St. Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre is calling on Caribbean leaders to improve direct communication, as controversy continues over the reappointment of Dr Carla Barnett as Secretary-General of CARICOM.
Speaking at a Cabinet press briefing on Monday, Pierre avoided engaging directly in the dispute involving Trinidad and Tobago, which has claimed it was not invited to the February retreat in St. Kitts and Nevis where the decision was made.
“I really wish Caricom prime ministers would speak more to each other… Pick up the phone and call each other,” Pierre said, adding that he did not want to “create more drama” around the issue.
The matter escalated over the weekend after Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar rejected statements from CARICOM Chairman Terrance Drew, who maintained that Port of Spain had not been excluded from the meeting. Persad-Bissessar has since called for documentation, including meeting minutes and appraisal records related to Barnett’s reappointment.
Drew also released correspondence ahead of the February summit, noting that Trinidad and Tobago representatives were informed they could attend the retreat, though they ultimately did not participate.
Pierre, who is set to assume the CARICOM chairmanship in July, said stronger personal communication among leaders could help prevent such disputes.
“I’m a pretty simple person… All I wish is by the end of my term, I could get CARICOM prime ministers to pick up the phone and call each other,” he said.
He described the public nature of the disagreement as “unfortunate,” warning that once such issues enter the public domain, they become politicized. Despite the tensions, Pierre emphasized that CARICOM continues to do “very good work,” particularly in regional trade.