Ten former Heads of Government from across the Caribbean have issued a grave warning against what they describe as a dangerous military buildup and the increasing presence of nuclear vessels and aircraft within the region’s waters.
They have urged immediate restraint to preserve the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace where the Rule of Law prevails.
In a joint statement titled “Caribbean Space: A Zone of Peace on Land, Sea and Airspace Where the Rule of Law Prevails,” the former leaders declared that the Caribbean must not be lured into global conflicts “not of our making.”
“We are impelled to urge a pullback from military buildup to avoid any diminution of peace, stability, and development within our regional space,” the statement reads. “Our region must never become a pawn in the rivalries of others.”
The statement is endorsed by:
- Baldwin Spencer, former Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda
- Said Musa and Dean Barrow, former Prime Ministers of Belize
- Freundel Stuart, former Prime Minister of Barbados
- Edison James, former Prime Minister of Dominica
- Tillman Thomas, former Prime Minister of Grenada
- Donald Ramotar, former President of Guyana
- Bruce Golding and P.J. Patterson, former Prime Ministers of Jamaica
- Kenny Anthony, former Prime Minister of St. Lucia
Together, these ten regional statesmen — representing decades of combined leadership within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has called for a united stand to preserve regional sovereignty, peace, and stability.
Caribbean’s Peaceful Legacy at Risk
The former leaders recalled that when Caribbean heads gathered at Chaguaramas in 1972, under the chairmanship of Dr. Eric Williams, peace was enshrined as the guiding principle of Caribbean development. From that historic meeting emerged the enduring concept of the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace — a diplomatic and moral foundation that has since guided the region’s foreign policy and relations with the wider world.
“From this platform,” they wrote, “our Region has always maintained that international law and conventions not war and military might must prevail in finding solutions to global challenges.”
Three Pillars of Regional Integrity
The joint statement reaffirmed the fundamental tenets recently echoed by current CARICOM leaders:
- Reaffirming the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace;
- Supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations; and
- Upholding international law and diplomacy as the only legitimate means of resolving conflicts.
The former Heads warned that the Caribbean must avoid permitting the hosting or deployment of foreign military assets that could entangle the region in external conflicts or expose it to collateral harm.
“We must not endanger our citizens in any crossfire,” they stated, “nor risk economic and human loss from wars that are not ours.”
Caribbean Sea
Describing the Caribbean Sea as “vital to our survival,” the leaders underscored its central role in trade, cruise tourism, fishing, and inter-island movement — the pillars of regional economies. They warned that any destabilisation of the region’s maritime domain could threaten not only peace but livelihoods.
They acknowledged ongoing security partnerships such as the Shiprider Agreement with the United States as essential for countering drug trafficking, gun running, and human smuggling, but stressed that such cooperation must always respect sovereignty and due process.
“Our cooperation with international partners must never override our collective sovereignty or the principles of international law,” the leaders affirmed.
The former Heads including Jamaica’s Bruce Golding and P.J. Patterson, and Guyana’s Donald Ramotar — reaffirmed the Caribbean’s long-standing rejection of foreign intervention or externally imposed regime change.
“We have remained steadfast in our repudiation of external intervention to effect regime change,” they wrote. “Military action in our maritime waters must always be governed by international law — not might.”
They cautioned that any move undermining regional sovereignty, or eroding the established norms of international law, directly threatens the safety, livelihood, and dignity of Caribbean people.
Diplomacy and Dialogue
Concluding their statement, the former leaders called for CARICOM’s current leadership to use all available diplomatic channels to defuse tensions and uphold the Caribbean’s legacy as a peaceful, principled region.
“The gravity of the present signals demands that we use all existing channels for dialogue to perpetuate a Zone of Peace,” the leaders said. “We fully support our current Heads of Government in assisting the peaceful resolution of all conflicts and disputes.”They insisted that preserving the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace is not optional it is an existential duty.
“Our shared history and our common destiny demand nothing less,” the statement concluded.
