Amid escalating tensions within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Barbados Foreign Affairs Minister Kerrie Symmonds has proposed confidential high-level discussions to address mounting concerns across the 15-member regional bloc. The initiative comes as public disagreements threaten to expose deeper divisions within the organization.
Minister Symmonds acknowledged the “uncompromising tone” emanating from Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s administration but characterized the situation as a temporary period of uncertainty rather than genuine disharmony. He emphasized that private dialogue would enable leaders to share security concerns without public posturing, noting that regional security constitutes a collective undertaking under CARICOM’s charter.
The diplomatic friction intensified recently when Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne challenged Persad-Bissessar to substantiate claims that CARICOM members had aligned with Venezuela’s “Maduro narco government.” Symmonds suggested that Trinidad’s current economic pressures—including a severe credit squeeze limiting monthly US dollar access to approximately $2,000 per entity—might be influencing its stance.
Despite the tensions, the Barbados minister highlighted compelling economic incentives for maintaining regional unity. Trinidad and Tobago generated nearly $1 billion from CARICOM trade in 2024, making the bloc its second-largest trading partner after the United States. The Common External Tariff (CET) system particularly benefits Trinidadian manufacturers by protecting domestic production through regional trade barriers.
Symmonds concluded that while sovereign nations inevitably experience diplomatic tensions, CARICOM remains a proven partnership in an increasingly unpredictable global landscape. He expressed confidence that shared economic interests and institutional dependencies would ultimately preserve regional cohesion despite current challenges.