CMC-Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders met virtually on Friday, 10 April ’26 afternoon, to discuss issues, including the controversy that surrounds the reappointment of Dr. Carla Barnett, Secretary-General of the 15-member regional grouping.
The CARICOM chairman, besides St. Kitts & Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, said that the meeting was originally scheduled for Tuesday, 7 April, but had to be rescheduled to 1400 hrs (local time). The delay was due to the state funeral in Suriname of that country’s former head of state, Chandrikapersad Santokhi.
Trinidad & Tobago had been asserting the need for a meeting of CARICOM to deal with the reappointment of the Belizean economist. They insisted that they were ‘deliberately uninvited’ to the meeting where the agreement had been reached in St. Kitts & Nevis during February ’26.
The country’s CARICOM and Foreign Affairs minister, Sean Sobers, had said earlier that week that the Port of Spain would be seeking a meeting of CARICOM to challenge the intended reappointment. Additionally, fresh elections may be proposed as part of the discussions.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has already condemned the ‘surreptitious & odious process’ deployed regarding the reappointment of Barnett. She added that it may have long-term effects for the people of Trinidad & Tobago, particularly in terms of governance, public trust, and regional cooperation.
In a statement posted on the Facebook page, Persad-Bissessar shared that she was again calling on the 15-member regional integration grouping ‘for transparency on the surreptitious & odious process used to reappoint the Belizean-born economist for another 5-year term.
In a letter to the Trinidad & Tobago government leader, on Wednesday, 8 April ’26, the CARICOM chairman shared that he ‘sincerely’ hopes she would participate in the 25th Special Emergency meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, as this would foster a discussion of issues’.
Drew in his letter provided details surrounding the 24 – 27 February 2026, CARICOM summit in Basseterre, where the reappointment of Barnett had been discussed & decided upon during a retreat of the leaders.
