00:00The 50th regular meeting of the CARICOM heads of government kicked off this afternoon in St. Kitts and Nevis under
00:07the theme
00:07Beyond Words, Action Today for a Thriving, Sustainable CARICOM.
00:12Leaders arrived on the sidelines well aware that this milestone summit would be anything but ceremonial,
00:19with key geopolitical tensions and internal criticisms dominating the early exchanges.
00:25Our treaty does not mandate a singular foreign policy or a supranational authority.
00:35And because we are sovereign states, each accountable to our own electorates,
00:42we will at times assess risks differently, sequence priorities differently,
00:50or interpret geopolitical opportunities differently.
00:55That is not evidence of the weakness of our association.
01:01This is the natural expression of sovereign democracies navigating an increasingly turbulent global environment.
01:14Outgoing Chair and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness appeared to directly address growing concerns
01:20about CARICOM's cohesion and global stance.
01:24His remarks underscored that sovereign differences should not be misconstrued as a breakdown in regional unity.
01:31Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Bissasa has been quite vocal of her views on CARICOM
01:35and stood alone in support of the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean
01:40and its actions against narco-terrorists, which ended with the capture of Venezuelan's president, Nicolas Maduro.
01:47She described the 15-nation bloc as an unreliable partner.
01:51This time, she said CARICOM is operating in a dysfunctional manner and is failing the people of the region.
01:58This criticism drew strong remarks of some of her partner heads of state,
02:03like from Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Brown, who accused Pisswat-Bissasa of undermining CARICOM.
02:10But today, Holness pushed back on that narrative, suggesting that differences in perspective are not fractures,
02:17but strengths in a diverse political association.
02:21As small states with vast maritime spaces and strategically important geographies,
02:28we each face pressures, external claims, illicit incursions, and evolving geopolitical interests
02:38that can challenge the sanctity of our borders.
02:43While our approaches may differ, our commitment to the principle is shared.
02:49Every member of CARICOM has the right to decide how best to defend its territory and maritime domain,
02:57and it is reasonable for them to expect the solidarity of every member state to that end.
03:05Now to the other elephant in the room, Cuba.
03:08Cuba is our Caribbean neighbor.
03:12Its doctors and teachers have served across our region.
03:15Its people are part of our shared history.
03:21But today, the Cuban people face severe economic hardship, energy shortages, and growing humanitarian strain.
03:32Jamaica is sensitive to the struggles of the Cuban people.
03:37Humanitarian suffering serves no one.
03:41Holness warns that the impasse in Cuba is not limited to Cuba alone.
03:46Apart from our fraternal care and solidarity with the Cuban people,
03:50it must be clear that a prolonged crisis in Cuba will not remain confined to Cuba.
03:59It will affect migration, security, and economic stability across the Caribbean basin.
04:07The outgoing chair was clear about Jamaica's stance.
04:11Let there be no doubt.
04:13Jamaica stands firmly for democracy, human rights, political accountability, and open market-based economies.
04:24As Holness says, it is not time for rhetoric, but for responsible state craftsmanship.
04:30Jamaica supports constructive dialogue between Cuba and the United States aimed at de-escalation, reform, and stability.
04:42We believe there is space, perhaps more space now than in years past,
04:47for pragmatic engagement that protects the Cuban people from any further deterioration in their circumstances
04:54and instead promotes national and regional prosperity.
04:59With a new U.S. blockade on Cuba, where the Trump administration is blocking oil from reaching the island,
05:06a renewed crisis has emerged with 20-hour blackouts, decreased Internet access, and shortages of basic supplies.
05:14Arvashita Wari, Rupnarain, TV6 News.
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