St. Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre is urging stronger communication among Caribbean leaders, calling on his counterparts within the CARICOM to engage more directly with each other as tensions persist over a recent leadership decision within the regional bloc.
Speaking at a Cabinet press briefing on Monday, Pierre steered clear of directly addressing the controversy surrounding the reappointment of Carla Barnett as CARICOM Secretary-General. Instead, he emphasized what he described as a simple but critical solution to avoid misunderstandings among member states.
- Advertisement -
“I really wish CARICOM prime ministers would speak more to each other… pick up the phone and call each other,” Pierre said, reiterating a message he previously shared at a regional meeting in Barbados. “I don’t want to get involved in that to create more drama.”
The issue stems from claims by Trinidad and Tobago that it was not invited to a leaders’ retreat held in Nevis in February, where the decision to reappoint Barnett was finalized. However, CARICOM Chairman Terrance Drew has rejected those assertions, maintaining that Port of Spain was not excluded from the process.
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has since pushed back publicly, calling for transparency and documentation related to the decision-making process. In a statement, she questioned the absence of official records, including meeting minutes and performance evaluations tied to Barnett’s reappointment.
In response, Drew released extensive correspondence, spanning 11 pages, detailing communications sent to CARICOM member states ahead of the February 24–27 summit in Basseterre. He noted that Persad-Bissessar departed the summit before the retreat session and that Trinidad and Tobago’s foreign minister had been advised he could attend in her absence.
Despite calls from Trinidad and Tobago for further discussions, both Persad-Bissessar and her foreign minister were absent from a special CARICOM meeting convened last Friday to address the matter.
Looking ahead, Pierre, who is set to assume the CARICOM chairmanship in July, reflected on what he described as a stronger culture of communication among past regional leaders, including Owen Arthur and Kenny Anthony.
“I remember Owen Arthur speaking to Kenny Anthony almost every other day,” Pierre said. “If I can achieve one thing during my tenure, it is to get prime ministers to simply communicate more often.”
While acknowledging that his proposal may seem simplistic, Pierre maintained that consistent, direct dialogue could help resolve disputes before they escalate into public disagreements. He also cautioned that once such issues enter the public domain, they become entangled in domestic political narratives across member states.
“CARICOM is doing good work, but we don’t always recognize it,” Pierre added, pointing to the role of mechanisms such as the Common External Tariff in strengthening regional trade.
He concluded that fostering open lines of communication, regardless of country size or political differences, would significantly enhance cooperation within the bloc.
“Very simple solution,” Pierre said. “But one that can make a real difference.”
