Outgoing CARICOM Chair urges leaders to resolve disputes privately, greater participation to address challenges

Jul 07, 2026 News

(Kaieteur News) – Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis and outgoing Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr. Terrance Drew has called for greater cohesion and participation from member states, urging regional leaders to resolve challenges internally rather than through public debate.

Outgoing CARICOM Chair urges leaders to resolve disputes privately, greater participation to address challenges

Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis and Outgoing Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr. Terrence Drew.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Saint Lucia, Dr. Drew said one of CARICOM’s greatest strengths lies in leaders working together.

“Permit me, therefore, to offer one humble recommendation. Whenever this community faces matters of great significance, let us ensure that every head of government makes every effort to be present for our retreats and caucuses to resolve matters in house, those sessions remain among CARICOM’s greatest strengths,” he stated.

The Prime Minister underscored that away from cameras and prepared statements, CARICOM heads can speak candidly, trust is strengthened, misunderstandings are resolved, and consensus is built.

“There are moments when the life of every institution when its strength is measured not by the absence of challenges but by the way it responds to them,” Dr. Drew stated.

CARICOM heads at the opening ceremony of the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Saint Lucia.

Reflecting on his time as CARICOM chairman, Dr. Drew said when he assumed the role six months ago, there were genuine concerns about the future of the regional bloc. He noted that questions about the community’s cohesion had come to the forefront, with some wondering whether CARICOM had reached a defining moment from which it might struggle to recover.

“Matters that would normally have been discussed privately among heads of government were increasingly being debated publicly. These concerns were real…and after much reflection, I concluded that before we could resolve issues, whether real or perceived, we must first strengthen relationships,” the outgoing chairman stated.

He explained that this prompted him to visit every full member state and meet privately with each leader to ensure they had the opportunity to speak openly, honestly and respectfully about the issues facing the Community. According to Dr. Drew, those discussions reaffirmed every leader’s commitment to CARICOM.

“Every head reaffirmed that, despite our differences, the future of the Caribbean is stronger together than apart,” he said. He added that the leaders also reaffirmed that regional integration remains indispensable to security and prosperity. “Those conversations reminded me why CARICOM has endured for more than 50 years,” he added.

Dr. Drew stressed that public discourse and newspaper headlines have never been an effective way to settle disagreements among Caribbean leaders. In fact, he said it has done the opposite.

“No public commentary has ever replaced honest dialogue, but respectful conversation among colleagues committed to a common purpose has repeatedly strengthened this community,” he added.

He said his time as chairman reinforced his belief that unity is not only CARICOM’s highest ideal but also its greatest strategic advantage. He added that the regional body’s recent conference demonstrated that disagreement does not equal division and that mature leadership is measured not by avoiding difficult conversations but by addressing them respectfully and resolving them together.

Looking ahead, Dr. Drew said the focus must now shift from the survival of CARICOM to strengthening it for future generations.

“May we always preserve that tradition and so, my colleagues, the reaffirmation of our unity was never the destination, it was the foundation. Our people rightly expect more than declarations, they expect progress, they expect opportunity, they expect that the regional corporation will improve their daily lives, and I believe these past six months, to some extent, would have demonstrated that we served during a period of considerable global uncertainty, and those uncertainties continue,” the outgoing chair stated.

As the chairmanship is handed over to Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Philip J. Pierre, Dr. Drew said he remains optimistic about the future of the regional integration movement. “…I do so with a deeper sense of appreciation of this community, a stronger conviction in its purpose, and an even greater confidence in its future,” Dr. Drew said.

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CARICOM, Disputes, Saint Lucia

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