PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago — The CARICOM Barnett Reappointment dispute escalated Thursday after Kamla Persad-Bissessar accused the CARICOM Secretariat of withholding key documents and failing to explain conflicting communications surrounding the second term of Secretary-General Carla Barnett.
In a statement published on social media, Persad-Bissessar said records released by CARICOM raised fresh concerns about whether the process used to extend Barnett’s tenure met accepted standards of transparency, fairness, and accountability.
The dispute now reaches beyond an internal appointment. CARICOM is one of the region’s most important institutions, coordinating economic policy, regional integration, trade positions, foreign affairs cooperation and security matters across member states.
CARICOM Barnett Reappointment row centers on missing records
Persad-Bissessar said CARICOM’s own documents showed that between Jan. 19 and Feb. 26, eight messages were sent to Trinidad and Tobago regarding an official CARICOM shirt, while no messages were sent about any agenda item involving Barnett’s reappointment.
She argued that contrast raised serious questions about priorities and whether member states received proper notice on a decision with long-term regional implications.
The former prime minister also renewed calls for records she said remain outstanding, including:
- Minutes of the retreat meeting
- Barnett’s performance appraisal
- Documentation from the 2021 appointment process
- Additional materials requested in an April 9 letter from Foreign Minister Sean Sobers
She said CARICOM citizens should be given timestamped copies of the requested documents.
Conflicting retreat messages add pressure
A central issue in the controversy is whether Trinidad and Tobago officials were properly included in the retreat where the reappointment was discussed.
Persad-Bissessar cited a WhatsApp message sent Feb. 26 stating that the retreat would be for heads of government only, and that foreign ministers should remain for the Community Council meeting to complete pending business.
She also referenced a Feb. 22 email attributed to Janice Miller that she said supported the position that the retreat was restricted to leaders.
Those claims directly challenge suggestions that Sobers had been invited to attend. CARICOM had not publicly responded to the latest allegations at the time of publication.
Why the dispute matters for the region
The controversy comes at a sensitive time for the Caribbean, as governments face economic pressures, geopolitical uncertainty, migration challenges and security threats that often require coordinated regional responses.
Public disagreements over governance and internal decision-making can weaken confidence in CARICOM’s leadership and distract from its broader agenda. The latest statement follows an earlier Trinidad rebuttal to Drew as tensions over the appointment process continued to grow.
Persad-Bissessar said progress toward deeper regional integration was being diminished by continued resistance to transparency
What comes next
The immediate question is whether CARICOM releases additional records or provides a formal explanation of how Barnett’s reappointment was handled.
Until then, a dispute that began over an internal leadership decision is developing into a broader test of accountability and unity inside the Caribbean bloc.
