Trinidad Prime Minister Says CARICOM “Dysfunctional”

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad-Bissessar has openly broken ranks with regional leaders over U.S. visa restrictions, issuing a blistering statement that accuses CARICOM of dysfunction and declares that Trinidad and Tobago “is not a party” to the bloc’s position.

Reacting to the United States’ December 16, 2025 decision to restrict several visa categories for foreign nationals, Persad-Bissessar rejected CARICOM’s criticism, saying the U.S. has “the sovereign right… to make decisions in furtherance of its best interests.”

“I advise citizens that the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is not a party to the statement issued by the Bureau of the Conference of Heads of Government,” the Prime Minister wrote, adding that her government “maintains its own position on the matter.”

She defended Washington’s move, stating, “The exercise of power by the United States of America to advance their best interests must therefore be seen as a measured response.”

In a direct attack on CARICOM, she declared the organisation “is not a reliable partner at this time,” warning that “beneath the thin mask of unity, there are many widening fissures that if left unaddressed will lead to its implosion.”

Persad-Bissessar said the bloc is “deteriorating rapidly due to poor management, lax accountability, factional divisions, destabilising policies, private conflicts… and the inappropriate meddling in the domestic politics of member states.” She called it “the plain truth,” insisting the region must confront “the rot within the organisation with transparency and honesty.”

She charged that CARICOM “chooses to disparage our greatest ally the United States but lends support to the Maduro narco-government headed by a dictator who has imprisoned and killed thousands.”

She concluded with a warning: “There are repercussions for this stance. We must all live with the consequences of our actions.”

The Prime Minister vowed Trinidad and Tobago’s interest will come first, asserting, “CARICOM will not determine our future, only the citizens of our country will choose our path.”