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

The Prime Minister had expressed concern following an announcement by CARICOM confirming the reappointment of Dr Carla Barnett, which took place at a CARICOM Leaders’ Retreat in Nevis in February when some Heads of Government were not present.

The matter was brought to the fore at the Heads of Government Retreat earlier this week in St Lucia, where Mrs Persad-Bissessar maintained Trinidad and Tobago’s objections to the process used in reappointing the Secretary-General and put forward the case for referring the matter to the CCJ under Article 212 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.