During the recent CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in St. Kitts and Nevis, a notable diplomatic absence occurred when Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign Minister, identified as “Soas,” declined to attend a sensitive caucus meeting in Nevis because of a fear of seasickness.
While the broader CARICOM conference features large plenary sessions with various public servants, specific sensitive matters are reserved for a smaller caucus, usually involving the heads of government and one chosen representative.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, informed attendees that she would not be traveling to Nevis for this exclusive session, initially promising to send her Foreign Minister in her place.
However, the Foreign Minister ultimately absented himself from the gathering, reportedly stating that he could not go to Nevis because “he just gets seasick and you have to take a boat”. The maritime journey between St. Kitts and Nevis is known to be a remarkably brief trip, taking only about five minutes.
Despite knowing the travel requirements, the Trinidad and Tobago delegation failed to nominate an alternative representative who could handle the short boat ride.
This voluntary absence has since fueled a regional controversy. The government of Trinidad and Tobago subsequently claimed that they were surreptitiously excluded from the caucus, where major decisions like the reappointment of CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett were finalized.
Observers have pointed out the contradiction in these claims, noting that under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, a member state’s failure to participate or attend is legally deemed an abstention, not an exclusion