Outgoing Caribbean Community chairman and Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness has reaffirmed the region’s commitment to remaining a Zone of Peace, grounded in respect for international law, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and the de escalation of conflict.
In his outgoing message as chairman of the fifteen member regional integration grouping, Holness emphasized that CARICOM remains consistent and unequivocal in its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all member states. He said the Community is equally firm in its opposition to transnational organized criminal networks and the destabilizing effects of drugs, illegal firearms and human trafficking on regional security. At the same time, he acknowledged that member states may occasionally express differing national perspectives.
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While Holness did not directly reference the current diplomatic tensions involving Trinidad and Tobago, his comments came amid public criticism from Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, who has stated that CARICOM is not a reliable partner and has lost its way. Persad Bissessar has openly supported the United States led war on drugs in the region, which political analysts argue has been used as a pretext for regime change in Venezuela. United States President Donald Trump has alleged that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is involved in narcotics trafficking.
Persad Bissessar has argued that an organization which criticizes the United States while appearing to support what she described as a narco government in Venezuela undermines its credibility. These comments followed United States military actions against vessels in international waters off Venezuela, which reportedly resulted in nearly one hundred deaths, including two nationals of Trinidad and Tobago. Washington has provided no public evidence linking those individuals to illegal drug trafficking.
Addressing broader geopolitical concerns, Holness said the Caribbean is now navigating a rapidly shifting global landscape that requires clarity, cohesion and strategic discipline. He warned that intensifying global tensions and external geopolitical developments increasingly intersect with the region’s economic, security and diplomatic interests. He stressed that CARICOM’s responses must continue to be guided by shared principles including respect for sovereignty, adherence to international law, peaceful engagement and the resolution of differences through dialogue and mutual respect.
Holness said CARICOM’s credibility has long rested on its ability to manage differences through diplomacy rather than division and through cooperation rather than confrontation. He noted that these commitments remain essential to safeguarding peace, development and independence across member states during periods of uncertainty.
Despite the challenges of the year, Holness said CARICOM achieved significant progress as one of the world’s most enduring regional integration movements. He reaffirmed the Community’s commitment to dialogue, mutual respect and fidelity to the principles that underpin regional and international cooperation.
Holness expressed gratitude for the unity demonstrated throughout 2025, particularly during the response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, which affected Jamaica and other countries across the region. He said the collective response from regional partners, the international community and individual citizens underscored the strength of the Caribbean family and its shared identity.
On regional integration and economic development, Holness highlighted the July summit where leaders announced the decision by Barbados, Belize, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines to implement full free movement of people among themselves from October 1. He described the concentric circles approach as a practical model that allows willing states to deepen cooperation while enabling others to join when ready.
He also noted that CARICOM successfully defended its trade interests through coordinated advocacy with the CARICOM Private Sector Organization and strategic partners. Expanded intra regional and international airlift, he said, strengthened trade and directly supported efforts to improve food and nutrition security across the region.
Holness said CARICOM continued to speak with a unified voice on critical global issues through joint statements and high level representation at international forums including the United Nations General Assembly, the Group of Twenty Leaders Summit and the Fourth Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and European Union Summit. These efforts, he said, strengthened foreign policy coordination and enhanced the region’s ability to respond proactively to crises.
On regional security, Holness referenced the Montego Bay Declaration on Transnational Organized Crime and Gangs issued at the July meeting in Jamaica. He said CARICOM continues to address emerging security challenges through multiple mechanisms, recognizing that security and development are inseparable.
Regarding climate change, Holness said the thirtieth Conference of the Parties held in Belém reaffirmed global commitment to multilateralism and adaptation, but he noted that outcomes fell short of the urgency required for vulnerable Small Island and Low lying Coastal Developing States. Hurricanes, rising sea levels and biodiversity loss, he warned, continue to erode development gains.
He commended the work of regional institutions including the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, the Caribbean Public Health Agency and the Caribbean Development Bank, noting that their leadership strengthens regional preparedness and response. He reaffirmed CARICOM’s firm commitment to the one point five degree Celsius goal, emphasizing that climate resilience is essential to safeguarding lives, livelihoods and long term development.
Holness also highlighted deepened strategic engagement with Africa during the year, particularly through the Second Africa CARICOM Summit in Addis Ababa. He said the summit strengthened historic ties and advanced the vision of an Atlantic Bridge for development and shared prosperity. Through CARICOM African Union cooperation and partnerships with the African Export Import Bank, the region expanded collaboration in trade, investment, culture and global advocacy, including on reparations, which remains a regional priority.
On Haiti, Holness said CARICOM continued sustained advocacy for increased international support to restore stability and security following the 2021 assassination of the country’s head of state. He said these efforts contributed to the adoption of a United Nations Security Council resolution establishing a Gang Suppression Force supported in part by United Nations funding. CARICOM, he added, is now a key partner in the tripartite coordination of the Organization of American States Roadmap toward Stability and Peace in Haiti, with preparations underway for free and fair elections in 2026.
Holness, who will hand over the chairmanship to Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew of St Kitts and Nevis, concluded by expressing confidence in CARICOM’s future and gratitude for the unity and shared purpose that continue to anchor the Caribbean integration process.
