Caribbean analysts and business representatives have joined the debate over recent tensions within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), as Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne publicly rejected comments by Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar branding the regional bloc “unreliable” and “dysfunctional.”
Persad-Bissessar’s remarks, which followed a CARICOM statement expressing concern over new United States visa restrictions affecting a number of Caribbean states, sparked a sharp rebuttal from Prime Minister Browne and wider reactions from political and private-sector voices across the region. The Virgin Islands Consortium+1
Browne described the criticism as inconsistent with long-standing economic and security cooperation in the region, noting that CARICOM was Trinidad and Tobago’s second-largest export market in 2024 and that Port of Spain had consistently maintained the largest trade surplus within the regional bloc since its founding. His remarks underscored the economic interdependence built through decades of integration. Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
Regional business leaders echoed concerns about the broader implications of the dispute, particularly for economic stability. Dianne Joseph, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Coalition of Services Industries, said that while companies are increasingly looking to global markets, CARICOM remains a vital trading space for manufacturers and service exporters. She stressed that business confidence depends on predictability and cooperation among member states, and that regional friction could slow trade and investment across the Caribbean. Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
In Barbados, former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley challenged Persad-Bissessar’s critique, warning that attacks on CARICOM risk undermining needed unity. Rowley’s comments highlighted concerns that public disagreements among leaders could weaken the bloc’s ability to speak with one voice on shared challenges. Barbados Today
Analysts say the row underscores deeper structural questions about CARICOM’s role and capacity. Some commentators note that intra-regional trade remains low relative to external commerce, partly due to logistical constraints and high transport costs that have long hindered economic cohesion. A recent trade analysis showed that only a small fraction of CARICOM’s total exports are traded regionally, suggesting that stronger integration mechanisms are needed to achieve more balanced economic ties. Trinidad and Tobago
Political commentators have also pointed out that differences over foreign policy alignment, especially in relation to the United States and Venezuela, have intensified long-standing debates about national sovereignty versus collective regional action. These debates reflect broader tensions within CARICOM between maintaining independent decision-making and strengthening collective bargaining power on issues such as visa policy, security cooperation, and external partnerships. Trinidad Guardian
Despite the disagreements, several voices in the region have stressed that economic interdependence and shared security interests continue to bind CARICOM states together. Even in Trinidad and Tobago, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce emphasized that regional markets remain critical for diversification and growth, and that any erosion of CARICOM ties could have negative consequences for trade and business confidence. TTT News
Prime Minister Browne has insisted that respectful engagement with international partners such as the United States does not conflict with regional unity and that Caribbean states can pursue both national interests and collective cooperation. As tensions simmer, analysts say the manner in which CARICOM navigates these internal disputes may have lasting implications for the bloc’s cohesion and influence in global diplomacy.
