A regional political analyst is brushing aside speculation that Trinidad and Tobago could withdraw from CARICOM, saying such claims are exaggerated and ignore economic reality.

Pollster and analyst Peter Wickham described suggestions of an exit as “misplaced” and “economically irrational,” arguing that Trinidad and Tobago benefits significantly from regional trade.

The debate intensified after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar criticized CARICOM as an unreliable partner following U.S. visa sanctions imposed on Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica. Persad-Bissessar accused the bloc of distancing itself from Washington while aligning with Venezuela’s government.

Wickham said the comments should be seen as political rhetoric driven by diplomatic pressure rather than a shift in foreign policy. He pointed to Jamaica ’s past review of its own CARICOM membership, which concluded that leaving the bloc would be unwise.

He added that while Port of Spain may continue to voice frustration with CARICOM’s foreign-policy stance, economic self-interest would keep Trinidad and Tobago firmly in the regional grouping, calling any departure “a self-inflicted wound no serious government could defend.”