Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, is standing firm amid a growing regional dispute involving CARICOM and Secretary-General Carla Barnett.
Persad-Bissessar says that while Trinidad and Tobago has no intention of withdrawing from CARICOM, her government will not recognise Barnett beyond the end of her current term in August 2026.
The Prime Minister maintains that Barnett&rsquo;s reappointment was handled improperly during a regional retreat in Saint Kitts and Nevis earlier this year, arguing that the matter was not formally placed on the agenda and that Trinidad and Tobago was excluded from the process.
The controversy deepened following a tense virtual CARICOM meeting last Friday, where the majority of member states reportedly supported Barnett&rsquo;s continued tenure despite objections raised by Trinidad and Tobago officials.
Persad-Bissessar also accused CARICOM officials of withholding information surrounding the reappointment process and claimed Foreign Minister Sean Sobers was disinvited from the retreat through a WhatsApp message.
Despite the standoff, the Prime Minister says Trinidad and Tobago remains committed to regional engagement, but is also seeking to strengthen trade ties beyond CARICOM, including with markets in India, Africa, South America, and the Middle East.

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, is standing firm amid a growing regional dispute..

T&T Stands Firm on CARICOM Dispute