๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฐ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐นโ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น-๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ. There was a time when Trinidad and Tobago was firmly โupโ and Guyana was โdown.โ Today, Guyana is on the upswing, and T&T is in a more difficult period. Against the backdrop of the debate on the CARICOM Secretary-General, itโs worth taking the longer view: cycles turn. And how we act in good times shapes how we are treated in hard times.
In my ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ซ strategic brief (April 13, 2026), โ๐ง&๐งโ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒโ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎโ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐,โ I make a simple point: small-state outperformance is not permanent. T&Tโs peak-to-reset arc is a reminder that diversification and institutional discipline must be built earlyโbefore growth normalizes.
T&T now needs an economic recovery plan to restore momentum. A major part of that plan is private sector investment. Another part is ensuring T&T firms can enter and compete in new markets. Guyana has helped by keeping its doors open to regional business, including T&T-based firms like Massy Group, ANSA McAL, and Republic Bank.
But plans and rhetoric become real at the border. Customs decisions, permits, and standards are where trade is either enabledโor blocked. That is where the CSME is strengthened or weakened. Guyana should stay clear-eyed: openness should be matched with reciprocity. And concerns should be documented and pursued through the proper channels.
That backdrop also shapes how we interpret the Secretary-General discussion. Trinidad and Tobagoโs Prime Ministerโwhether one agrees or notโhas been the most prominent voice questioning the re-appointment. Guyanaโs response should not be personal. It should stay anchored to principle: ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐น๐. And claims should be tested against factsโespecially on trade facilitation and market access.
For my part, Iโm not taking a fixed position on re-appointment. But I do think itโs reasonable that Guyana be considered for the role at some point. Yes, there is an unwritten convention that hosting the CARICOM Headquarters can mean giving up the top postโand Guyana has respected that. Still, conventions can be breached: for example, Barbados hosts the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and has also held the presidency of the Bank.
So here is one practical case study of how commitments play out in the real economy. For transparency: the report Iโm referencing was prepared by Guyanaโs Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in consultation with the Private Sector Commission (PSC), during my own tenure at the PSC. It highlights Trinidad and Tobago as presenting some of the most significant and wide-ranging barriers affecting Guyanaโs exports. Here are a few examples it lists:
โข Honey dispute: The report says T&T has restricted the transshipment of Guyanese honey for years under legacy legislation, which Guyana argues conflicts with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. After repeated COTED discussions, it remains unresolved, with possible recourse to the CCJ.
โข Poultry ban: The report describes the ban as excessive, citing a lack of scientific basis and claiming it was applied in a discriminatory manner.
โข Red tape & inconsistent treatment: It cites slow registration (e.g., pharmaceuticals), shipments refused even where permits exist, and delayed responses to formal diplomatic notes.
โข Breakdown in communication: It points to poor coordination between agencies, leading to delays and inconsistent interpretation of requirements.
Other member states are also referenced, but T&T is presented as the most extensive set of concerns in the report.
๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒโ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ: when we are upโas we are nowโwe should stay grounded and humble. In boom times, itโs easy to get distracted and assume momentum is permanent. It isnโt. Downturns come. If we want compassion and cooperation when our cycle turns, we should avoid projecting arrogance or indifference when others are under pressure.
๐ข๐ป๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ถ๐ป ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ: Trinidad and Tobago is not part of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in its final/appellate jurisdiction and still uses the UK Privy Council as its highest court. So when any member state takes a very loud posture on regional process and legitimacy, itโs fair to askโquietly, and without maliceโhow fully that same state has embraced and strengthened CARICOMโs own institutions.
๐ฆ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น, ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ฎ๐น. CARICOM works when rules are applied evenly and concerns are handled through credible institutionsโnot volume. Guyana should stay open and confident, but also disciplined: document frictions, insist on reciprocity, and build for the downturn (not just the boom). ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ปโ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐, ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐น๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐.