Tensions within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have sharply intensified after Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar escalated her dispute with regional leaders, calling for the departure of Secretary-General Carla Barnett at the end of her term in August.
The conflict, which has been building for months, erupted into a full-scale diplomatic rift following disagreements over U.S. policy in the Caribbean, particularly regarding military actions linked to drug trafficking and operations targeting Venezuela. CARICOM member states had broadly advocated for the region to remain a “zone of peace.” Still, Persad-Bissessar dismissed the position as “fakery,” aligning Trinidad and Tobago firmly with the United States’ security agenda.
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At the center of the latest dispute is the leadership of the regional bloc. Persad-Bissessar has demanded that Barnett step down once her five-year term concludes, while also questioning the transparency and legitimacy of CARICOM’s internal decision-making processes. Her administration has argued that procedures surrounding the secretary-general’s reappointment were flawed and lacked proper consultation among member states.
The prime minister has also underscored Trinidad and Tobago’s financial contribution to the organization, estimated at roughly 22% of its annual budget, as justification for her government’s push for accountability and reform.
The broader geopolitical divide has deepened the crisis. While many Caribbean governments have expressed concern over U.S. military involvement in the region and maintained support for diplomatic engagement with Venezuela, Persad-Bissessar has openly backed Washington’s strategy, arguing that aggressive action is necessary to combat transnational crime and narcotics trafficking.
Her position has placed Trinidad and Tobago at odds with several CARICOM partners and contributed to emergency talks among regional leaders.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, Persad-Bissessar has previously stated that Trinidad and Tobago remains committed to CARICOM, even while calling for what she describes as urgent institutional transformation.
The ongoing dispute highlights growing fractures within the 15-member bloc, as differing national security priorities and foreign policy alignments challenge long-standing regional unity.
