Belize PM backs Carla Barnett amid CARICOM leadership dispute

Belize Prime Minister John Briceño has thrown his full support behind Belizean Carla Barnett amid a growing regional dispute over her reappointment as Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community.

Briceño pushed back against calls for a change in leadership at the CARICOM Secretariat, describing Barnett as “highly qualified” and deserving of continued confidence, while expressing regret over the public opposition from Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

“It is unfortunate that Trinidad has taken such a public position on wanting to remove Dr. Carla Barnett,” Briceño told reporters, making clear that Belize stands firmly behind its national. “Outside of Belize we are one and stand by one another.”

While acknowledging there is “always room for improvement,” Briceño said any concerns about Barnett’s performance should be addressed collectively by CARICOM Heads of Government rather than through public disagreement.

The dispute has highlighted tensions within the 15-member regional bloc after Trinidad and Tobago claimed it had been excluded from discussions leading to Barnett’s reappointment.

Briceño rejected that assertion, stating that Port of Spain had opportunities to participate in the decision-making process but did not take them.

According to Briceño, Persad-Bissessar did not attend the recent Conference of Heads of Government — the forum where such matters are typically discussed — and an attempt by CARICOM Chairman Terrance Drew to facilitate representation by Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Sean Sobers, also proved unsuccessful.

“He said he could not go because he gets sea sick. He chose not attend,” Briceño said.

However, Sobers later disputed that characterization in an interview with Guardian Media, saying his comment was made in jest.

“I made a joke about the modality of transportation but at no point in time, and I repeat, at no point in time did I say that I would not be willing or did not want to attend,” Sobers said.

The disagreement underscores emerging tensions within CARICOM leadership as member states navigate consensus on key regional appointments.