**SOURCE CNC3:** Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has insisted that Trinidad and Tobago has no plans to leave Caricom, despite her Government’s focus on strengthening ties with countries outside the region.

Speaking to reporters in Tobago today during her first official visit to the island since being re-elected, Persad-Bissessar said the country must expand its international partnerships while remaining part of the regional bloc.

“What I did say, and I’ll repeat, is we must also look to others. We have to look to others in the international arena. So for example, we are looking to the UAE, we are looking to Qatar, looking to Bahrain, looking to Europe. We cannot keep closed doors and expect things to change,” she said.

She added that Caricom will continue as a block but stressed the need to attract new investment. “So CARICOM will remain as a block, we will remain as part of the block, but we have to open our wings. We have to fly. We have to go elsewhere. We have to get investors. CARICOM may have investors, but they need investors just as we do… So no, no mischief. We have no intention of leaving CARICOM,” Persad-Bissessar said.