Senior Reporter
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has intensified her call for transparency from the Caribbean Community (Caricom), raising fresh questions about the process that led to the reappointment of Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett.
In a Facebook post yesterday, the Prime Minister challenged documents released by Caricom hours earlier, accusing the regional body of failing to adequately explain key aspects of the February meeting at which the decision was taken.
At the centre of the dispute is a Heads of Government retreat held during the Caricom Conference in St Kitts and Nevis, where Dr Barnett’s reappointment was agreed.
Persad-Bissessar argued that Caricom’s correspondence shows an imbalance in communication priorities, claiming that multiple messages were sent to Trinidad and Tobago about dress protocol—specifically a “Caricom shirt”—but none addressing the reappointment agenda item.
“According to Caricom’s own documents posted last night, between January 19 and February 26 (39 days), eight messages were sent to T&T regarding the soon-to-be legendary Caricom shirt, but zero messages were sent regarding any agenda item to reappoint GS Barnett. Clearly, the shirt was of utmost significance, but the reappointment of the Secretary-General was not,” she said.
She also pointed to a WhatsApp message sent on the morning of February 26—the day of the retreat—indicating that the session would be restricted to Heads of Government only.
Quoting the message, she noted it stated:
“Good morning, Foreign Ministers. Chairman PM Drew has indicated that today will be a Heads-only retreat. Notwithstanding any indication otherwise, he would like it to remain Heads only. He apologises for any inconvenience. Ministers should therefore remain for the Community Council Meeting to complete its work, including those agenda items from the Heads’ agenda which the Community Council is to consider and provide recommendations to Heads for adoption.”
The Prime Minister questioned why the message—verified by Trinidad and Tobago’s Director of Caricom—had not been addressed by Dr Barnett or Caricom officials, including Chef de Cabinet Janice Miller.
“When will Barnett and Miller address this WhatsApp message?” she asked, suggesting that Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers may have been deliberately excluded.
“At best, Minister Sobers was disinvited because he had no fancy Caricom shirt; at worst, he was disinvited to deliberately facilitate Ms Barnett’s surreptitious reappointment,” Persad-Bissessar said.
She also called for the release of key documents, including minutes of the retreat meeting, Dr Barnett’s performance appraisal, records from the 2021 appointment process, and additional correspondence referenced in an April 9 letter from Minister Sobers.
Persad-Bissessar maintained that the lack of documentation undermines regional integration and accused Caricom of attempting to avoid accountability while publicly discrediting her minister.
Caricom defends process
The Prime Minister’s comments came shortly after Caricom Chairman and St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew issued a statement following the Twenty-Fifth Special Emergency Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government.
The meeting was convened to address concerns raised by Trinidad and Tobago regarding governance and the Secretary-General’s reappointment. Notably, neither Persad-Bissessar nor any representative from Trinidad and Tobago attended.
In its statement, Caricom said all member states were properly informed ahead of the February summit, including details of the agenda, programme of work, and which items would be addressed in plenary, caucus, or Heads-only retreat sessions.
It added that Persad-Bissessar left St Kitts and Nevis on the evening of February 25, before the retreat scheduled for the following day.
Caricom said that at 10.33 pm on February 25, Foreign Minister Sean Sobers contacted the Secretary-General via WhatsApp to inquire whether he should attend the retreat in the Prime Minister’s absence. He was advised that he could attend, as other absent Heads were being represented by their Foreign Ministers, but indicated he might not be able to do so due to seasickness.
According to the statement, a follow-up message at 12.37 am on February 26 noted that the Chairman would understand if Sobers chose not to attend due to the boat journey required to reach the venue. The organisation said Sobers did not subsequently confirm his attendance.
Caricom further stated that Dr Barnett’s reappointment was made under Article 24 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas during the retreat, and that the Secretary-General was not present during deliberations.
It also said attempts were made to contact Persad-Bissessar by phone and email before the decision was publicly announced, but those efforts were unsuccessful. The Chairman was later asked to relay the information to Minister Sobers.
Caricom indicated that a detailed timeline of correspondence leading up to the February conference would be made available.
Political fallout intensifies
Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has criticised the Prime Minister’s handling of the matter, warning of potential economic and diplomatic fallout.
“Kamla Persad-Bissessar is clearly incapable of diplomacy. Her UNC is clearly incapable of honesty. And the current Government of Trinidad and Tobago has completely lost its way,” Beckles said in a statement on Sunday.
She added that the region is “appalled” by what she described as the Prime Minister’s campaign to “falsely tarnish, provoke, destroy, and then leave Caricom.”
Beckles warned that the dispute could have far-reaching consequences, noting that intra-Caricom trade generated approximately $7.5 billion for Trinidad and Tobago in 2024.
“This is the very last thing we needed: a Prime Minister so petty and vicious that she would destroy our collective future,” she said, adding that sectors such as manufacturing, exports, education, tourism, and businesses of all sizes could be affected.
She also criticised Persad-Bissessar’s absence from both the February summit and the April emergency meeting, describing it as “disgraceful and unforgivable.”
“If we leave Caricom, the people of Trinidad and Tobago will pay the ultimate price for that reckless decision,” Beckles said.
