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Trinidad and Tobago is demanding answers after claiming it was excluded from a key CARICOM vote, raising concerns over transparency and regional governance.
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago is pushing for an urgent regional meeting after claiming it was “surreptitiously” excluded from a key CARICOM decision to reappoint Secretary-General Carla Barnett. Officials say the country was effectively “disinvited” from the voting process, raising serious concerns about transparency and adherence to established procedures.
Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Sean Sobers said multiple formal requests for clarification went unanswered, describing the situation as “very troubling.” He argued that Trinidad and Tobago’s absence from the leaders’ retreat where the decision was made was “no accidental oversight,” and warned that the process may have breached the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has strongly criticized the move, calling it a “surreptitious and odious” process and vowing to pursue the matter at the highest level. The government is now seeking to escalate the issue to CARICOM heads of government, with the possibility of reopening the selection process or calling for fresh elections.
The CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, where key regional decisions are coordinated.