Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has welcomed a decision by CARICOM Heads of Government to refer questions surrounding the reappointment of the Community’s Secretary-General to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for an advisory opinion, following a proposal she brought forward on Trinidad and Tobago’s behalf.

The Prime Minister said the decision came out of the Heads of Government Retreat held on 6th July, 2026, where she maintained Trinidad and Tobago’s objections to the process used in reappointing the Secretary-General. She said she put forward the case for referring the matter to the CCJ under Article 212 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which allows CARICOM to send questions about how treaty provisions should be interpreted to the Court for its guidance.

In a statement, Persad-Bissessar thanked her fellow CARICOM leaders for backing Trinidad and Tobago’s position, saying the outcome reflected the Community’s commitment to strong governance standards and institutional improvement, principles she said she has consistently pushed for as necessary to CARICOM’s future.