Political consultant and Director of the Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES), Peter Wickham, is warning that the escalating dispute between the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is damaging regional unity and diverting attention from more substantive issues.
Speaking in an interview with Guardian Media yesterday, Wickham described the ongoing back-and-forth as “most unfortunate,” arguing that the public nature of the disagreement is undermining the credibility of the regional body.
“I know this has descended into a conversation about whether her foreign minister could have and should have been invited, whether he had sickness or not,” Wickham said. “This is an unfortunate discussion that is bringing a major and important issue into disrepute.”
Wickham aligned himself with what he described as the majority view within Caricom, maintaining that decisions taken at meetings must stand, particularly when member states are not present.
“If you attend a meeting and a decision is made, it stands. If you absent yourself, then unfortunately you cannot be part of that decision-making process,” he said.
The controversy stems from the Caricom Heads of Government meeting in St Kitts and Nevis, where Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett was reappointed during a Heads-only retreat.
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar has since questioned the transparency of that process, particularly regarding the role and participation of Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers.
However, Wickham argued that the Prime Minister has yet to clearly articulate her fundamental objection to Barnett’s reappointment.
“One of my concerns is that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has not stated exactly what her issue with Dr Carla Barnett is,” he said.
“I have not heard any clear indication as to what her problem is, beyond claims that her minister was disinvited and that proper procedure was not followed.”
He suggested the current dispute may be masking deeper concerns.
“I think this is essentially a smokescreen for larger issues she has with Caricom, which she has been hinting at,” Wickham said.
He went further, calling for a more definitive position from the Prime Minister on Trinidad and Tobago’s future within the regional bloc.
“If you believe that you are better off outside of the institution, then leave,” he said. “Fundamentally, that’s what this appears to be coming to.”
Wickham also questioned whether the current public exchanges are helping to resolve the matter.
“I am not sure that this conversation, especially as it is playing out in the media, is helpful. I don’t think it is going to resolve anything,” he added.
He argued that opportunities for direct engagement may have been missed, pointing to the Prime Minister’s absence from key discussions.
“If she wanted resolution, she would have gone to Nevis—taken the boat ride, as he put it—and engaged in those discussions in pursuit of resolving these issues,” Wickham said.
The Prime Minister has faced criticism for leaving the February summit early and not attending a subsequent emergency Caricom meeting on Friday.
Wickham stressed that Trinidad and Tobago has historically played a central role in the development of Caricom, referencing contributions dating back to Eric Williams and later initiatives under Patrick Manning.
“Trinidad and Tobago has always been central. It is the largest economy in the Caribbean, contributing more than 20 per cent of the budget,” he noted.
He warned that any breakdown in relations could have significant consequences for both Trinidad and Tobago and the wider region.
