Associated Belize Press
Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s disclosure that he wants another leaders’ review of the reappointment of CARICOM Secretary General Dr Carla Barnett appears to send a clear signal that her continued leadership of the regional secretariat may no longer be tenable.
The issue now seems to have moved beyond whether the procedures and voting methods used by heads of government present at the meeting that reappointed Dr Barnett were consistent with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and therefore legally sound. It has clearly crossed into the political realm – specifically, whether Dr Barnett still enjoys the confidence of all the leaders who initially endorsed her continued tenure.
Dr Holness’s current posture suggests that such support can no longer be guaranteed. If so, this lends encouragement to Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who has mounted a sustained campaign against both Dr Barnett and the process by which her five-year term was extended.
Speaking to Trinidad’s CNC3 television station, Dr Holness said: “I think the solution really lies in assembling another heads meeting to have the matter addressed. That’s something I’ve been pushing for quietly behind the scenes. I think it is distressing for many people within the region what is being said in the public domain, but I know all the heads are working behind the scenes to resolve the matter.”
In light of these developments, Dr Barnett should – beyond her legal entitlement – consider announcing her intention to demit office when her current term expires in August. Doing so would avoid the embarrassment of a possible reversal of her reappointment and help ease the disquiet now unsettling the Caribbean integration movement.
