Trinidad and Tobago remains committed to CARICOM.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar gave the assurance while addressing the media after the 51st CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in St Lucia on Wednesday.
Given Trinidad and Tobago’s disagreement with the decision to reappoint CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett, Mrs Persad-Bissessar was asked to clarify her stance on the organisation.
Leaders at the 51st CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in St Lucia agreed with Mrs Persad-Bissessar’s suggestion earlier this week that the matter should be decided by the Caribbean Court of Justice.
Speaking during a media briefing after the meeting with other regional heads, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar said that, although she had levelled some concerns about CARICOM’s operations, her position on the regional bloc has never wavered.
“I have always said Trinidad and Tobago remains committed to CARICOM. We have unwavering support to CARICOM for us to work together to better the region and of course all our citizens. So I have not changed in that position. However, some matters discussed in the recent days, I think we’ve been able through the chairmanship of Prime Minister Pierre and of course with the cooperation of the other heads that we’ve been able to iron out some of the concerns I had. So my position has not changed. I remain committed to the CARICOM.”
She added that disagreements are normal within a family and suggested that they should always be addressed head-on.
“We will have issues from day to day, from time to time. In a family you have issues, you have issues of concern and my position is that we must raise them. We must not put our heads down in the sand like ostriches. We raise them when they are and try to find resolutions. So we’ve been able in this 51st CARICOM Heads Meeting to iron out some of those differences and I think we are better as we go forward.”
Political Scientist Professor Hamid Ghany has since praised CARICOM’s decision to seek an advisory opinion from the CCJ on Dr Barnett’s reappointment. He said it will finally help settle the matter and underscored the importance of the issue surrounding the reappointment.