Category: CANA News

Sri Lanka reached 516 for seven at tea against the West Indies on the second day of the second Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium here on Saturday.

SRI LANKA 516-7 in 133 overs (Lahiru Udara 188, Sonal Dinusha 92, Kamindu Mendis 84, Kusal Mendis 69, Dhananjaya de Silva 33, Milan Rathnayake 12 not out; Shamar Joseph 2-98).

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders open their 51st summit here on Sunday with the incoming chairman and St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre main wish is for the regional integration grouping ‘to continue working for the people of the region so they could feel the impact of CARICOM’.

All 15 CARICOM leaders are expected to attend the four day event to be held on the outskirts of the picturesque northern town of Gros islet. ‘I’m hoping, praying, and expecting that all CARICOM leaders will be at the summit,’ Pierre told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

The summit will be held under the theme ‘From Resilience to Renewal in a change world,’ and there had been speculation as to whether or not Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar would be in attendance. But she has since put such speculation to rest by announcing in Port of Spain that she would be present.

Since her return to government in April last year, Persad-Bissessar has been at odds with CARICOM mainly over her strong support for the United States military action in the Caribbean, despite calls that the region continue to be recognised as a zone of peace, and culminating in US military forces invading Venezuela in January this year and removing its leader Nicolas Maduro on allegations of being involved in the illegal drugs trade. Maduro remains in a US jail awaiting trial.

Now she is set to cross swords with her regional colleagues on the re-appointment of the Belizean economist, Dr. Carla Barnett, the eighth CARICOM Secretary-General and the first woman appointed to the post on August 15, 2021, by the unanimous appointment of the regional leaders.

Barnett was given the nod for a further five year stint when CARICOM leaders met in St. Kitts and Nevis in February, but Persad-Bissessar has openly criticised the circumstances that led to the vote.

Persad-Bissessar has already made it clear that Trinidad and Tobago will not recognise Barnett as the CARICOM Secretary General after August, adding that ‘all CARICOM leaders could do as they please, but Trinidad and Tobago will not recognise her as SG for a next term. That’s not going to change.

‘We have already made that clear. We do not recognise her after August 2026. This is our final position,’ she added.

Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, who was among the leaders gathered in Basseterre in February, says as far as he is concerned, the Belizean has been reappointed and that Dominica had supported the decision.

‘The issue of the Secretary-General, this has been, I’m not sure why you asked me the question, but this thing has been ventilated in the public domain. I mean, every plate and spoon in the kitchen has been exposed on this matter,’ Skerrit told a news conference on May 6.

Earlier this week, he doubled down on his position, saying on the issue of the Secretary General, ‘I don’t expect any real issues.

‘The reality is every country has a right to express their view on who should be the Secretary General. The Secretary General post under the current arrangements with CARICOM does not require a unanimous decision. It is a simple majority…and we’re hoping that this does not cause any distraction from the crucial issues affecting the Caribbean people’.

The Trinidad-based regional political analyst, Derek Ramsamooj, told CMC that while he expects a ‘level of consensus’ being created with respect to the reappointment of Burnett ‘clearly, proper employment processes must be adhered to, and good governance is required that allow consensus with the appointment of a Secretary-General’.

The re-appointment of Barnett aside, there will be several recurring matters on the agenda for the summit, including progress on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), advancing climate action, strengthening food and nutrition security, digital transformation as well as the ongoing situation in Haiti.

‘CARICOM remains convinced that our advancement must continue to be driven by collective action as we confront these headwinds,’ said Barnett in a message marking CARICOM Day on Friday.

‘Together we are committed to making progress in the areas that matter, including expanding intra-regional trade, increasing employment, reducing our food import bill, reducing crime and violence, and adapting our built environment for climate resistance. Equally important are improving digital connectivity and transportation networks to facilitate seamless and affordable communication, and the movement of people and goods across our Community,’ she added.

Pierre told CMC that his expectations for the summit ‘are simple in that ‘I really want CARICOM to continue working for the people of the region so the people of the region can feel the impact of CARICOM.

‘We can do that by impacting on the lives of people where they are affected the most. I speak about crime. I think citizen security is a very important aspect of our work going forward. Food security, you know, the high cost of living. People really, they are crying. The cost of food is climbing everywhere. ‘

Pierre said that while several governments have taken certain measures to help reduce the high cost of imported food, food security as it relates to agriculture and food production must also be one of the issues that we have to come up with workable solutions.

‘Then you speak about the issues of climate change and climate financing. Again, every island suffers from some form of disaster,’ he said, expressing his condolences to the families of the thousands of persons who have lost their lives in Venezuela.

‘We have to deal with natural disasters, hurricanes, floods, droughts. You know that this year is going to be one of the warmest years in terms of rainfall this year. So we have to deal with that,’ Pierre said, making reference also to dealing with issues facing the youths of the Caribbean.

‘Too many of our young people are going astray, particularly our young men …and I want to make a point, not all, but some of them are taken over by gangs and violence and gun violence’.

One of the more pressing issues of CARICOM summits has been the ongoing situation in Haiti, with Pierre acknowledging that the situation in the French-speaking CARICOM country ‘is not only an issue for CARICOM.

‘Haiti is complex. So we can have goals that are too much in the future. It’s going to be small, incremental steps, which will lead eventually to Haiti having an elected government by the people of Haiti. The people of Haiti must be allowed to conduct their own affairs,’ Pierre added.

Last month, the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, said he remained optimistic that the transition towards a better secured and peaceful nation ‘is moving forward.

‘A dynamic is there. And my call to the international community is therefore simple. Finally, assume your responsibilities,’ Guterres said, urging all stakeholders to stand together with the Haitian people for ‘peace, for security and for dignity’.

There was cautious optimism regarding Haiti’s long-delayed elections at the 56th Regular Session of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Panama late last month, but regional leaders stressed that restoring security remains the country’s most urgent priority.

CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations, Elizabeth Solomon, told CMC that the regional organisation continues ‘to work with all national and international stakeholders towards stability and transformation of Haiti, including through ensuring security to pave the way to elections.’

According to Solomon, CARICOM has been supporting the embattled Interim Government ‘in bringing the security situation under control by playing a significant role within the Standing Group of Partners that oversees the (multinational) Gang Suppression Force (GSF).’

The OAS Secretary General, Albert Ramdin, the former foreign affairs minister of Suriname, held ‘a constructive exchange on the situation in Haiti and the path forward’ with Haiti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Raina Forbin.

‘Our discussion reaffirmed the importance of sustained, coordinated, and practical support for the Haitian people at this critical moment. Haiti’s transition must succeed as a bridge toward restored security, renewed institutional confidence, constitutional order, and the holding of credible, inclusive, and peaceful elections,’ Ramdin said.

CARICOM’s Eminent Persons Group (EPG) says it will schedule a visit to Haiti ‘as soon as possible’ as it continues to follow closely the evolving political situation there.

The EPG comprising former St. Lucia prime minister Dr. Kenny Anthony as its chairman, along with former Jamaica prime minister Bruce Golding and his Bahamas counterpart, Perry Christie, said that their monitoring of the situation in Port au Prince is being done through ‘ongoing virtual engagements with a wide range of Haitian stakeholders including government, political and civil society sectors.

CARICOM had established the EPG in May 2023 to broker dialogue and help Haitian stakeholders navigate the country’s severe political, security, and institutional crises.

But Ramsamooj says one of the many challenge with Haiti is the actual governance structure. He notes that Haiti’s constitution recognises a president and a prime minister and that the present Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who has served as the head of government since late 2024, has served his extension as of early June.

‘The proposition of an election by the end of the year is indeed mythical. We have yet to see a fully functional electoral list that the voters can trust. You must recognise that for any legitimacy of this election we have to increase the voter turnout from 20 per cent to at least out of 40 to 50 per cent.

‘The immediate challenge would be where people have a sense of belief and trust in the existing leadership.There is too much social conflict at this point in time and the US involvement in the process through its agencies have failed to bring the credibility that is needed,’ Ramsmaooj added.

At the end of June, Prime Minister Fils-Aimé told international investors that his country is fully committed to restoring public order, restoring state authority, and creating the essential conditions for the future democratic processes.

While it may not be on the agenda, Caribbean leaders are most likely will have to deal with the sensitive issue regarding the US third country policy. Whether CARICOM adopts a unified position or countries develop their own individual position is left to be seen.

‘The issue of the acceptance of third country nationals into a country is not a regional one. It’s not a collective decision and therefore CARICOM doesn’t have a say in that process. It is a bilateral arrangement between each country and the United States of America,’ said Prime Minister Skerrit.

The Jamaica government has been seeking to assure citizens that a deportation transit arrangement with Washington will not allow criminals to enter the island, insisting the government would not jeopardise gains made in reducing violent crime.

The Antigua and Barbuda government has said it will publish a White Paper on proposals regarding third-country nationals being re-located there from the United States.

Apart from Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda, similar agreements have already been concluded between the United States and Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, Dominica, St. Lucia St Kitts and Nevis, and Barbados.

‘I expect there to be some discussions maybe sharing of experiences and sharing of engagements as we have done at the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States) level, but I don’t expect there to be any declarations by CARICOM on this matter,’ said Skerrit.

‘But you never know, there’ll be other countries that are able to raise it and they want to have a statement issued on this matter. But this is largely a bilateral issue that CARICOM doesn’t necessarily have any jurisdiction over. But these matters we usually discuss and I’m sure there’ll be some discussion at some point. But it’s not on the official agenda of CARICOM,’ Skerrit added.

For the first time in a long time, the regional leaders will go straight into retreat on the first day of their meeting following Sunday’s ceremonial opening that will be addressed by Pierre, the outgoing CARICOM chairman, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, Barnett and nd the youth leader, Rahym Augustin-Joseph, a Commonwealth-Caribbean Rhodes Scholar.

‘As I’ve made the point several times before, leaders must speak, must talk to each other more. We need to have more unity among the leaders of the region. So if the people see a united leadership, the people, by a natural process of following what their leaders do, will also get closer together,’ Pierre told CMC.

West Indies trail Sri Lanka by 491 runs with nine wickets remaining after reaching 58 for one at the close of play on the second day of the second Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium here on Saturday.

Scores

SRI LANKA 549-9 dec’d in 139.3 overs (Lahiru Udara 188, Sonal Dinusha 92, Kamindu Mendis 84, Kusal Mendis 69, Dhananjaya de Silva 33, Prabath Jayasuriya 17 not out, Milan Rathnayake 15, Isitha Wijesundara 14; Shamar Joseph 2-98, Jayden Seales 2-98).

WEST INDIES 58-1 in 24 overs (John Campbell 31 not out, Brandon King 17).

A Jamaican-American advocate has asked members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation to seek answers from the United States government regarding the third-country nationals (TCN) agreement signed between Jamaica and Washington, according to the Jamaica Gleaner.

The newspaper reported that Patrick Beckford, a constituent in New Jersey, has written to US Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim, as well as Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, requesting that they seek full disclosure from the US Department of State on the memorandum of understanding (MOU) governing the transfer and transit of third-country nationals through Jamaica.

In his letter, Beckford said the agreement appeared to involve US immigration policy, foreign relations and the possible use of taxpayer funds.

‘Because this agreement appears to involve immigration policy, foreign relations, and potentially the expenditure of US taxpayer resources, I respectfully request that your offices seek clarification from the US Department of State and any other relevant federal agencies regarding the following matters,’ he wrote.

According to the Jamaica Gleaner, Beckford wants US lawmakers to obtain details on the operational, financial and legal framework of the agreement, which Jamaica’s Minister of National Security and Peace, Dr Horace Chang, said was signed three weeks ago.

The advocate is also seeking clarification on the categories of people covered under the arrangement, including whether it applies to families, children, asylum seekers or people with criminal records, as well as the legal authority under which the agreement was concluded and the officials responsible for negotiating it.

The newspaper reported that Beckford is also requesting information on the length of time individuals would remain in Jamaica, the human rights and medical screening safeguards that would apply, whether US taxpayer funds or other financial compensation are being used to support the arrangement, and whether the US Congress was consulted before the agreement was signed.

He also called for reporting mechanisms and periodic public disclosures to ensure accountability.

‘As Americans, we recognise that immigration policy is often complex and politically challenging. Nevertheless, democratic societies function best when governments operate transparently and remain accountable to the people they serve. Agreements affecting sovereign nations, taxpayer resources, and vulnerable individuals should be subject to appropriate public scrutiny rather than uncertainty or speculation,’ Beckford wrote.

‘The Jamaican-American community has long maintained strong cultural, economic, and civic ties to both countries. Many of us simply seek factual information so that public discussion may be guided by evidence rather than rumour.

‘Accordingly, I respectfully request that your offices make formal inquiries of the Department of State and any other appropriate federal agencies and, where possible, share the resulting information with your constituents,’ he added.

The Jamaica Gleaner noted that the Jamaican government has repeatedly described the agreement as a temporary, non-binding transit arrangement rather than a permanent resettlement programme.

Chang has said the memorandum limits the number of third-country nationals to a maximum of 25 every two weeks, with individuals expected to remain in Jamaica for up to 14 days while awaiting transfer to their home countries or another destination. He has also said participants will not be detained, may apply for asylum through the courts and will be monitored by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

The minister has further stated that the arrangement would be suspended if more than 10 transit migrants remain in Jamaica during any 30-day period.

According to the Jamaica Gleaner, the issue has also generated political debate after a diplomatic note from the US Embassy in Kingston reportedly identified former ambassador to Washington and Cabinet minister Audrey Marks as having proposed the arrangement.

Marks has denied proposing that Jamaica receive up to 10,000 third-country nationals, saying discussions surrounding the transit agreement have been confused with a separate proposal she made in March 2025 to recruit skilled workers to Jamaica while serving as ambassador to the United States.

The High Court has dismissed a constitutional challenge to Barbados’ Sacramental Cannabis Act, ruling that restrictions governing the use of cannabis by Rastafarians do not unlawfully infringe on religious freedom.

Delivering the decision on Friday in the No. 8 Supreme Court, Justice Michelle Weekes rejected claims brought by Paul ‘Ras Simba’ Rock through attorney Lalu Hanuman, who had argued that the legislation prevented him from using cannabis during religious ceremonies conducted at his home.

Rock also contended that the 2019 law failed to make provision for Rastafari women who, under certain religious practices, are not permitted in Nyabinghi tabernacles during menstruation and are instead expected to worship at home.

In his claim, Rock alleged breaches of several constitutional rights, including freedom of conscience, expression, assembly and association, freedom of religion, and protection against discrimination on the basis of creed under the Constitution and international human rights law.

However, in her ruling, Justice Weekes said: ‘The claimant’s claims regarding the constitutionality of the Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act, Chapter 131 and the Sacramental Cannabis Act are dismissed. It follows that the declarations sought in respect of the said act are denied. I will hear the parties at a later date in relation to the order of any costs.’

She added that written reasons for the decision would be provided on or before July 29.

Rock described the ruling as deeply disappointing, particularly as it was handed down without immediate reasons.

‘I can’t help but feeling that after five years and various delays and the setbacks, just to come and say it’s denied with no reason and to come back for the reason later, it seems like more than a slap in the face. It leaves a distasteful taste in my mouth, so to speak. And not because of the loss; sometimes it’s not what is done, but how it is done,’ he told reporters outside the court.

Rock argued that the restrictions effectively limited the full exercise of his religious rights.

‘So because Rastafari cannot be policed, we cannot be given our full constitutional rights, only partial. Partial constitutional rights, as far as I’m concerned, is as good as denying it fully,’ he said. ‘How can you be expected to practise your faith partially, or with limits?’

He confirmed that he intends to appeal the decision within the 28-day deadline and is seeking assistance from the Legal Aid Department.

Reacting to the outcome of the case, Hanuman told the media: ‘Anything that challenges the status quo is always subject to a certain element of unpredictability, and in fact, I’m not surprised really.’

Sri Lanka declared their innings after reaching 549 for nine against the West Indies after tea on the second day of the second Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium here on Saturday.

SRI LANKA 549-9 dec’d in 139.3 overs (Lahiru Udara 188, Sonal Dinusha 92, Kamindu Mendis 84, Kusal Mendis 69, Dhananjaya de Silva 33, Prabath Jayasuriya 17 not out, Milan Rathnayake 15, Isitha Wijesundara 14; Shamar Joseph 2-98, Jayden Seales 2-98).

In July 2021, in the pages of the Jamaica Gleaner, the question was posed: Why is CARICOM Day not a national holiday throughout the Caribbean?

Five years later, in July 2026, the issue arises again for consideration by our Caribbean policymakers.

THE FOURTH OF JULY

On 4 July 1973, four visionary leaders, Errol Barrow of Barbados, Forbes Burnham of Guyana, Michael Manley of Jamaica, and Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago, signed the Treaty of Chaguaramas creating the Caribbean Community. In so doing, they laid the foundation for what remains the most ambitious experiment in regional integration undertaken by small developing states anywhere in the world.

Vere Bird of Antigua and Barbuda, one of three original signatories to the Dickenson Bay Agreement, is also a widely recognized figure in the history of regional integration.

That date is more than a historical footnote. It is the birthplace of the Caribbean Community and therefore the midwife of our claim to regionhood. And to our being one out of many.

Public holidays are rarely only about the past. They are moreso about the present and the future. They provide societies with the opportunities to reaffirm shared values, preserve a collective memory, and cultivate a sense of belonging and continuity across generations. Independence Days, Republic Days, Emancipation Days, and other national observances perform this function in countries throughout the world. They remind citizens not only of what occurred on a particular date, but also of why, and who they are, as a people.

The Caribbean Community remains in the unusual position of possessing many of the attributes of a single economic space while lacking a single day for public reflection upon that communal space. We have common institutions, common legal heritage and arrangements, shared educational structures, and an increasingly integrated economy. Yet we do not pause collectively and simultaneously to celebrate the regional project that made those achievements possible.

The observance of CARICOM Day would help fill that space.

Communities are defined not only by our territories and institutions but also by our symbols, traditions, and rituals. Their sustainability requires moments through which citizens can recognize themselves as participants in a common enterprise. The observance of a regional CARICOM Day would provide such a moment. It would draw a boundary not in geography but in time, setting apart one day each year where we reflect upon the Caribbean endeavour and the aspirations that continue to animate it.

On 4 July this year, the United States celebrates 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. While Americans gather annually on 4 July to celebrate the birth of their nation, we in the Caribbean have an opportunity on that same day to reflect upon the birth and evolution of our regional community.

A PROJECT ACROSS GENERATIONS

The leaders who gathered in Chaguaramas on 4 July 1973, understood that regional integration would be the work not of a few years but of many decades. The responsibility for advancing that vision therefore passed from one generation of Caribbean leaders to the next.

The work begun by our founders was carried forward by leaders such as P.J. Patterson, Basdeo Panday, Owen Arthur, and Bharrat Jagdeo, who helped encouraged economic integration and strengthen regional institutions. More recently, leaders including Kenny Anthony, Patrick Manning, Ralph Gonsalves, and Mia Mottley, have continued to champion regional cooperation while adapting the integration movement to contemporary realities.

CARICOM therefore is not the achievement of a single generation. It is the shared inheritance of many.

THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF INTEGRATION

A regional holiday would provide an annual opportunity to reflect on how far we have travelled and how much further we still have to go.

The Caribbean Community has endured and matured through changing administrations, economic turbulence, natural disasters, and shifting global realities. It has done so because the idea at its heart remains compelling: that cooperation among Caribbean peoples, despite their different ancestries, achieves greater welfare, security, and prosperity.

The entry into force 20 years ago of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and the creation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) represented the maturation of that vision. Today, Caribbean nationals enjoy opportunities unimaginable to earlier generations. Citizens can travel freely across the Community, establish businesses, provide services, pursue employment opportunities, and invest beyond the borders of their own States.

The movement toward full free movement of CARICOM nationals, continues to advance. Each step in that direction reinforces a simple but powerful idea: that a Jamaican, a Dominican, a Vincentian, a Kittitian, a Barbadian, a Trinbagonian, a Guyanese, or a Belizean is not only a citizen of a particular State but also a citizen of the Caribbean Community. The CARICOM passport is a powerful symbol of that unity.

The institutions of regional integration have likewise become among our greatest strengths.

The University of the West Indies (UWI) has educated generations of Caribbean leaders, scholars, professionals, and public servants. The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has developed qualifications recognised throughout the Region and internationally. The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has financed development across Member States. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has enhanced our collective public health response and CDEMA has managed relief efforts across the region in times of disaster.

Both West Indies Cricket (CWI) and the CARIFTA Games have demonstrated the power of sport to unite the region, while serving as enduring symbols of Caribbean identity and pride.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), both the apex or highest court for participating states and the judicial guardian of the rights enshrined in the integration movement is uniquely endowed with the responsibility to adjudicate over Caribbean matters, and has been making great strides in adjudicating cases that impact our daily lives. The Court, indeed, belongs to the people of the Caribbean; a truth embodied in its motto ‘One People. One Region. One Court.’

All people of the region are encouraged to visit the Court, whether in person in Port-of-Spain or online via its website (www.ccj.org) and social media pages to understand the Court’s cases and how they impact us – from Kingston to Georgetown.

These achievements should not be taken for granted.

WHY CARICOM DAY MATTERS

A regional holiday on 4 July, and where this falls on a weekend to be celebrated on the first Monday thereafter (this year on 6 July) would therefore be about far more than remembrance.

It would provide a catalyst for schools to teach the history of regional integration; for governments to highlight the achievements of Caribbean institutions; for businesses and civil society to celebrate Caribbean enterprise and innovation; and for citizens to reflect on the shared inheritance that binds us together.

Two Member States, Antigua and Barbuda, and Guyana, already recognise CARICOM Day as public holidays. Their example demonstrates that such recognition is practical and appropriate.

It would be a good thing if our policymakers did not allow another 5 years to pass us by without giving serious thought to celebrating our shared history and bright future on CARICOM Day.

On 4 July each year, we should pause to celebrate our achievements, reflect on our shared journey, and renew our commitment to the Caribbean project. In the end, we are all we have. Warts and all.

*Justice Winston Anderson is the President of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

As the United States on Saturday commemorates in 250th Anniversary of Independence, the Donald J. Trump administration says it is imposing sanctions on ‘Cuban actions’ allegedly responsible for subversive anti-American activities.

The US Department of State said on Saturday that it is designating five entities and five individuals as part of the ‘Trump administration’s comprehensive push to end the Cuban regime’s decades-long campaign of political, ideological, and institutional warfare against the United States and to hold accountable those who sustain its operations and profit from the Cuban people’s oppression.

‘The Cuban regime continues to demonstrate that it prioritises the exportation of radical left-wing violence through its malign influence networks and the enrichment of the regime over the well-being of the Cuban people,’ it said. ‘These sanctions are designed to hold international actors supporting the Cuban regime accountable.’

The department warned that foreign banks and companies providing services to those designated are at risk of sanctions and should freeze those activities.

‘The Trump administration will continue to target the Cuban regime’s subversive network, those who enable its subversive operations, and those who profit while the Cuban people suffer,’ it said, stating that ‘all targets’ designated on Saturday have been designated ‘pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14404, which authorises sanctions on persons determined to meet specified criteria related to repression in Cuba and threats to US national security and foreign policy.’

The State Department said entities associated with ‘developing, implementing, and funding the Cuban regime’s violent revolutionary network are being designated.’

They comprise the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba  (MINFAR) for ‘being a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the Government of Cuba.’

The State Department said MINFAR is the government ministry in charge of the Cuban military.

It said the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) is designated for ‘being a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the Government of Cuba.’

The State Department said ICAP is a Cuban organisation founded by late Cuban President Fidel Castro in 1960 that supports Cuban intelligence and counterintelligence activities.

It said Amistur Cuba SA is designated for ‘being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, ICAP, an entity designated pursuant to E.O. 14404 for being a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the Government of Cuba.’

The US Department of State said the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution (CDR) is designated for ‘being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of Cuba.’

It claimed that CDR is under the direction of the Ministry of Interior of Cuba, which was previously designated for ‘being a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the Government of Cuba, and is a fundamental pillar of Cuba’s state oppressive security apparatus.’

The State Department said several ‘regime-aligned elites and their family members’ are also designated.

They include Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez for ‘being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the Government of Cuba,’ the State Department said.

It said Lis Cuesta Peraza is designated for ‘being an adult family member of a person designated pursuant to this order’, stating that Peraza is the spouse of Diaz-Canel.

The State Department said Manuel Anido Cuesta is designated for ‘being an adult family member of a person designated pursuant to this order’, stating Manuel Anido Cuesta is Lis Cuesta Peraza’s son and Diaz-Canel’s stepson.

In addition, the State Department said Alejandro Castro Espin is designated for ‘being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of Cuba.’

It said Alejandro Castro Espin is the former head of the Cuban intelligence services and the son of former Cuban President Raul Modesto Castro Ruz, the brother of Fidel Castro.

The State Department said Raul Alejandro Castro Calis is designated for ‘being an adult family member of a person designated pursuant to this order.’

It said Raul Alejandro Castro Calis is the son of Alejandro Castro Espin.

The State Department also said Minera la Victoria SA, a Cuban gold mining joint venture created by Australia-based entity Antilles Gold Ltd and Cuban SOE Geominera SA, is designated for ‘operating in or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Cuban economy.’

The department said Minera la Victoria SA is ‘responsible for generating revenue for the Cuban regime.’

The State Department said that, as a result of Saturday’s sanctions-related actions, and in accordance with Executive Order 14404 of May 1, 2026, ‘Imposing Sanctions on Those Responsible for Repression in Cuba and for Threats to U.S. National Security and Foreign Policy,’ all property and interests in property of the designated persons ‘described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).’

Additionally, the State Department said that all entities that are owned individually or in the aggregate, 50 per cent or more by one or more blocked individuals, are also blocked.

It said all transactions and dealings by US persons or persons within, or transiting, the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited, ‘unless authorised by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt.’

The State Department said these prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

The department warned that foreign persons that engage in transactions with persons designated pursuant to E.O. 14404 – or that operate in the energy, defence and related materiel, metals and mining, financial services, or security sector of the Cuban economy, as identified in E.O. 14404 – are themselves at risk of sanctions.

‘Non-US persons, including foreign financial institutions, should proceed with caution in any dealings with a party sanctioned under this authority,’ the department further cautioned.

It said actions to return assets to a sanctioned party or transfer them to another jurisdiction for potential use by the target ‘could expose non-US persons to significant sanctions risk.’

The Department of State said all property and interests in property of persons that are blocked pursuant to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) continue to be blocked.

It said the CACR prohibits persons subject to US jurisdiction from dealing in property in which Cuba or a Cuban national has an interest, unless authorised or exempt.

Sri Lanka built on their impressive start by producing another sterling batting display on the second day to maintain their grip over the West Indies in the second Test at the end of day two here on Saturday.

Half centuries by Sonal Dinusha and Kusal Mendis helped them convert their healthy overnight score of 338 for five into a formidable 549 for nine, before declaring their innings shortly after tea at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

In their reply, the West Indies lost the wicket of Brandon King, but John Campbell and a nervous looking Kavem Hodge guided them to 58 for one at the close of play.

The day once again belonged to the visitors, with a 143-run partnership between Dinusha and Mendis helping them to strengthen an already robust first innings position.

For the second straight day, the Windies’ pacers were guilty of being either too short or too wide, and they were made to pay dearly.

The pair negated the first hour without much alarm, but the partnership should have been broken when it was worth just 44 and the score 382 for five, but Campbell put down a regulation catch to dismiss Mendis at first slip off Shamar Joseph.

They caried the score to 420 for five at lunch and after the break Dinusha brought up his half century in streaky fashion by edging Shamar Joseph along the ground through slip.

Mendis wasn’t too far behind, and he whipped Alzarri Joseph over the backward square leg boundary for six to bring up his 50.

The West Indies finally got a breakthrough when Anderson Phillip bowled Mendis for 69 off 115 balls as he tried to scoop him over fine leg, to make the score 476 for six.

When new batsman Milan Rathnayake clipped pacer Justin Greaves into the onside for two runs, it carried Sri Lanka past 500 runs for the first time in the Caribbean.

By that time Dinusha was in sight of his maiden Test century, which he neared by hitting part-time bowler Hodge for two successive boundaries to move to 92.

But Hodge got his revenge by having him caught at cover off the next ball to end his 166-ball innings and reduce Sri Lanka to 512 for seven.

Roston Chase then removed Milan Rathnayake for 15, and Jayden Seales claimed the wicket of Isitha Wijesundara for 14, before Sri Lanka declared their innings.

Shamar Joseph and Seales both finished with figures of 2-98.

Needing to navigate the final two hours of play, the home side’s opening pair of John Campbell and Brandon King started brightly, with King driving Wijesundara for two boundaries in the eighth over to see them move to 32 without loss.

But after scoring 17 runs off 26 balls, King drove loosely at a delivery from fast bowler Asitha Fernando and was snapped up at slip by Kamindu Mendis.

Hodge, who looked unsettled during his unbeaten six off 41 balls, should count himself lucky to be still at the crease after Sri Lanka spurned two opportunities to dismiss him.

He had scored a solitary run when Dinusha failed to hold on to a tough chance running in at fine leg off the bowling of Rathnayake.

And two overs late, Hodge’s thick edge was dropped at first slip by Isuru Udara off the same bowler.

It allowed the Windies to end the day trailing Sri Lanka by 491 runs and needing a herculean task from their batters on Sunday’s third day.

Rovman Powell blasted a boundary-studded half century to carry the Los Angeles Knight Riders to a comfortable six-wicket victory over the Texas Super Kings in their Major League Cricket contest here on Friday.

The powerfully built Jamaican bludgeoned 73 off just 27 balls, inclusive of six sixes and six fours, while Colin Munro scored an unbeaten half century as the Knight Riders chased down the Super Kings’ total of 173 for five, ending on 175 for four in 18.4 overs.

The pair shared a match-winning partnership of 107 runs off a mere 41 balls that rescued their side from a shaky position of 59 for three in the 11th over.

With 40 runs required off the last four overs, Powell, who was named Player-of-the-Match, essentially ended the contest by hitting Adam Milne for two sixes and three fours, which also brought up his 50 off 18 balls.

By the time he was dismissed the Knight Riders only required eight runs, and Munro took the side to an easy victory with eight balls remaining.

Earlier, Sunil Narine (2-22) and Jason Holder (2-48) helped limit the Super Kings to their eventual total despite a knock of 80 off 55 balls from opener Saiteja Mukkamalla.