Leaders of the Caribbean Community agreed Tuesday to refer the dispute over the reappointment of CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett to the Caribbean Court of Justice for an advisory opinion, marking an effort to resolve a governance dispute that has dominated the regional bloc's annual summit in St. Lucia. The move came after Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar argued that the process used to renew Barnett's five-year term did not comply with procedures set out in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. Regional leaders agreed that the CCJ should provide legal guidance on the interpretation of the treaty provisions governing such appointments.

Persad-Bissessar has maintained that Trinidad and Tobago's objections concern the legality of the appointment process rather than Barnett personally, while other CARICOM governments have defended the reappointment, saying it received the required support during a heads of government retreat in February. The disagreement exposed divisions within the 15-member regional organization and prompted calls from legal experts for judicial clarification to help prevent similar disputes in the future. An advisory opinion from the CCJ, while not resolving political differences on its own, is expected to provide an authoritative interpretation of the treaty that governs CARICOM's institutions.