Former Heads of CARICOM states call for the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace

Former Heads of CARICOM states call for the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace

Eleven former heads of government of CARICOM states, led by the Most Hon. P. J. Patterson, former prime minister of Jamaica, have issued a joint statement pleading for maintaining the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace where the Rule of Law is respected. The former prime ministers signing the statement are: Baldwin Spencer (Antigua and Barbuda), Said Musa and Dean Barrow (Belize), Freudel Stuart (Barbados), Edison James (Dominica), Tillson Thomas (Grenada), Donald Ramotar (Guyana), Bruce Golding (Jamaica), and Kenny Anthony (St. Lucia).

The statement of the former prime ministers calls attention to the historical nature of the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace and the importance of keeping it so. They emphasized the importance of acting within the rule of law in the Caribbean region. Their statement was directed at both the United States and Venezuela, but more so was an appeal to the Trump administration. The former Heads expressed their concern about “the increased military build up and the presence of nuclear weapons and aircraft within the Caribbean archipelago.”

The former Heads in addressing the consequences on the region should the current situation escalates to war between the United States and Venezuela urged the conflicting countries to pull back from military buildup, and for them to refrain from any diminution of peace, stability and development within the Caribbean region. They called on both countries to invoke the principles of the United Nations Charter which provides for dialogue and the peaceful settlement of disputes between sovereign states. According, the former Caribbean leaders expressed their unwavering commitment

Steadfast commitment to the Rule of Law and the provisions of the UN Charter which “forbids the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State.” To this end they emphasized that former and successive Heads have remained steadfast in repudiation of external intervention to effect regime change.

The former Heads drew attention to their consistent adherence to the principle which maintains that military action in the maritime waters of the Caribbean must be governed by international law and not on denial of due process. They pointed to the main purpose of the Shiprider Agreement between the United States and Caribbean nations which is to ensure that illicit drug traffickers would be tracked, pursued, searched and lawfully apprehended without extrajudicial killings. Thus, in repudiating extrajudicial killings they are pointing to the spate of actions by the U.S. government in the Caribbean region and urging adherence to the rule of law.

They expressed their concerns about the spate of extrajudicial killings of alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and called for actions against alleged drug traffickers to conform to rule of law principles.

The statement by the former Heads received a resounding endorsement from Barbados Prime Minister the Hon. Mia Amor Motley.

The Editor of The Ward Post, unhesitatingly join in this endorsement.

The full Statement of the former Heads of Caribbean States follows:

PRESS RELEASE

(25 October 2025) — Ten Former Heads of these Member States within the Caribbean Community hereby subscribe to the attached Statement in a plea for our Region as a Zone of Peace where the Rule of Law prevails.

Antigua & Barbuda – Baldwin Spencer

Belize – Said Musa

Dean Barrow

Barbados – Freundel Stuart

Dominica – Edison James

Grenada – Tillson Thomas

Guyana – Donald Ramotar

Jamaica – Bruce Golding

P.J. Patterson

St. Lucia – Kenny Anthony

 

STATEMENT

Our Caribbean Space: A Zone of Peace on Land, Sea & Airspace where the Rule of Law Prevails

We who have previously served as Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community feel obliged, with the benefit of our experience, to make public our apprehension on the increased military security build up and the presence of nuclear vessels and aircraft within the Caribbean archipelago.

We are impelled to urge a pull back from military build up to avoid any dimunition of peace, stability and development within our regional space that has the potential to pull the region into conflicts which are not of our making.

When the Caribbean Leaders gathered at Chaguaramas in 1972, with Dr. Eric Williams as the Chairman, it was accepted that peace was a dominant factor in shaping the social and political framework for Caribbean development.

As a result, the “zone of peace” has been codified and become a cornerstone in the architecture of our Caribbean sovereignty and the axis for our relationship with the countries of our Hemisphere, Europe and the world at large.

From this platform, our Region has maintained that established international law and conventions, rather than war and military might, should prevail in finding solutions to seemingly intractable problems.

Throughout the years, our Caribbean Nations have espoused and practiced the fun

damental premise of the United Nations Charter that “all disputes can and must be resolved through negotiation and dialogue.”

In noting our grave concerns we assert the sound pillars recently reaffirmed by our present Leaders and which still constitute the fundamental tenets of our region that we dare not discard:

• Reaffirming the Caribbean as a zone of peace
• Reiterating unequivocal support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations in the Community
• Respect for a global order where international law prevails and conflicts or disputes are settled by diplomatic engagement and dialogue.

 

Since our Independence, Caribbean States have consistently refrained from permitting the hosting of military assets, which have the potential to lure the Region into conflicts which are not of our own making.

We urge adherence to this exercise of our collective sovereignty to avoid endangering our citizens in any cross fire or suffering collateral damage and economic harm.

The safety and security of the Caribbean Sea and the territorial integrity of our small states are of inestimable value. The Caribbean Sea is-

• the most heavily used sea for international trade, cruise tourism and yachting.
• vital for land-based tourism on which most States depend for their economic viability.
• important for deep-sea and artisanal fishing; and
• strategic for the movement of persons and goods among the islands, especially as costs and pollution from air travel increase.

Once the domain of pirates, the centrality of the Caribbean has made it attractive to nefarious users like narco-traffickers, gun runners, and human smugglers. Small Caribbean States have limited resources to address the consequences of these illicit and subversive crimes. Accordingly, CARICOM Governments, over the long sweep of time, have sought, and responded positively, to collaborative agreements to combat these nefarious activities but consistent with our sovereignty, international law and intrinsic rights.

Of immediate relevance and overarching significance, is the Shiprider Agreement with the United States which was concluded after intense and delicate negotiations.

During 52 years of its existence, Leaders of our Community have never wavered in their total commitment to the Rule of Law and reliance on the provisions of the UN Charter which forbid “the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State.”

*We and successive Heads have remained steadfast in our repudiation of external intervention to effect regime change. Regardless of the changes flowing from the swings of the electoral pendulum in our democracy, we have insisted that military action in our maritime waters should be governed by international law and not effectively deny due process. We subscribed to the Ship Rider Agreement to ensure that illicit drug traffickers could be tracked, pursued, searched and lawfully apprehended without extrajudicial killing and the destruction of that which could provide conclusive evidence of criminal operation. The safety and livelihood of the people of the region are imperiled by any act or utterance which threatens the norms of international law or undermines our sovereign territorial rights.

The gravity of present signals demands that we use all existing channels for dialogue to perpetuate a Zone of Peace on the edifice of respect for our sovereignty, international conventions, and the rule of law. We therefore fully support the preparedness of our Leaders of the Caribbean Community to assist in resolving all conflicts and disputes by constructive dialogue.

We therefore fully support the preparedness of the Leaders of the Caribbean Community to “assist in the peaceful resolution of all conflicts and disputes” to maintain the rule of law and strengthen security within our region in the spirit of the friendly relations that exist between the Community and their Hemispheric neighbours.

Preserving our Caribbean space as an established Zone of Peace is for us a vital imperative. Our shared history and common interests demand Oneness.

We have gone too far to turn back now.