-applauds Secretary General for `professionalism’
Outgoing Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr Terrance Drew last evening appealed for unity among regional leaders, declaring that the Community’s greatest strength lies not in the absence of disagreements but in its ability to resolve them through dialogue.
Although he made no direct reference to the recent public disagreement over the re-appointment of CARICOM Secretary-General Carla Barnett, his remarks appeared to refer to the controversy sparked by Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who has publicly objected to Barnett’s reappointment.
Drew, who is the Prime Minister of St Kitts & Nevis, delivered the address at the opening ceremony of the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Saint Lucia, just minutes after Persad-Bissessar arrived at the meeting.
“There are moments in the life of every institution when its strength is measured not by the absence of challenges, but by the way it responds to them,” Drew told regional leaders.
Reflecting on his six-month tenure as Chairman, he said concerns had emerged about the cohesion of the regional bloc after matters that were traditionally discussed privately among Heads of Government increasingly became the subject of public debate.
“When I assumed chairmanship, there were genuine concerns about the future of our community. Matters that would normally have been discussed privately among Heads of Government were increasingly being debated publicly. Questions were being asked about our cohesion. Some wondered whether CARICOM had reached a defining moment from which it might struggle to recover,” the Prime Minister said,
The St Kitts & Nevis Prime Minister said he responded by visiting every full member state to meet privately with each Head of Government.
“Those visits were not about publicity. They were not about speeches. They were about listening. They were about trust. They were about ensuring that every leader had the opportunity to speak openly, honestly and respectfully about the issues before us.”
According to Drew, every leader reaffirmed an unwavering commitment to the regional body and recognised that “despite our differences, the future of the Caribbean is stronger together than apart.”
He said the discussions demonstrated that “disagreement does not equal division.”
“It showed our people that mature leadership is not measured by avoiding difficult conversations, but by having them respectfully and resolving them together,” he said.
In what appeared to be another reference to the recent dispute, Drew urged leaders to preserve CARICOM’s tradition of resolving sensitive issues behind closed doors.
“Whenever this community faces matters of great significance, let us ensure that every Head of Government makes every effort to be present for our retreats and caucuses to resolve matters in-house.”
Persad-Bissessar had been absent from the last caucus in St Kitts during which a decision was made to re-appoint Barnett. The Trinidadian PM later objected to this decision.
Drew added, “No newspaper headline has ever solved a disagreement among Caribbean leaders. They have done the opposite. No public commentary has ever replaced honest dialogue, but respectful conversation among colleagues committed to a common purpose has repeatedly strengthened this community.”
Drew later used Trinidad and Tobago’s recent election to the United Nations Security Council to indicate the value of regional solidarity, saying the country’s successful bid was made possible because it carried the support of the wider Caribbean Community.
“Although Trinidad and Tobago was the candidate, it entered that election carrying the full support of the Caribbean Community. That support mattered. It demonstrated that when CARICOM stands behind one of its own, our collective voice commands respect on the world stage.”
He added that while each CARICOM nation was small individually, “together we are a community whose voice cannot easily be ignored.”
The outgoing head concluded his address with a strong endorsement of Barnett, drawing loud applause from those gathered.
“Madam Secretary-General, thank you for your professionalism, your integrity and your steadfast commitment to this community,” he said.
“Throughout my tenure, whenever I called, you answered. Whenever support was required, you and your team responded with diligence, competence and excellence.”
He added that Barnett, a Belizean, had served, and continued to serve, CARICOM “with distinction” while maintaining the impartiality of the Secretariat and faithfully implementing the decisions of Heads of Government.
“That balance has strengthened this community, and for this, I offer, on behalf of all of us, our sincerest gratitude,” Drew said before asking the audience to join him in recognising Barnett and the Secretariat, prompting applause from delegates.
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