Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has urged careful consideration of Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s assertion that Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) may be violating the Treaty of Chaguaramas. Speaking at a press conference in Port-of-Spain, Beckles addressed Browne’s concerns regarding T&T’s recent increase in import duties on selected Caricom products. The Treaty of Chaguaramas, signed in 1973, established the Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom), with its 2001 revision forming the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), a cornerstone of regional economic integration. Browne emphasized the need to safeguard these integration efforts, warning that weakened trade relations could fragment the bloc. Beckles echoed the gravity of the issue, drawing parallels to geopolitical tensions involving Venezuela and the United States. She highlighted the challenges of attracting investment amid regional instability, referencing the presence of the USS Ford in the Caribbean. Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar criticized Caricom for siding with Venezuela over T&T, labeling the organization as an ‘unreliable partner.’ Beckles also rebuked Persad-Bissessar’s allegations that the People’s National Movement (PNM) is protecting drug traffickers, calling the claims reckless and divisive. She demanded evidence or an apology, warning that such rhetoric undermines national unity and institutional trust.