Georgetown—Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett has reaffirmed that the regional bloc’s relationship with Trinidad and Tobago remains strong, even as political debate swirls over the country’s stance on U.S. military activity in the Caribbean.
In a statement issued August 29, Barnett congratulated Trinidad and Tobago ahead of its 63rd Independence anniversary on August 31. She praised the twin-island nation’s cultural, economic, and regional contributions, noting that it has much to celebrate after more than six decades of sovereignty.
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“Trinidad and Tobago is blessed with spectacular natural beauty, abundant natural resources, and impressive cultural diversity, as well as talent and ingenuity,” Barnett said. She highlighted the country’s achievements in the energy and manufacturing sectors while also underscoring its global impact through music and literature.
“TT’s role as an exponent of the rich Caribbean musical and literary culture has been a source of pride for all CARICOM countries, complementing notable achievements in the energy and manufacturing sectors,” she said.
Barnett emphasized that Trinidad and Tobago’s involvement in CARICOM activities has been both consistent and influential, particularly in the areas of energy and security. “CARICOM’s relationship with TT, a founding member of the Caribbean Community, remains strong,” she affirmed. “We recognise TT’s enduring commitment to regional integration, through its contributions to CARICOM activities and decision-making, and especially through leadership in the fields of energy and security for which TT bears responsibility within the CARICOM quasi-Cabinet.”
Her statement comes as political tensions rise over remarks by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who recently declared that CARICOM is already fractured. Persad-Bissessar also openly supported the U.S. deployment of military forces, including a nuclear submarine, to the Southern Caribbean to target drug cartels.
The Prime Minister said Trinidad and Tobago would not engage CARICOM on the matter, arguing that each member state has the right to take its own position. She further pledged that her government would allow the U.S. access to TT territory if Venezuela invaded Guyana and Washington requested support for counter-military operations.
Her comments drew sharp criticism from skeptics, including the governments of Venezuela and Cuba, who accused Washington of using drug trafficking as a pretext to station troops close to Venezuela’s borders. Former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley also warned that Persad-Bissessar’s stance was “lighting a match” in the region.
In response, Persad-Bissessar dismissed claims that she was the cause of division within CARICOM. “This issue that I’m fracturing CARICOM – CARICOM was already fractured,” she insisted, pointing out that some member states aligned with the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) had already pledged their support for Venezuela before her remarks.
Despite her defense of U.S. actions, Persad-Bissessar reiterated her commitment to CARICOM and expressed willingness to work with regional neighbors, even as divisions on security and foreign policy remain apparent.
