Women Judges -had defended judicial independence and the rule of law.

In their statement, the organisations said they considered it necessary to collectively defend principles they described as foundational to constitutional democracy throughout the Caribbean.

The associations said that objected to Prime Minister Browne’s reported suggestion that a judge, who sits on the bench here and who fails to impose sufficiently severe sentences should leave the country or face deportation and designation as persona non grata.

‘On the independence of the Judiciary, there can be no ambiguity. An independent Judiciary is not an obstacle to public safety. It is one of the guarantees of a free, safe and democratic society,’ the judges said.

But in a statement osted on his Facebook page, an unrepentant Browne said that the courts should give proportional sentences ‘instead of your inadequate, weak-kneed sentences that have resulted in an unmanageable increase in the repeat offenders population’.

He said that these repeat offenders are destabilising Caribbean communities; terrorising citizens and undermining development.

‘Your singular concern about your judicial independence is misguided. Your ‘independence’ doesn’t put you beyond reproach and make you unaccountable to the people you serve.

‘Your so-called ‘independence does not give you the right to abuse your sentencing discretion in favour of criminals who commit heinous crimes. It does not give you the right to act contrary to the wishes of the parliament to see more stringent sentencing,’ Browne wrote.

He said that the judges have an ‘obligation to move in lockstep with the other branches of government to fight crime and violence by issuing proportional sentencing.

‘Your weak sentencing is undermining public safety; that is the salient issue at hand, that you, members of the judiciary have conveniently failed to address. Instead, you continue to treat the people you serve with a contemptuous silence, only to respond when you think your ‘independence’ is challenged. ‘

Prime MInister Browne said that the judiciary is fully aware that he is not seeking to influence any individual case.

‘What I am challenging is a broken judicial system that needs urgent realignment to become relevant in addressing the prevailing challenges of crime and violence involving repeat offenders.

‘I respect the separation of powers. However where your weak sentencing is trespassing on the domain of the parliament and by extension the people’s desire to see more proportional sentencing of repeat offenders involved in heinous sex and firearms crimes – I have every right to ‘blaze’ members of the judiciary. ‘

Prime Minister Browne said he believes that ‘several of you are women (and) how would you feel if your young five year old daughter was raped and contracted herpes from a 50 year criminal and the judge gave a three year sentence for a guilty plea ?

‘How would you feel if someone committed aggravated robbery against any of you with a fire arm – and is given 18 months in jail – to return to society to commit similar crimes ? How do you feel about repeat offenders involved in narco trafficking committing multiple offenses including drugs and firearms, only to serve 1.5 – 2 years repeatedly ? They need longer sentences to disrupt the sustainability of their ongoing narco business. ‘

He said that the judges ‘moronic condemnation of the Rasta Dreadman (Gassy Dread)’which he uses as a singer ‘is of no consequence.

‘Until such time, as you address public concerns about your perverse sentencing against hardened criminals – you will continue to hear from me on behalf of the people.

‘As far as I am concerned, it’s inappropriate for the judiciary to be moving in the opposite direction of the parliament, with their liberal, lenient sentencing. This is the issue that your members stubbornly refuse to address.

‘And to the corrupt ones among you – take my threat seriously. You cross the line and credible evidence emerges about your acts of unintegrity – appropriate action will be taken against them,’ Browne said, adding that he is speaking on behalf of the people without fear or favour.

‘ I said what I said and I stand by it. My advice: climb down from your secured ivory towers, show some empathy for the victims of these heinous crimes by ensuring justice is served on the criminals, without fail.’

Browne said that the judges ‘need to end your conceit and deceit by accepting that our justice system is broken; realign in accordance with the wishes of the people you serve.

‘The safety of our respective countries and our peoples is paramount and takes priority over your so-called ‘independence,’ he wrote.

Three people were injured in separate shootings near Monday’s West Indian American Day Carnival Parade in Brooklyn, marring an otherwise vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture.

The New York Police Department said a man was shot on St. John’s Place in Crown Heights less than two hours before the parade ended. A suspect was arrested.

A woman and a 19-year-old man were also shot near Eastern Parkway and Kingston Avenue. The suspects fled, but police said all three victims were expected to survive.

Earlier, five people were stabbed near the parade route.

The violence occurred despite heightened security as tens of thousands of masqueraders and revelers gathered along Eastern Parkway for the 59th annual parade, regarded as North America’s largest Caribbean carnival procession.

Masqueraders in colorful costumes danced to soca, calypso, zouk and other Caribbean music along the 3½-mile route from Buffalo Avenue to Grand Army Plaza.

The parade featured more than 20 adult bands, including Sesame Flyers Carnival, Branches Mas, I Am Caribbeing, Rendezvous Mas, Suga Candy Mas and D’Midas International NYC.

Grand marshals included labor leader Shaun Francois, Trinidadian-born health executive Julian John, Grenadian-born publisher Herman Hall, Sesame Flyers International and former steel orchestra owner Clyde Durant. Reggae singer Buju Banton and Kes the Band frontman Kees Dieffenthaller were honorary grand marshals.

The parade culminated a week of activities organized by the West Indian American Day Carnival Association, including concerts, Junior Carnival, Panorama and a brunch fete.

This year’s celebration was held under the theme: ‘New York Carnival 2026: M.A.S. – Music. Action. Soul.’

The parade was preceded by Caribbean J’Ouvert, organized by J’Ouvert City International.

A 23-year-old Venezuelan woman will return to court on October 5 this year after she was granted TT$60,000 (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) on a charge of cruelty to a child and one count of wasteful employment.

The woman appeared before Master Kateisha Ambrose-Persadsingh in the Siparia Court south of here on Monday on the charges following an incident which occurred on August 20, 2026, when she told police that she had found a baby abandoned along the roadway.

She said she heard a baby crying, and saw the newborn inside a plastic bag in the box, with the umbilical cord still attached.

But the police said that based on enquiries conducted, intelligence gathered and information received, she was detained on September 3 and three days later, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said that Deyanira de los Angeles Gomez be charged with one count of cruelty to a child and one count of wasteful employment.

When she appeared in court on Monday, the Venezuelan national was not represented.

Jamaica has officially filed an historic reparations petition to Britain’s King Charles with Kingston indicating that it anticipates that the petition will be referred to the Privy Council, Jamaica’s highest and final court.

‘…we will await the decision,’ said Jamaica’s Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister, Olivia Grange, after confirming that the petition had been filed with King Charles.

Grange said it was her ‘duty not only as a proud woman of African descent, but as a member of the human race to pursue reparations for the hundreds of years of chattel enslavement of African people on plantations in Jamaica.

‘How can we not be moved to action about what is declared to be the gravest crime against humanity that went on for so long and affected so many millions of people?’ asked the Minister as she called for support of Jamaica’s petition.

The petition asks the King, in his capacity of Head of State of Jamaica, to refer questions about the legality of chattel slavery to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

‘I wish to say here again that this petition of the government of Jamaica to His Majesty the King does not include a monetary claim,’ said Grange, adding that ‘already there has been a lot of reaction to our petition and I welcome thoughtful, honest debate on the matter of reparations, but so far, we have seen and heard so much of what isn’t so.’

The Minister was reacting to incorrect media reports that the Jamaican government had made a monetary claim in its petition to the King.

‘I wish to make it clear, and will do so at every single opportunity, that this petition is a legal petition. It contains three specific questions… (and) does not include a monetary claim.’

United Kingdom-based lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, who helped to formulate the petition as part of a team of eminent Jamaican and UK lawyers, said ‘the petition simply asks the King to refer certain points of real importance to the Privy Council for their determination.

‘There’s a special jurisdiction under section four of the Judicial Committee Act for the King to refer an issue of legal or constitutional importance to the Privy Council, for their determination…Any matter of legal or constitutional nature can be referred that cannot be determined through the ordinary judicial process. And this is obviously one of those issues,’ Fitzgerald added.

The Jamaican petition asks three specific questions: Whether the seizure, transport and enslavement as chattel of Africans was ever lawful under English law? Was it a breach of international law to seize, transport and enslave Africans in Jamaica? And whether the UK has a legal obligation to provide a reparatory remedy to the people of Jamaica?

Fitzgerald said there’s a most powerful argument that it was never lawful.

‘If you think of it, it’d be a pretty strange thing if a citizen could just go to Africa, see someone, against their will push them into a boat, and take them on a tortuous journey, and that that was lawful under English common law.

‘There was no statute to authorise it. In fact, there was a statute which said it was unlawful to seize people from Africa and the National Council for Reparations highlighted that George II statute. So to those who say, oh, well, it was lawful at the time, we asked the Privy Council to find that it was never lawful at the time,’ he added.

The petition also argues that chattel enslavement was, and is, a crime against humanity.

Regarding the third issue of a remedy, Fitzgerald said: ‘we’ve provided the legal principles to the King and to the Privy Council as to why there must be some remedy.

‘The question of what the exact form the remedy would take would be a matter to be worked out in the litigation. But there must be some remedy for wrongs of this magnitude, which continue to have damaging effects on the descendants of those who were enslaved.’

The National Council for Reparations is a high-level advisory body to the Jamaica government on matters of reparatory justice. The Council, chaired by attorney at law, Laleta Davis Mattis, reports to Grange.

Bermudian health authorities have issued recalls for Semaglutide injection products noting that the recalls relate to product impurities, incorrect dose display, and packaging errors that may result in patients receiving the wrong dose.

The Ministry of Health said Semaglutide is a prescription medication used in adults to improve blood glucose control and, in some cases, support weight management. Accurate dosing is essential to ensure safe and effective treatment.

It said all pharmacies and medical warehouses in Bermuda have been formally notified.

‘Ensuring the accuracy and safety of medications used by our community is essential. While these recalls stem from manufacturer quality and packaging issues, we are acting quickly to make sure patients and healthcare providers have clear information,’ said Health Minister, Kim Wilson.

‘Anyone who believes they may have received an affected product should contact their pharmacist immediately. Our healthcare teams are prepared to support patients and ensure continuity of safe treatment,’ she added.

The ministry said the products manufactured in Canada may result in wrong dose delivery due to mismatched pen and packaging with another product displaying a 2 mg dose in the dose window and deliver a 2 mg dose instead of the expected 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg dose.

The ministry is urging persons taking the medication not use any affected product until they u have verified the lot number and confirmed whether their supply is part of the recall.

In addition, they are being urged to return affected products to the pharmacy where they were purchased for replacement, alternative supply, and proper disposal as well as consult their healthcare provider before discontinuing treatment or if they have concerns about dosing accuracy or adverse effects.

‘If you are unsure whether your medication is affected, contact your pharmacy directly. Patients who received Semaglutide dispensed into vials or alternative packaging should note that the pharmacy name will be printed on the label and should contact that pharmacy to confirm whether their supply is affected,’ the ministry added.

A new report Tuesday suggests that international trade that is ordered or delivered online quintupled in two decades in Latin America and the Caribbean to nearly US$90 billion and is rapidly becoming a powerful engine of growth across the region.

The report released by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the World Bank Group says that digital trade is creating new opportunities for businesses, workers, and entrepreneurs while helping countries compete in an increasingly digital global economy. The report titled ‘Digital Trade in Latin America and the Caribbean: Connecting Markets, Powering Growth’ examines how digital technologies are reshaping trade across the region and identifies policies needed to unlock their full potential and boost growth and competitiveness.

The region’s exports of digitally delivered services nearly quintupled from US$18.5 billion in 2005 to US$87.7 billion in 2024 underscoring the growing importance of digitally delivered services to the region’s trade performance and economic growth.

‘Latin America and the Caribbean countries have substantially increased their exports of digitally delivered services in recent decades, but there is still significant potential to expand them further,’ said Fabrizio Opertti, manager of the Productivity, Trade and Innovation Sector at the IDB.

‘To realise this untapped potential and boost productivity, countries across the region need to improve connectivity, modernize regulatory frameworks, streamline and digitalize border procedures, reduce information barriers through stronger trade promotion, and strengthen the digital capabilities of firms and workers.’

According to the report digital services are lowering barriers to international markets, reducing costs, accelerating innovation, and improving resilience. It said that digital platforms are enabling small businesses, entrepreneurs, and women-led firms to reach customers worldwide, while advances in artificial intelligence and other technologies are creating new possibilities for cross-border trade in goods and services.

The report underscores major opportunities for expansion since the region only captured two per cent of global exports of digitally delivered services in 2024.

The report also points to a promising opportunity, namely deeper regional integration in digital trade. In 2023, only 8.4 per cent of exports of digitally deliverable services stayed within the region – well below levels seen in Europe and Asia.

But the report notes that significant challenges remain, including gaps in digital infrastructure and connectivity, fragmented regulations, limited payment system interoperability, trade and customs bottlenecks, digital skills shortages, and insufficient financing for innovative firms.

To address these challenges, the report calls for action in eight key areas: expanding digital infrastructure, strengthening and modernizing regulations, improving payment interoperability, streamlining trade procedures, promoting digital exports, strengthening digital skills, increasing access to finance, and improving the measurement of digital trade.

The report concludes that governments, businesses, and international organizations must work together to expand the region’s participation in digital trade, increase integration into the global economy, and create new opportunities for firms and workers.