Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has intensified her Government’s challenge to the reappointment of Carla Barnett, accusing the Caribbean Community of conducting a “surreptitious and flawed” process lacking transparency.
In a series of statements shared via social media, Persad-Bissessar defended her administration’s position while pushing back against remarks made by CARICOM Chairman Terrance Drew. She argued that internal communications revealed significant procedural inconsistencies surrounding the decision to renew Barnett’s tenure.
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Central to the dispute is whether Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Sean Sobers, was properly invited to a February 26 retreat in St. Kitts and Nevis where the reappointment decision was reportedly made.
The Prime Minister cited correspondence, including an April 9 letter from Sobers, disputing claims that he declined an invitation due to seasickness. Instead, she maintained that a WhatsApp message sent on the morning of the retreat indicated the meeting would be restricted to Heads of Government only, effectively excluding foreign ministers.
According to Persad-Bissessar, the message, later confirmed by CARICOM Chef de Cabinet Janice Miller, directly contradicts assertions that Sobers had been invited to participate. She further alleged that this exclusion either amounted to a last-minute disinvitation or was a deliberate move to facilitate what she described as Barnett’s “surreptitious reappointment.”
Adding to her criticism, Persad-Bissessar pointed to what she described as an “imbalance” in official communications. She claimed that between January 19 and February 26, eight separate messages were sent to Trinidad and Tobago regarding a ceremonial CARICOM shirt, while none addressed the reappointment of the Secretary-General.
“Clearly the shirt was of utmost significance and importance, but the reappointment of the GS of CARICOM was not,” she said.
The Prime Minister also questioned the absence of key documents requested by her Government, including official minutes of the retreat, Barnett’s performance appraisal, and records from the 2021 appointment process, which CARICOM has said mirrors the current procedure.
She warned that the failure to provide these documents risks undermining public trust and weakening regional integration efforts.
“Any progress towards deepening the integration process is being diminished by the continued aversion to transparency,” Persad-Bissessar stated, adding that attempts to discredit Minister Sobers would be met with firm responses from her administration.
The controversy has sparked wider debate about governance and accountability within CARICOM, as calls grow for greater transparency in the organization’s decision-making processes.
