Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says Trinidad and Tobago will not recognize Carla Barnett as Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community after her current term ends in August 2026, even if other member states choose to support her continued tenure.
Persad-Bissessar made the remarks in response to questions from the Trinidad Express, emphasizing that while Trinidad and Tobago remain committed to CARICOM, her government will not remain silent about what she described as dysfunction and procedural irregularities within the regional body.
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Dispute Over Barnett’s Reappointment
The controversy centers on Barnett’s reappointment during the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, held in Saint Kitts and Nevis in February 2026.
Trinidad and Tobago maintains that the matter was not formally listed on the plenary agenda and that the decision was taken while the country was not represented, which officials argue violates the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Sean Sobers has said he was disinvited from the retreat where Barnett’s reappointment was discussed after receiving a WhatsApp message on the morning of the meeting.
“This Is Our Final Position”
Persad-Bissessar said Trinidad and Tobago recognizes Barnett as Secretary-General only until the expiration of her current term.
“Trinidad and Tobago only recognizes Barnett as Secretary-General until the end of her term this August 2026,” she said. “We do not recognize her after August 2026. This is our final position.”
The prime minister added that CARICOM member states are free to support Barnett if they choose, but Trinidad and Tobago will not alter its stance.
“Expel Us If You Wish”
Asked about the possibility of repercussions from the regional bloc, Persad-Bissessar said CARICOM is free to expel Trinidad and Tobago if it wishes.
“They are free to expel us from CARICOM if they wish to do so,” she said. “Life goes on in Trinidad and Tobago, with or without CARICOM. The world stops for no one.”
Despite the strong rhetoric, she reiterated that Trinidad and Tobago is not withdrawing from the regional organization.
Government Pursuing Alternative Trade Markets
Persad-Bissessar said her administration is actively seeking to expand trade relations beyond the Caribbean.
“We are not sitting and depending on CARICOM as a trade market,” she said. “We are working to expand our trade network with the Middle East, South America, India, and Africa.”
Holness Seeking to Mediate
The prime minister confirmed that she has held discussions with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who has reportedly been seeking to mediate the dispute.
Persad-Bissessar described Holness as “a good friend to Trinidad and Tobago” but declined to disclose details of their conversations.
Criticism of CARICOM Governance
Persad-Bissessar accused CARICOM of lacking transparency and proper governance procedures.
“Imagine, they have no meeting minutes, no performance appraisals, none of the documentation we requested,” she said.
She argued that the dispute has exposed what she views as a dysfunctional and chaotic institutional culture within the regional organization.
The standoff represents one of the most significant public disagreements between Trinidad and Tobago and CARICOM in recent years and raises broader questions about governance, accountability, and decision-making within the Caribbean’s principal regional bloc.
