CARICOM Summit Opens Amid Rifts on Haiti, Trade, and Leadership

Leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) opened their 51st summit in St. Lucia this week, with all 15 heads of government expected to attend the four-day meeting.

Incoming chairman and St. Lucian Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre urged the bloc to prioritize tangible benefits for citizens, citing crime, food security, the cost of living, and climate resilience as top concerns.

The summit, themed “From Resilience to Renewal in a Changing World,” unfolds amid friction over the reappointment of Secretary-General Carla Barnett. Though CARICOM leaders extended her term in February, Trinidad & Tobago has said it will not recognize her mandate past August 2026, while Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and others have defended the decision as procedurally sound.

Analysts say the dispute highlights CARICOM’s reliance on majority voting when consensus breaks down.

Haiti remains a central focus, with leaders reaffirming support for transitional governance and election preparations. CARICOM’s Eminent Persons Group – including former prime ministers Kenny Anthony, Bruce Golding, and Perry Christie – will continue mediating with Haitian stakeholders.

Other agenda items include the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, digital transformation, and climate resilience. Though not formally listed, U.S. migration policy and “third-country” deportation arrangements are also expected to surface in informal talks, an issue several states prefer to handle bilaterally.