Caricom/TT tiff: Minister calls for closed-door meetings

A senior Barbados government minister is suggesting that Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders meet “behind closed doors” to discuss “concerns on all sides” amidst fears of a widening split within the 15-member regional integration grouping.

Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Senior Minister Kerrie Symmonds said while he is aware of the “uncompromising voice which is perhaps unaccommodating” from the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, he does not think, “I’m hearing genuine disharmony.”

“I think, though, that it is always helpful for leaders to have dialogue. And if I could risk saying something to my superiors, because all of the leaders are obviously my superiors, I would want to say that it is perhaps best to have the dialogue behind closed doors and that there’s a sharing of concerns on all sides.