Last Updated on April 13, 2026, 1:31 AM AST by Anthony Morris
The Caribbean Community has shared a statement from the emergency meeting which was hosted on Friday, April 10, 2026. The meeting was hosted with the aim of addressing and solving the disputes which have been rising within the Caribbean Community.
The meeting, scheduled for April 10 was organized with the sole aim of addressing the concerns in governance raised by the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago. The meeting was focussed on addressing the debate surrounding the reappointment of Dr Carla Barnett
However, as the most recent updates shared by the CARICOM Chair, Dr Terrance Drew, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessarm who led the charge on demanding clarity on the appointment of Dr Barnett did not attend the emergency meeting. No representative from Trinidad and Tobago was present at the meeting on her behalf.
In the absence of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad Bissessar, the meeting moved on without her. The discussions during the meeting included the recounting of the meeting which took place during the 50th meeting of the CARICOM heads of States which was hosted back in February.
The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago did not attend this retreat meeting on February 26 which took the leaders to Nevis. It was during this meeting that the reappointment of the secretary general was discussed.
The CARICOM leaders expressed their support to the reappointment of Dr Barnett for another term during this meeting. The leadership made efforts to tell Persad Bissessar about this decision before going public with the announcement. However they were not able to reach her.
With her subsequent no show to the meeting, PM Terrance Drew urged the fellow members of the to not let this affect the working of the organization.
The reason for the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago not being present for the meeting was not clarified in the same statement from Dr Terrance Drew, Chairperson of the CARICOM.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
