GUYANA-TRADE-Canadian trade mission arrives in Guyana

A Canadian business delegation arrived here Tuesday for a four day visit as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen trade and investment ties between the two countries.

A statement from the High Commission of Canada, said the trade mission includes representatives from Bionetix International, Sprig Learning Inc., 4Pay Inc., FreeBalance Inc., and E-Magic Solutions.

It said that these five companies represent diverse sectors such as financial technology (FinTech), information and communications technology (ICT), infrastructure, education, and sanitation.

members of the visiting Canadian trade mission

‘Their visit is aimed at deepening their understanding of the Guyanese market, exploring potential collaborations, and consolidating existing partnerships. Later in the week, they will be joined by a representative of Export Development Canada, Canada’s export credit and insurance agency for exporters with Canadian content,’ the statement said.

According to the High Commission of Canada, the visit forms part of Canada’s broader strategy to foster greater commercial cooperation with Guyana and the wider Caribbean.

It said that over the four-day programme, delegates will participate in a series of market knowledge sessions, high-level meetings with government ministers and heads of agencies, and an extensive business-to-business (B2B) programme connecting them with local enterprises.

The High Commission said that a key highlight of the programme will be on-the-ground site visits, providing participants with firsthand insight into Guyana’s rapidly developing infrastructure and investment climate.

‘These site visits are intended to bridge the gap between business dialogue and practical understanding of the opportunities and challenges that exist across multiple sectors.’

Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Sebastien Sigouin, said that the initiative is part of an ongoing effort to connect Canadian innovation with Guyanese opportunity.

‘Canada has a long-standing relationship with Guyana built on trust, cooperation, and mutual respect.. This visit demonstrates our continued commitment to supporting Guyana’s development priorities through partnerships that encourage innovation, knowledge transfer, and sustainable growth.’

The High Commission said that the mission is not only about promoting Canadian business interests, but also about fostering partnerships that can generate long-term, inclusive benefits. ‘The delegation’s presence reinforces Canada’s confidence in Guyana’s economic trajectory and the value of building partnerships rooted in transparency, sustainability, and mutual prosperity.

‘The delegation’s visit underscores the growing momentum in Canada-Guyana commercial relations. It marks another step toward unlocking shared opportunities and building a more resilient, innovative future together,’ the High Commission of Canada added.

’Infra mess cleanup could dent growth’

THE government’s push to root out corruption in infrastructure projects could take a toll on economic momentum, causing the country to miss its growth target and dampen tax revenue collections, according to Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto.

On the sidelines of the Department of Finance’s budget hearing before the Senate Committee on Finance on Tuesday, Recto said the economy could expand below the lower end of the government’s target of 5.5 percent.

‘We could miss it-the 5.5 percent. We could hit 5.4 percent,’ Recto said.

The economy could slow down due to slower government spending, Recto said, with the impact to be felt in the second half of the year and extend into the first quarter of 2026.

‘The good news is, moving forward, all of that is on the upside because we are solving the problem [on infrastructure projects]. So moving forward, you will realize your full potential for growth,’ Recto said.

The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) has lowered the country’s growth target to 5.5 to 6.5 percent this year, down from the range of 6 to 8 percent, due to heightened global uncertainties.

The possible slowdown in economic growth, however, could also weigh on the government’s revenue collection, Recto said.

‘Once you miss your GDP (gross domestic product) growth, naturally it affects your revenue target or tax revenues,’ Recto said.

Taxes to be collected by the country’s main revenue-collecting agencies will also fall short of the targets set by the government this year.

‘They will miss their targets a bit,’ Recto said, referring to the Bureaus of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Customs (BOC), which will collect P3.219 trillion and P958.7 billion, respectively.

Geopolitical tensions

Recto said geopolitical tensions with China, as well as between China and the United States, also spell external headwinds to the government’s revenue collections.

‘There are many global challenges that we’re facing today. And naturally, if you have a global economic slowdown, it will also affect the collections of BOC,’ Recto added.

The Philippines itself is facing new tariffs from the US, which would make exports more expensive and less competitive in the American market, potentially reducing exports and worsening the current account balance, Recto added.

Despite the impact on tax collections, Recto said non-tax revenues will make up for the shortfall as this is projected to reach P350 billion this year.

This would still enable the government to hit its P4.520 trillion revenue target for the year.

With expectations of slower economic growth and revenue collection, Recto said the government has prepared a catch-up plan that prioritizes the accelerated implementation of projects with high multiplier effects.

Recto said the government is supporting the rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, as well as providing temporary employment to those displaced or affected by recent calamities.

Top priority projects of the government also include education, agriculture, health and information, communications and technology.

‘Our approach is anticipatory and strategic, ensuring that available fiscal space is directed toward high-impact, fast-disbursing projects to counteract the potential growth slowdown and help keep full-year GDP growth within the DBCC assumptions,’ Recto said.

‘We only see upside over the next few months as the major government cleanup concerning the flood control controversy will lead to stronger institutions, better governance and faster growth,’ he added.

BELIZE-ENERGY-Belize takes over presidency of OLDAE

Belize has taken over the presidency of the chairmanship of the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), allowing the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to chair both the Ministerial and the Council of Experts meetings of the organization.

Belize replaced Barbados in that role, whose representative, Keisha Reid, the Deputy Permanent Secretary, deputising for Energy Minister, Lisa Cummins, said it was a profound honour and privilege for Barbados to serve as president.

‘Among the notable advances of Barbados’ term have been important technical proposals that laid the foundation for the future of our region, such as the pursuit of a just energy transition for communities, as well as the adoption of joint declarations such as the Regional Electricity Storage Target.

‘These steps demonstrated not only our capacity to set ambitious goals, but also our determination to ensure that the benefits of the energy transition are shared across all our societies.’

Reid strongly encouraged OLADE to continue along its path of creating dedicated spaces to address the unique challenges and vulnerabilities of small island developing states (SIDS) like Barbados.

‘Our realities may differ, but our goals are united, and we must ensure that no one is left behind in the region’s transition,’ she said, assuring Belize of Barbados’ unwavering, steadfast and insightful support over the next year, as it assumes the chairmanship.

OLADE is an intergovernmental, public cooperation, coordination and technical advisory body, launched on November 2, 1973, through the signing of the Lima Convention. It was ratified by 27 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, with the fundamental objective of promoting the integration, conservation, rational use, commercialisation, protection and promotion of the energy resources of the region.

OLADE is a significant contributor to the sustainable development and energy security of the region.

CRICKET-IND/WIS-RESULT India defeat West Indies by 7 wickets – 5th day, 2nd Test

India defeated the West Indies by seven wickets on the fifth day of the second Test here at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

Scores

INDIA 518-5 dec’d and 124-3 in 35.2 overs (Kl Rahul 58 not out, Sai Sudharsan 39, Shubman Gill 13; Roston Chase 2-36, Jomel Warrican 1-39).

WEST INDIES 248 and 390 in 118.5 overs (John Campbell 115, Shai Hope 103, Justin Greaves 50 not out, Roston Chase 40, Jayden Seales 32, Tevin Imlach 12, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 10; Jasprit Bumrah 3-44, Kuldeep Yadav 3-92, Mohammed Siraj 2-43).

PHL, Aussie troops take part in month-long ‘Kasangga’ drills

Philippine Army (PA) and Australian Army troops are now taking part in the month-long ‘Kasangga’ 2025-02 which aims to beef up the interoperability and territorial defense capabilities of the two services.

In a statement on Tuesday, PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said the exercise took place at the Combat Readiness Training Area in Camp Jamindan, Capiz on Oct. 13.

‘A total of 171 PA soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division and 90 Australian Army troops are participating in the exercise that bolsters interoperability of both armies,’ he added.

Participating troops from both Armies trained together on mortar gunnery, combat stress debriefing and medical response, coastal defense, missile survivability and drone operations on Monday.

Exercise Kasangga, which means ‘ally’ or ‘partner’ in Filipino, challenges the participating troops’ skills and expertise while enhancing their knowledge of each other’s tactics, techniques and procedures, Dema-ala said.

‘Conducting the said exercise outside of the traditional training areas in Luzon sends a clear message about the Army’s commitment to strengthen its operations in areas of strategic importance to regional stability,’ the PA spokesperson.

CARIBBEAN-EDUCATION-OECS signs agreement with Commonwealth of Learning

The St. Lucia-based Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission Tuesday said it has signed a ‘landmark’ Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) to strengthen collaboration in advancing digital learning, open education, and teacher development across the region.

It said that the MoU establishes a framework for joint action to expand access to quality education through technology, build resilient, flexible education systems, promote lifelong learning, and enhance equity and inclusion.

‘Through this partnership, the OECS and COL will jointly pursue initiatives that include developing knowledge infrastructure, creating and sharing Open Educational Resources (OER), supporting digital pedagogy training for educators, and providing technical and advisory support for education transformation,’ according to a statement issued by the OECS Commission.

It sad that the partnership aligns with the sub-regional grouping’s vision for the OECS Digital Learning Ecosystem (ODLE), positioning it as a regional hub for accessible, high-quality digital learning content.

It also strengthens the region’s advocacy voice for Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-enabled education policies, both regionally and internationally, reinforcing the OECS’s commitment to the global education agenda, including achieving SDG 4 aimed at quality education, and advancing the achievement of OECS Strategic Priority 5, which is to Advance Equity and Inclusion, reducing disparities in health, education and social outcomes.

‘Through the establishment of this framework for cooperation, the implementation of Microcredentialing in the OECS will be supported. The pilot of Microcredentialing through the OECS MyPD platform for teacher professional development is anticipated to be one of the first activities supported by this partnership,’ said Mrs Sisera Simon, Head, Human and Social Division, at the OECS Commission.

She said that this groundbreaking initiative will empower participants to earn skill-specific credentials, spotlighting their expertise and dedication to continuous professional growth.

‘The goal of integrating Microcredentialing is not simply to enhance professional development, but to reimagine it, creating more personalised, meaningful learning journeys for every educator in the OECS,’ she added.

OECS Director General, Dr Didacus Jules, said this partnership represents a significant step forward in the mission to create an inclusive, future-ready education system in the OECS.

‘By joining forces with the Commonwealth of Learning, we are equipping our region with the tools, policies, and support needed to make digital learning a reality for every learner,’ he added.

President and chief executive officer of the Commonwealth of Learning, Professor Peter Scottechoed, said his institution is delighted to partner with the OECS Commission in advancing digital learning and inclusive education across the Eastern Caribbean region.

‘The OECS continues to demonstrate leadership in reimagining education systems for resilience and relevance in the 21st century. Through this collaboration, we will leverage our collective expertise and resources to accelerate innovation-ensuring that all learners in the OECS, regardless of circumstance, can access and benefit from quality, technology-enabled education opportunities.’

The agreement will provide opportunities for teacher professional development and digital leadership to improve the uptake and effectiveness of digital learning tools, as well as equity-focused initiatives to ensure underserved and vulnerable communities benefit from digital learning opportunities.

It will also allow for joint projects and resource mobilisation to expand financing and support for regional digital transformation in education as well as research and knowledge exchange to keep OECS innovations evidence-based and globally benchmarked.

A Joint Committee, with representatives from both organisations, will oversee the implementation of the MoU, ensuring progress, monitoring outcomes, and fostering sustainability.

The MOU will remain in effect for three years, with the possibility of renewal, the OECS Commission said.

The OECS groups the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat and Anguilla.

CHINA-POLITICS-China and Dominica head of states reiterate deepening diplomatic relations

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with Sylvanie Burton, the president of the Commonwealth of Dominica, underscoring the deepening of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Burton is in in Beijing for the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women and in his discussions with the visiting Dominica head of state, President Xi, said that Dominica is a close friend and partner of China in the Caribbean and that Beijing stands ready to work with the Caribbean island to elevate bilateral relations to a higher level and deliver more benefits to both peoples.

President Xi said China and Dominica should consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen exchanges of governance experience, and enhance interactions between governments, legislative bodies, and political parties.

He said China stands ready to continue supporting Dominica in enhancing its capacity in climate change response, and disaster prevention and reduction.

President Xi said China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Dominica in infrastructure, clean energy, healthcare, agriculture and women’s empowerment, and promote cultural, educational, tourism and other people-to-people exchanges.

He urged enhancing multilateral coordination and jointly implementing the four global initiatives to build a community with a shared future for humanity and called also for implementing the consensus reached at the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women and stepping up cooperation in women’s capacity building.

President Burton said that Dominica firmly upholds the one-China principle and stands ready to deepen cooperation with China in economy, trade, agriculture, the green economy, new energy, healthcare, and climate change response.

She described China as an important force for global peace and stability, noting that Dominica is willing to work closely with China in opposing unilateralism and hegemonism and in safeguarding the common interests of developing countries.

Aftershocks continue to rock quake-hit towns

AFTERSHOCKS of the 6.9 magnitude earthquake on September 30 near Bogo City, Cebu, and the 7.4 and 6.8 magnitude doublet earthquakes near Manay, Davao Oriental, on October 10, continue to rock the two coastal towns, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.

Since Day 1, Phivolcs said it has recorded a total of 12,079 aftershocks attributed to the Cebu earthquake. Of these, a total of 2,139 were plotted and 46 were felt.

The magnitude of these aftershocks ranged from 1 to 5.8.

In the doublet earthquakes near Manay, Phivolcs said it has so far recorded 1,303 aftershocks, of which 618 were plotted and 18 were felt. The magnitudes of these aftershocks range from 1.2 to 5.8.

In Manay, Davao Oriental, three strong aftershocks were recorded on Monday morning.

The first occurred at exactly 10 a.m. The aftershock determined to be magnitude 5.6. At exactly 10:19 a.m., another strong aftershock occurred with a magnitude of 4.7. Another aftershock with a magnitude of 4.9 rocked Manay anew. It was magnitude 4.9.

Aftershocks such as these can cause further damage and endanger lives, as they can cause buildings that already sustained damage to collapse, Phivolcs said.

Phivolcs said aftershocks happen when the rocks start to adjust. Generally, aftershocks weakens in time but sometimes, they also generate strong tremors, the agency added.

CANANEWS AND SPORTS SCHEDULE AT 1200 ECT

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Tuesday, October 14, 2025.

GEORGETOWN – Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, says his country has absolutely no interest in hosting any form of military assets, and that the situation regarding Grenada is ‘really a sovereign issue’ for the government of that island.

NASSAU – Prime Minister Phillip Davis says he will not meet with trade union officials on matters concerning public sector workers, after one of the unions threatened a national strike on Tuesday.

PARAMARIBO – President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons says she is unaware of a request filed by attorney Irvin Kanhai, seeking clemency for four people convicted in the highly publicised so-called December 8th trial.

BASSETERRE – Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, has formally launched the US$30 million Symbol of Love Museum and Monuments at Fort Thomas, saying it marks the beginning of a transformative new chapter for the historic 8.7-acre property located at Fortlands, on the outskirts of the capital.

GEORGETOWN – President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, says he believes that three United States legislators had been misled when thy wrote to the US oil and gas giant regarding information on how its payments to the Guyana government regarding the 2016 Stabroek Block Petroleum Agreement (PA), have affected its US federal tax liability.

SPORTS:

DELHI – Despite a much better showing with both bat and ball, the West Indies were not able to stop a rampant India from coming away with a dominant seven-wicket victory on the fifth morning of the second Test here in Delhi to secure a clean 2-0 series sweep over the regional side.

GUYANA-COURT-CCJ president on official visit to Guyana

President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Winston Anderson, arrives here on Tuesday to participate in the official swearing- in ceremony of a new judge to the Trinidad-based court.

The Guyanese-born Justice Arif Bulkan will be sworn-in on Thursday, by the Guyana President, Irfaan Ali, during a ceremony at the Office of the President.

Justice Winston Anderson

Justice Bulkan will fill the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Anderson to the presidency of the Court on July 4, this year.

Justice Bulkan holds a Bachelor of Laws from The University of the West Indies; a Legal Education Cer, a graduate of the Hugh Wooding Law School; the University College London; and the Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Canada, has worked both regionally and internationally and in the course of his career has functioned in various capacities, including as litigator, academic, author, activist, judge, and international law expert.

He was called to the Bar in Guyana in 1990 and was also an expert member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, serving as one of the Committee’s Vice Chairpersons from 2019 to 2022. He was elected in June 2023 to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for a four-year term and is currently serving as the Commission’s Second Vice-President.

A statement from the CCJ said that during his visit here, Justice Anderson will pay courtesy calls on President Ali, the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Mme Justice Roxane George, and Dr Carla N. Barnett, the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

He will also meet with representatives of the newly formed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) political party, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM).

The CCJ that was established on February 14, 2001 by the CARICOM governments to replace the London-based Privy Council. It also functions as an international tribunal interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs the regional integration grouping.