T&T – Prime Minister Confirms Attendance at CARICOM Summit

2026-02-20 - 14:05

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has confirmed that she will travel to Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis, on Monday evening to attend the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), marking her first in-person engagement with regional leaders since returning to office for a second term. Persad-Bissessar did not attend the 49th Regular Meeting held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, in July last year. Trinidad and Tobago was instead represented by Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Sean Sobers, National Security Minister Roger Alexander, Acting Permanent Secretary Randall Karim, Ambassador to CARICOM Ralph Maraj, and Director of CARICOM and Caribbean Affairs Ayesha Wharton. Although her administration has emphasized expanding diplomatic and economic partnerships beyond the Caribbean, Persad-Bissessar has reiterated that Trinidad and Tobago has no intention of withdrawing from the regional bloc. Following a January 30 meeting with CARICOM Chairman Dr. Terrance Drew in Port of Spain, she reaffirmed the country’s commitment to regional cooperation and development. “The Government of Trinidad and Tobago attaches great importance to our country’s longstanding relationship with CARICOM,” she said in a social media statement, noting that discussions were productive while acknowledging the need for reform and transformation within the organization. The upcoming summit will also represent her first direct engagement with regional leaders since publicly criticizing CARICOM’s position on Venezuela. In December, she accused the bloc of appearing aligned with the government of Nicolás Maduro, describing the stance as supportive of dictatorship and drug trafficking, and indicating Trinidad and Tobago would not participate under such circumstances. Several regional leaders later responded by emphasizing the importance of dialogue and collective engagement within CARICOM. Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith sought to ease tensions in January, stressing that disagreements within the regional body are manageable and that high-level communication among member states remains strong. Speaking at the CAF International Economic Forum in Panama City, Johnson Smith said, “As in any family, you will have disagreements. And the thing about family is that you retain the ability to talk.” She added that relations between Kingston and Port of Spain remain positive and that previous border concerns between the countries had been resolved. CARICOM leaders are expected to address a broad agenda during the 50th meeting, including economic integration, regional security, climate resilience, and advancement of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). Efforts to obtain additional comment from the Prime Minister’s Office regarding her specific agenda for the summit were unsuccessful up to the time of publication.