BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — DESPITE mounting criticism ahead of the upcoming CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew has reaffirmed that the regional bloc remains critical to the Federation’s development.
Dr. Drew, the current chair of the Caribbean Community, said his tenure has involved a more hands-on approach, marked by direct engagement with regional leaders. That strategy has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures in St. Kitts and Nevis , prompting the prime minister to address his travels, leadership style, and the value of regional integration during a statement in Parliament.
Since assuming the chairmanship, Dr. Drew said he has been helping coordinate the region’s response to ongoing geopolitical shifts, including developments surrounding Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He stressed that CARICOM decisions are collective in nature.
“So I want to put that fair and square on the table so that people don't think that I am the author of any statements that come out and they understand how CARICOM works,” he said.
Addressing criticism over his travel schedule — much of it raised by members of the People's Labour Party — Dr. Drew rejected suggestions that the regional body is on the brink of collapse, though he acknowledged it is navigating a sensitive period.
“There is no real risk for it to disintegrate, but it's at a crossroads and it requires a different type of approach,” he told Parliament. He noted that recent public disagreements between member states had raised questions about CARICOM’s unity.
“We have seen public discussions that were not the most wholesome between members of CARICOM, and something that you want to be kept behind closed doors. Have the hard discussions behind closed doors and come out with agreed positions. However, those discussions became public and, to some extent, brought questions about CARICOM, its viability, and the commitment of leaders,” he said.
“As chair, I deem it very critical that I visit each of these members, sit with them eyeball to eyeball, and have the hard conversations.”
On the issue of traveling by private aircraft, the prime minister clarified that he has been using flights operated by the Regional Security System (RSS).
“I travel by the RSS. It's not the most modern plane, but it's a reliable plane....These are very simple planes with simple seating. They don't even have bathrooms on board, Madam Speaker. So, this is no luxury at all,” he said.
Dr. Drew also underscored the importance of CARICOM institutions to small island states such as St. Kitts and Nevis, arguing that the Federation could not function as effectively on its own in key areas like disaster preparedness, education, and public health.
He pointed to the work of the University of the West Indies in developing regional leadership and intellectual capacity, as well as the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, which coordinates hurricane preparedness and disaster response.
“St. Kitts alone cannot do it,” he said. “If we were to bear the cost of preparation for any type of disaster by ourselves, Madam speaker, we would not survive one hurricane season properly because it would call for so much from our own budget. By having CDEMA, which is a CARICOM organ, that helps us to prepare."
Dr. Drew is scheduled to chair the Regional Heads of Government Conference next week at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort.
