Our CARIBBEAN: Zone of Peace or Theatre of War?

Just as the people of the Caribbean are enjoying their premier cultural moments collectively, via their participation in, physically or virtually, CARIFESTA 2025 in Barbados, once again there are signs that efforts are being made to undermine our collective demonstration of unity and to divide us using the drums of war.

It has been so refreshing to enjoy the diverse cultural offering which nevertheless emphasize our unity, and indeed to listen to enlightened leading cultural and political figures pointing to a positive future for us.

Importantly, the range of conversations generated by the “Big Conversations” offerings, including by the more positive leaders in the region, can only serve as an inspiration to our youth.

Yet as always, there is the injection of the negatives.

Worse, it is coming at the very highest levels. Right after CARIFESTA is due to wind up, with all the expected euphoria and dreams for the future, there are general

elections, always divisive activities, scheduled for the countries at the northern and southern extremities of the CARICOM Region – in Jamaica and Guyana. By themselves, at a national level the stakes are high.

However, the wider implications for the Caribbean region, particularly our unity, peace and security, are even more alarming. While Caribbean leaders are expected to differ often on their national priorities, there are fundamental principles, collectively agreed upon, which remain the bedrock of our regional and global approaches. One such principle is the commitment shared by all Caribbean people whether speaking Dutch or Papiamento, Kweyol or French, Spanish or English, to the Caribbean remaining a zone of peace.

Our very location, in the so-called “underbelly” of a rapacious empire, now in the hands of warmongers whose focus does not include the well-being and security of Caribbean peoples, makes us particularly vulnerable. This underscores the need for unity and commitment to the most basic of needs for no war, whether pitched as one against drug-dealers or otherwise, can be of benefit to Caribbean people.

Thus, it is most disturbing and worrying that just as we celebrate our oneness and shared visions of peace and development, external forces are again dividing us, with more than just “a little help from their friends”, in high office. The decision to deploy significant US military assets in the southern area of the Caribbean; the sensitive waters between Venezuela, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, coinciding with our CARIFESTA celebrations, indicates scant regard for our own sensibilities on the part of a powerful northern neighbour.

But even more worrying are the actions of a founder of CARICOM integration, our respected sister-country of Trinidad and Tobago, to clearly place the interests of

others above those of our entire region. This sister-country, which has recently experienced a change of political leadership, as it is entitled to do, has shown disrespect for the region, by first refusing to be represented at the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting at the level of Prime Minister.

Now, ominously, it appears that the T&T leadership has gone even further by expressing full support for US military actions in the region and indicating its readiness to be a willing staging ground for any military action initiated by the US military against a regional state. Even more alarming is the fact that Trinidad and

Tobago has CARICOM responsibility for security. It has shown scant regard for this responsibility, by expressing the view, at the very highest level, that it does not have to consult CARICOM about its actions.

Clearly this calls for the highest levels of diplomacy.

Fortunately, the most serious and senior CARICOM leaders, including our own Prime Minister, have stuck to this line of action. We must give them our strongest support.