Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s sharp criticism of the Caribbe­an Community (Caricom) and invitation to a meeting with United States President Donald Trump next week has not fractured the regional bloc, chairman and St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew has said.

He said yesterday that differences in opini­on among member states instead strengthened the organisation.

As Drew closed the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom in a news conference in Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis, he was asked about Persad-­Bissessar’s absence in some meetings and her contribution to the conference’s opening days earlier, during which she questioned Caricom’s stance on various matters.