Trinidad and Tobago declines CARICOM talks on Carla Barnett reappointment

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad‑Bissessar has publicly released a letter from Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Sean Sobers outlining the country’s decision not to attend meetings regarding the reappointment of Dr Carla Barnett, as tensions continue within the Caribbean Community.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Persad-Bissessar said the government chose to disclose the April 8 letter — addressed to CARICOM chairman Terrance Drew — after details of the correspondence were leaked.

She said the letter informed CARICOM that Trinidad and Tobago would not attend any talks on Barnett’s reappointment until relevant documentation related to the process is provided.

“While the documentation is being gathered…can someone in CARICOM also speak to the CARICOM Secretariat about the communications on the morning of the retreat disinviting Minister Sobers from the meeting,” Persad-Bissessar wrote.

The Prime Minister ended her post by wishing followers a “wonderful weekend,” punctuated with a yellow heart and smiley face.

Her statement came hours after Trinidad and Tobago’s Ambassador to CARICOM, Ralph Maraj, expressed confidence that the dispute would ultimately strengthen the regional bloc.

In a statement, Maraj said Trinidad and Tobago had raised concerns over Barnett’s reappointment — which is due to end in August — and would not participate in meetings until it receives documentation related to the decision-making process.

He noted that support for Barnett’s reappointment has already been expressed by some CARICOM member states, including Belize and Guyana, while most countries have yet to publicly state their positions.

Maraj also confirmed that Drew had attempted to convene a special meeting of Heads of Government to address the matter, but Trinidad and Tobago indicated it would not attend until the requested information is provided.

The dispute intensified after Sobers claimed last week that Trinidad and Tobago had been disinvited from the voting process on Barnett’s reappointment.

However, Drew later stated that Trinidad and Tobago did not participate in a special emergency meeting convened on April 10 to address governance concerns, including Barnett’s reappointment.

In a statement following the Twenty-Fifth Special Emergency Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, Drew said neither Persad-Bissessar nor any Trinidad and Tobago representative attended the discussions.

According to Drew, the meeting reviewed communications sent ahead of the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government held in St. Kitts and Nevis from February 24–27, 2026. The correspondence included the official events schedule, draft agenda, and program of work, outlining which issues would be discussed during plenary sessions, caucus meetings, and the leaders’ retreat.

Drew said all member states acknowledged receipt of the correspondence.

However, Persad-Bissessar departed St. Kitts and Nevis on the evening of February 25, before the leaders’ retreat scheduled for February 26.

The statement further noted that Sobers later contacted Barnett via WhatsApp that night to ask whether he should attend the retreat in the Prime Minister’s absence. He was reportedly advised that foreign ministers could represent their countries when heads of government were unavailable.

Sobers, however, indicated that seasickness could prevent him from making the boat trip to the retreat location and did not subsequently confirm his attendance with either the chairman or the secretary-general, according to Drew’s statement.

The dispute over Barnett’s reappointment has exposed growing tensions within CARICOM, as member states weigh governance concerns against maintaining regional unity.