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TIMES CARIBBEAN GLOBAL
Monday, July 21, 2025

ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA — In a sensational twist that has stunned the Caribbean political landscape, former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley was detained during a layover in Antigua and Barbuda last week after discovering that his name had been flagged on an INTERPOL watch list—a move he is calling “state-sponsored slander” and a blatant act of political persecution.

Rowley, a respected geologist and veteran statesman who stepped down from politics in April, was en route to Montserrat to participate in events commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory when he was abruptly stopped and questioned by authorities in Antigua.

“This is not just a mistake. It is a deliberate, calculated attempt to tarnish my name on an international stage,” an infuriated Rowley declared during a press conference Monday.

The former PM is now demanding answers from the Trinidad and Tobago government, specifically Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro, on what role—if any—they played in having his name circulated through INTERPOL, the world’s top international criminal police organization based in Paris.

“What crime or threat do I pose that justifies this?” he questioned sharply. “Let the people of this country know what you are accusing me of — because I have done nothing wrong.”

A Blacklist or a Backstab?

Rowley insists the incident was no accident, but rather the result of a “vicious defamation campaign” being orchestrated by certain state entities back home—a campaign he says began immediately after he left public office.

“This is political character assassination disguised as law enforcement,” he said. “It’s clear someone is using the machinery of the state to silence me, punish me, or perhaps discredit anything I may expose.”

He further warned that if it could happen to him, it could happen to anyone.

“If this can be done to a former prime minister, imagine what can be done to the average citizen.”

Ramifications Rippling Across the Region

The development has sparked outrage and confusion across the Caribbean, with many questioning how a former head of government—who has never been convicted or even formally accused of a crime—could end up on a global criminal alert system used to track terrorists, fugitives, and organized crime figures.

Regional analysts are calling it unprecedented, and some are raising fears of abuse of international law enforcement mechanisms for political vendettas.

Calls are now mounting for both INTERPOL and the Trinidad and Tobago government to come clean, with transparency watchdogs demanding a full inquiry into who initiated the listing and why.

Rowley has not indicated whether he will pursue legal action, but sources close to the former PM say he is weighing all options and preparing to clear his name on the international stage.

A Political Firestorm Ignited

As the dust settles from this explosive revelation, questions continue to swirl:

• Was Rowley falsely flagged by mistake—or malicious intent?
• Did Trinidad and Tobago officials manipulate global systems to target a former leader?
• Who else might be on a politically motivated watch list?

What’s certain is that this saga is far from over, and the implications reach far beyond Rowley, exposing a dangerous precedent in how power can potentially be wielded—and weaponized.

TIMES CARIBBEAN GLOBAL will continue to follow this story as it unfolds.