KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, Apr 8, CMC- Former St. Vincent and the Grenadines prime minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Wednesday, defended the re-appointment of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett, in the face of criticisms from Trinidad and Tobago that condemned the “surreptitious and odious process” used in the re-appointment.
“…it is unfortunate that the government of Trinidad and Tobago has put such a distinguished public servant like Dr. Carla Barnett in this embarrassing position, but I know she’s a strong woman.
“She’s not going to allow this thing, this opposition from Trinidad and Tobago to shake her. But the fundamental point is this, a vote was properly taken, and that’s the end of the matter,” said Gonsalves, who until last November 27 last year, was one of the longest ever serving head of government within the 15-member CARICOM grouping.
Trinidad and Tobago is calling for a meeting of CARICOM to deal with the re-appointment insisting that it was “deliberately uninvited” to the meeting where the agreement had been reached in St. Kitts and Nevis in February.
(Details inn Politics section)
CMC/2026