President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Tuesday firmly rejected suggestions that CARICOM is deteriorating or becoming an unreliable partner, declaring that Guyana remains fully committed to regionalism and to the collective fight against transnational crime.
The President was responding to a question from women journalists and students during an engagement in Georgetown, where concerns were raised about tensions among some CARICOM leaders following increased U.S. security operations in the Caribbean Sea targeting narco‑trafficking networks.
The issue recently escalated after the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago suggested that CARICOM was “no longer a reliable partner.” President Ali dismissed that characterisation, emphasising Guyana’s longstanding and unwavering support for the regional bloc.
“We are a proud member of CARICOM. CARICOM headquarters is located in Guyana. Multilateralism is an important part of our diplomacy. Regionalism is an important part of our diplomacy in Guyana. And I think it’s unfair to say that,” he stated.
While declining to speak on behalf of other regional leaders, the President underscored that CARICOM has consistently taken a unified stance on major security threats.
According to him, at numerous CARICOM meetings, member states collectively raised alarm over drug trafficking, gold smuggling, gun running, and other illicit activities exploiting the region’s maritime and airspace.
“There is no doubt that the entire CARICOM spoke up against this, including gun smuggling. We all asked for action to be taken,” he said.
President Ali went further, outlining his personal and unequivocal support for any initiative aimed at dismantling criminal networks operating in the Caribbean.
“I support completely every action taken to eradicate drug trafficking, terrorism, [and] gold smuggling within this region. It undermines democracy. It undermines freedom. It supports corruption. It destroys societies,” he asserted.
He highlighted the human toll of transnational crime, noting the thousands of lives lost and families displaced due to the activities of criminal organisations.
“What about the tens of thousands of persons who lost their lives… families displaced and damaged because of these criminals who operate?” he asked.
With the U.S. ramping up maritime security operations in the Caribbean, President Ali made clear that Guyana stands firmly aligned with efforts to combat organised crime.
“The U.S. has a solid partner in Guyana in the fight against those forms of criminality,” he declared.
