KAMLA BLASTS CARICOM AGAIN

The PM challenges the reappointment of the secretary general once more and calls for transparency in the process.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has doubled down on her criticism of the procedure utilized by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government to reappoint Dr. Carla Barnett to a second term as Secretary General. In a social media post yesterday, Persad-Bissessar criticized CARICOM officials for failing to respond to official requests from her government for information related to Barnett’s controversial reappointment during a meeting in St. Kitts and Nevis, attended by her in late February. Highlighting her concerns, Persad-Bissessar took umbrage at the election taking place on a boat ride to Nevis during a retreat for the Caricom leaders, which took place after she had already departed. 

Representatives from Antigua and Barbuda and the Bahamas were also reportedly not allowed to participate when the majority decision was taken by the leaders present. “This raises serious concerns about the use of improper procedures to circumvent the process and facilitate Barnett’s reappointment,” she said. Persad-Bissessar suggested that the issue was not trivial.  

“This is not a simple run-of-the-mill administrative appointment; it’s an appointment with long-term ramifications for my citizens,” she said. “It’s an appointment that directly affects the future over the coming five years of Trinidad and Tobago’s economy, security, integration, and foreign affairs.” Persad-Bissessar also claimed that the appointment was unlawful as it was in breach of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which established CARICOM. Late last month, former assistant Caricom secretary general Joseph Cox also raised issue with Barnett’s reappointment

Sarge,

Kamliar is a poor-man’s Trump

slash, burn, lie, complain, whine, whinge, repeat

..................

It's amazing the responses to threads on this site.

The comments are not relevant to the main point of the thread above, so they are moot.

Wouldn't it be wise to start one's own thread?

Thanks.

Maraj urges Caricom to break silence on Barnett’s reappointment

Trinidad and Tobago’s ambassador to CARICOM, Ralph Maraj, is urging the regional body to respond to what he describes as serious procedural concerns surrounding the reappointment of its secretary general, warning that continued silence risks undermining confidence in the institution. Maraj said there has been no response from Caricom despite objections raised by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and a formal statement in Parliament by Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers.

“Why is CARICOM silent after the Prime Minister of T&T, Mrs. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, raised profound concerns over the procedure employed for the reappointment of Dr. Carla Barnett as Secretary General of the Caribbean Community?” he questioned. He added that even after multiple interventions from this country’s leadership, “silence reigned,” noting that the prime minister has remained “firm in her commitment to getting answers.” Maraj called on the regional bloc to address several specific issues surrounding the process, including whether proper procedures were followed at the highest decision-making level.

“Why was the proposed reappointment of the secretary general not included on the provisional agenda for the Fiftieth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in St. Kitts and Nevis? Why was it not considered during the plenary?” he asked. “And why was it addressed only during a Heads of Government retreat when, in the absence of three leaders, their authorized representatives were excluded from the deliberations?” Maraj added. The ambassador maintained that T&T believes the process did not comply with established rules, pointing to the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

Maraj warned that the credibility of the regional institution is at stake if the concerns go unanswered.

‘Disinvited’: Sobers claims T&T surreptitiously excluded from Caricom vote

The government now pushes for meeting over the secretary general's reappointment

The government is now pushing for a special meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government to challenge the reappointment of Dr. Carla Barnett as secretary general, signalling that fresh elections are also firmly on the table. This, after it was revealed yesterday that this country was deliberately “disinvited” from the voting process. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago claims it was “surreptitiously” excluded from the decision-making process, alleging that the reappointment occurred without being on the official agenda and without an invitation for T&T to participate in the deliberations.

On Monday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar declared that she will “ruthlessly” pursue the matter. Yesterday, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers said that after sending three official letters to Caricom and being the largest contributor to Caricom’s budget, no acknowledgement is “very, very troubling.” Sobers said this underscores what the prime minister has been saying, that CARICOM is not being run “optimally and efficiently.” Asked what comes next, Sobers said T&T will this week formally request a meeting of Caricom’s Community Council, the body comprising all foreign affairs ministers across the region.

But as he explained, that will be step one. “Once the Community Council meets, the Community Council then will either agree or disagree that this matter is good enough or important enough that it be raised to the level of heads of government, which is a conference for their deliberation and for a decision to be adopted.” Minister Sobers added, “More than likely, what would be asked is that we need to have the heads discuss this matter and decide or determine the way forward, which would be suggested to be the conference that will deal with either the reappointment or the election of a new secretary general."

Serious procedural concerns

profound concerns

firm in her commitment

Will ruthlessly pursue

but when it comes to calling out breaches of maritime law…

or fix a pothole

jokers

@Halliwell

My good man, why are you trying to upset the Kamlatits

@sudden

I deal in facts

Dem deal in figurines

@Halliwell

If Kamla wants to leave Caricom she should

but to complain every time after the fact is annoying and smacks of disingenuousness

seems like she is trying to out trump Trump

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Highlighting her concerns, Persad-Bissessar took umbrage at the election taking place on a boat ride to Nevis during a retreat for the Caricom leaders, which took place after she had already departed. 

Representatives from Antigua and Barbuda and the Bahamas were also reportedly not allowed to participate when the majority decision was taken by the leaders present.

"I see the 'Check Engine' light is on for reading/comprehension today."

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago claims it was “surreptitiously” excluded from the decision-making process, alleging that the reappointment occurred without being on the official agenda and without an invitation for T&T to participate in the deliberations.

"I can copy/paste it for you, but I can’t understand it for you."

Yesterday, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers said that after sending three official letters to Caricom and being the largest contributor to Caricom’s budget, no acknowledgement is “very, very troubling.”

"Should I rewrite the message in crayon, or is the vocabulary still too high-voltage?"

De coolie ooman in uno skunts and uno cyah do fcuk about it,allyuh mouth was shut tight fuh 10 rass clart years when Rowley was running tings,or should I say effing up everything.Go suffer in silence.

PNM will never see power again,what a joke their leader is.

@sgtdjones

Hope you post the articles from Caricom exposing Kamla's lies. Where was she when the meeting was taking place? She left as soon as Little Marco departed. She came, sucked up, and then left. Her Caricom shirt which was made from measurements direct from her office for the said meeting, she did not even get to try it on, because she ran away after the sucking up tp Marco session ended. All trails show that she was well informed, like all the other leaders, way in advance of the meeting with agenda and everything.

After she left her shirt and ran away, the Caricom heads tried to get her Minister of carom Affairs, sean Sobers to attend the meeting. However, he declined, citing that he was afraid of travelling on a vessel to Nevis, a mere five minutes away. he claimed he is prone to sea sickness. And, after all of that, he went into the Parliament and declared, without any shame that Trinidad and Tobago was disinvited from the meeting. So, they lied on Caricom, and instead of living it to rest, they invoked it again, because, I guess they believed that since the other leaders were not contesting them in public, they thought it was weakness. But, those other leaders are sensible and professional, and sober.

Worst of all, however, are those who should know better, but choose to defend and promote this kind of filth. And, then they blame everybody but themselves for the type of society that results. We should correct those we support and love when they are going wrong.

I now await your posting or "cut and paste"of the truth in relation to this matter. Let's see how much you care about truth.

@Besar

Trini Trump???

I personally think its cute that the multiple-times-exposed low-value fraud is finally getting a bit of traction with his AI generated nonsense and copy pastes!

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Sobers said he, in fact, told the Caricom officials he had to attend the retreat as head of T&T’s delegation. However, he said he was told on the morning of the retreat that he would not be able to do so. “We were told, no, we’re getting information; they want heads of government only, not heads of delegation.”He added that he told the officials, “I am head of delegation; I want to attend." That is how it is. I’ve been designated as head of delegation. I have my instrument of full powers. I can attend. That was elucidated. They are the ones who then retorted by saying, No, the position is that it is for heads of government only.”

Guardian Media asked Sobers for the message he received, but he declined to share it. However, Guardian Media checked with a regional source and was later provided with the message sent to the ministers, which said, “Good morning, foreign ministers. Chairman PM Drew has indicated that today will be a heads-only retreat. Notwithstanding any indication otherwise, he would like it to remain Heads only. He apologizes for any inconvenience. Ministers should therefore remain for the Community Council Meeting to complete its work, including those agenda items from the Heads’ agenda that the Community Council is to consider and provide recommendations to Heads for adoption.”

Sobers said correspondence will be included in a letter he is preparing for Caricom chairman Terrence Drew. He assured the letter will also be shared with the media. Sobers also confirmed that after three letters raising concerns about Dr. Barnett’s reappointment, the Caricom chair has responded to the government. He declined to disclose the contents but said his reply will address the issues raised.However, he did share that Caricom did not dispute that Barnett’s reappointment was not on the agenda. In response to Gonsalves’ allegations, Sobers yesterday said he was joking when told the trip to Nevis would be by boat. “I made a joke about the modality of transportation, but at no point in time, and I repeat, at no point in time did I say that I would not be willing or did not want to attend,” Sobers contended in an interview with Guardian Media.

T&T Guardian