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Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will no longer attend this week's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, reversing travel plans announced by the Government earlier on November 2, the Trinidad Express reported. The Office of the Prime Minister said Minister Sean Sobers would represent Trinidad and Tobago at the meeting. Persad-Bissessar would return to her existing official schedule. The announcement gave no explanation for the change. The reversal came hours after the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs issued a release outlining a programme of diplomatic engagements and announcing that the Prime Minister would depart Trinidad later that day to lead the national delegation. According to the Express, the ministry had presented the visit as an opportunity to strengthen international relationships, attract investment and expand trade. Its announcement listed participation in the Commonwealth Business Forum, the Heads of Government Retreat, and a reception and dinner hosted by King Charles III. The earlier programme also included a CARICOM-Canada meeting and bilateral discussions with international counterparts. These were engagements announced before Persad-Bissessar's withdrawal; the report did not establish which would proceed with alternative representation. The ministry had said other members of Trinidad and Tobago's delegation would participate in forums and events associated with the summit. It framed that participation around cooperation, investment, trade and knowledge-sharing. Sobers' designation means Trinidad and Tobago will retain representation at the meeting. The reason for the Prime Minister's withdrawal, and any revised arrangements for the engagements originally assigned to her, were not provided in the announcement reported by the Express.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will no longer attend this week's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, reversing travel plans announced by the Government earlier on November 2, the Trinidad Express reported. The Office of the Prime Minister said Minister Sean Sobers would represent Trinidad and Tobago at the meeting. Persad-Bissessar would return to her existing official schedule. The announcement gave no explanation for the change. The reversal came hours after the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs issued a release outlining a programme of diplomatic engagements and announcing that the Prime Minister would depart Trinidad later that day to lead the national delegation. According to the Express, the ministry had presented the visit as an opportunity to strengthen international relationships, attract investment and expand trade. Its announcement listed participation in the Commonwealth Business Forum, the Heads of Government Retreat, and a reception and dinner hosted by King Charles III. The earlier programme also included a CARICOM-Canada meeting and bilateral discussions with international counterparts. These were engagements announced before Persad-Bissessar's withdrawal; the report did not establish which would proceed with alternative representation. The ministry had said other members of Trinidad and Tobago's delegation would participate in forums and events associated with the summit. It framed that participation around cooperation, investment, trade and knowledge-sharing. Sobers' designation means Trinidad and Tobago will retain representation at the meeting. The reason for the Prime Minister's withdrawal, and any revised arrangements for the engagements originally assigned to her, were not provided in the announcement reported by the Express.
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