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Times Caribbean News | 28 January 2026

The Caribbean’s political spotlight shifts to Port of Spain this week as Dr Terrance Drew, Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), embarks on a high-profile official visit to Trinidad and Tobago for face-to-face talks with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her senior team.

The visit signals more than routine diplomacy. It is the clearest expression yet of a hands-on, leader-to-leader engagement strategy by the CARICOM Chair—one that prioritizes candid, in-person discussions over communiqués and conference calls, at a moment when the region faces converging economic, security, and geopolitical pressures.

Accompanying Dr Drew is Carla Barnett, Secretary-General of Caribbean Community, underscoring the institutional weight of the talks and the expectation that outcomes will translate into regional action.

Why Trinidad—and Why Now

Trinidad and Tobago remains a linchpin in the CARICOM architecture: energy security, industrial capacity, and regional finance all intersect in Port of Spain. With Persad-Bissessar newly returned to office, the meeting offers a reset moment—aligning national priorities with CARICOM’s forward agenda on energy transition, food security, regional security cooperation, and economic resilience.

For Dr Drew, the optics are deliberate. Rather than presiding from afar, the Chair is taking CARICOM to capitals, meeting leaders on their ground to accelerate consensus and implementation. Last week’s engagement in Kingstown with the new Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Godwin Friday, set the tone; Port of Spain raises the stakes.

From Ceremony to Substance

Behind the formalities lies a hard-nosed policy calculus. The region is navigating volatile global markets, climate shocks, and transnational crime, while simultaneously pressing for deeper integration—single-market efficiencies, coordinated diplomacy, and shared infrastructure solutions. The presence of the Secretary-General signals an expectation that conversations will yield timelines, tasking, and follow-through, not just photo-ops.

A Chair with a Strategy

Dr Drew’s chairmanship is increasingly defined by momentum: compressing distances between leaders, tightening feedback loops, and translating political goodwill into deliverables. In an era when regional unity is tested by external shocks, the emphasis on face-to-face leadership may prove decisive.

As the talks unfold in Port of Spain, the region will be watching closely—not just for statements, but for signals of alignment that could shape CARICOM’s trajectory in 2026 and beyond.