Re-appointment of CARICOM’s SG followed same procedure as before – President Ali

President Irfaan Ali said he supports the reappointment of Carla Barnett as Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), noting that the process that unfolded was the same as before.

“Let me be fully transparent on this matter, I was involved in the discussions as all other heads on the reappointment of the Secretary General.

“We support the reappointment of the Secretary General,” President Ali told reporters at the sidelines of an event on Wednesday.

Dr Barnett’s reappointment for a second term has sparked some criticism in the region over how the decision was made.

However, President Ali said the process was the same as before.

“I was there when the Secretary General was appointed the first time and we did not follow any process that is different from the first time,” he said.

He explained that the matter was discussed among leaders during a caucus at a CARICOM Heads of Government meeting.

“Views were exchanged and the decision was taken,” he added.

President Ali also said that leaders are free to have different views. “Every leader has the right to have their opinion… that is part of what democracy is,” he said.

He stressed that Guyana was part of the decision.

“For the time I am at CARICOM ,we did not follow any different process and Guyana was part of the decision,” Dr Ali said.