CARICOM takes dispute over secretary-general's reelection to top court

Leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have decided to consult the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for an advisory opinion on the reelection of Secretary-General Carla Barnett. This move comes after Trinidad and Tobago raised objections to the process by which Barnett's mandate was renewed.

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the regional leaders had debated the issue after Trinidad and Tobago 'maintained its objection to the process used in the reelection of the secretary-general'.

St. Lucian Prime Minister Phillip J. Pierre, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the 15-member regional bloc, stated that regional leaders discussed the issue following Trinidad and Tobago's persistent objection to the reelection procedure. The disagreements have intensified in recent months, largely due to the stance of Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who reportedly supported U.S. military intervention in the Caribbean and opposed Barnett's reelection.

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the community recognized that this is precisely the purpose for which the CCJ was created: to be an organ for treaty interpretation.

Trinidad and Tobago formally requested that the matter be referred to the CCJ for a consultative ruling. CARICOM acknowledged this request and approved initiating the process to obtain the opinion, citing Article 212 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. Pierre emphasized that the CCJ was established precisely for interpreting such treaties.

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regional unity cannot be based on convenience or irregular practices that are passed off as precedents. It must be based on compliance with the norms that each member state has freely accepted and committed to respect.

In a detailed letter, Persad-Bissessar argued that regional unity should not be built on convenience or irregular practices masquerading as precedents but on adherence to agreed-upon norms. She proposed that Barnett continue in her role on a month-to-month basis until the CCJ delivers its opinion, stipulating that Barnett should refrain from exercising authority related to the consultative process. Despite this, CARICOM leaders agreed to maintain the status quo concerning the reelection, pending the CCJ's advisory opinion, aiming for an amicable resolution.

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the acting secretary-general shall refrain entirely from exercising any authority or making any decision, directly or indirectly, in relation to said consultative process.