Amid growing differences between Trinidad and Tobago and its Caricom partners, the business community is considering how regional diplomacy can coexist with efforts to address rising security and organised crime challenges.
Chief strategic officer of the Confederation of Regional Chambers, Angie Jairam, said the confederation recognises that Trinidad and Tobago faces acute and escalating challenges linked to organised crime and narco-trafficking, with direct implications for ports, logistics, investment confidence, and social stability.
“While Caricom member states may differ in diplomatic language or emphasis, our business community does not view these differences as opposition to addressing the threat of organised crime. Rather, they reflect varying national exposures and risk profiles across the region,” said Jairam in response to questions for the Express.
She added that the CRBC firmly believes and maintains that regional security and economic sustainability are inseparable.
“Crime and instability undermine trade efficiency, increase costs, and weaken investor confidence across all Caricom economies,” she said.
Jairam added that intra-Caricom trade and economic interdependence are driven by economic necessity, efficiency, and competitiveness, not political alignment.
“T&T remains a critical supplier within Caricom, particularly in manufactured goods, construction and industrial inputs, energy-related products, food and consumer goods, and Caricom economies benefit significantly from proximity, competitive pricing, and duty-free access under the CSME framework.
“Any disruption to these supply chains would increase costs, lengthen delivery times, and place pressure on businesses and consumers, especially in smaller economies. On the likelihood of trade disruption, from a Confederation perspective, a sustained disruption of trade is neither practical nor economically viable,” she said.
Jairam added that the private sector trade within Caricom has historically continued despite political differences, guided by market demand and commercial realities, and any prolonged disengagement would be self-defeating, with immediate consequences for inflation, availability of goods, and business continuity.
“The CRBC does not believe Caricom economies can realistically afford to disengage from established regional supply relationships. Looking forward, the CRBC strongly encourages constructive dialogue and diplomacy, recognition of differing national circumstances within Caricom, continued collaboration on security, trade facilitation, and economic resilience and regional integration must remain anchored in pragmatism, mutual respect, and economic stability,” she said.
Ready to support
Jairam added: “We stand ready to support initiatives that strengthen regional security while preserving the trade and investment frameworks essential to Caribbean growth.”
Responding to questions from the Express, the president of the San Juan Business Association, Abrahim Ali, said, the Caribbean has suffered for a very long time with an influx of nefarious activities of human trafficking, drugs, guns and illegal importation of alcohol.
“We complained continuously about the lack of enforcement from our coast guards and the non-existent radar non-existent that we had to protect our borders. So now we have the intervention from the United States of America, which has resulted in curtailing these activities from escalating further; we must be grateful,” said Ali.
He added that when the Caribbean “boasts of being a zone of peace, we must, in retrospect, ask if we are really experiencing peace”.
“The murders in our country climbed out of proportion, and for a long time. While we do a significant amount of trade with our Caribbean neighbours, we will be far better off without the influx of illegal activities. We need the intervention from the US to protect our borders, as the current situation, if allowed to continue, will destroy our nation. This country can only benefit from the alliance with the US in many ways. The security is one, and the economy is the next, through bilateral relations. We await better times in 2026,” Ali said.
President of the Petroleum Dealers, Robin Narinesingh, said governments can implement trade barriers like tariffs or quotas, but these actions have economic consequences that may be beyond their full control.
“One country’s trade restriction often leads to retaliatory measures from other nations, creating trade wars that can harm the economies of all involved, a result that individual governments may not desire or fully anticipate,” said Narinesingh.
Greater San Fernando Business Association president, Daphne Bartlett, questioned, “Can they solely rescind the Caricom Free Trade Agreement?”
She added, “I don’t think it would affect trade. We export our manufactured goods to the Caricom countries, and I didn’t see a decline in the quantity they ordered. These orders went out mid-December. Dominica didn’t get theirs because there was no sailing to that country, and they are bawling for their goods. The leaders may have their disagreements, but the citizens want products that work for them.”