Jamaica maintains its position regarding the Commonwealth Secretary-General post

KINGSTON, Jamaica– Jamaica has scuttled any attempt by the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping to have a consensus candidate for the position of Commonwealth Secretary-General, defending the decision to nominate its Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Kamina Johnson Smith, for the job.

In a two-page statement, the government of Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that the nomination was put forward “in a context where a change of leadership was desirable by member states across regions.

Baroness Patricia Scotland (Left) and Kamina Johnson Smith, candidates for the position of Commonwealth Secretary-General (File Photo)

“In fact, over time, two member states –Kenya and Tuvalu-announced candidatures for the post… signaling the pursuit of change by two regions-Africa and the Pacific,” the statement said, noting that Kenya had withdrawn its candidate “with an expressed hope that another candidate would come forward.”

CARICOM leaders remain divided in their support for the two candidates, including the incumbent Baroness Patricia Scotland, for the position agreeing instead to appoint a sub-committee to delve further into the matter.

A three-paragraph statement issued following their deliberations on April 6 indicated that the CARICOM leaders were still divided on whether to support Scotland, which Dominica or Johnson Smith have nominated.

CARICOM is yet to announce a date as to when the regional sub-committee of leaders will meet with the two Caribbean candidates for the post.

Scotland was elected to the post at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta in 2015, and her re-election is scheduled to take place during the June 20-25 Commonwealth summit here.

The Dominica-born Scotland is the second Secretary-General from the Caribbean and the first woman to hold the post.

In its statement, Kingston said “Jamaica’s final decision” to put forward the candidature of Johnson Smith was made within the context of other regions expressing a desire for change “and on the strength of the government’s confidence that she has the full range of competencies to lead the Commonwealth agenda at this time effectively.”

The statement said that Johnson Smith has in recent weeks been engaged in high-level discussions across five Commonwealth regions and that in the process of these engagements, “several countries have asked about the existence of two CARICOM candidates as well as a new narrative regarding their being “no vacancy’ in the office.”

But Jamaica said it was necessary to point out that the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs the regional integration movement “aspires towards coordination of foreign policy, including candidatures for positions in external forums, as practicable.

“It does not mandate harmonization and acknowledges the sovereign decisions of member states. Jamaica’s decision was made within the latitude in the CARICOM treaty and, more importantly, by its conviction that the leadership being offered would be in the interest of the Commonwealth”.

Jamaica said that CARICOM leaders and their foreign ministers “have had several discussions on the bid of the incumbent…to remain in office for a second term/.

“Although the most recent Communique of Heads reflected the language of ”overwhelming” support for Baroness Scotland, she was the sole candidate at that time. Still, even then, her bid for re-appointment for a second term of four years was not collectively endorsed.

“It has never been endorsed, as there was never a consensus, Jamaica said, noting that the “absence of unanimity is beyond contention.”

Kingston said that in a context where the Commonwealth summit initially scheduled for June 2020 was postponed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, “a CARICOM country put forward a written request for the immediate re-appointment of the incumbent for a second term of office when her initial contract was at an end.”

Jamaica noted that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the Commonwealth Chairman in Office, consulted all member states on the proposal by the un-named CARICOM country “and reported in writing that a significant and diverse number of states rejected the proposal.

“In further consultation with all member states, Baroness Scotland was ultimately offered an extension of her existing contract until the next CHOGM could be convened in Kigali when a decision would be made about the appointment of a Secretary-General for the next four-year term of office.

The statement said that Scotland “accepted the terms of that offer…in writing, also acknowledging that a decision on the next period of office would be decided when member states can meet face to face.

“The period of extension accepted by the Secretary-General did not constitute appointment for a second term of office, which was already rejected by Heads,” the statement said, adding that the dates for the Commonwealth summit have been set and that “the incumbent‘s extended term of office will expire at the end of that summit.

“In her capacity as the Dominican candidate, she remains eligible for consideration by Heads, as do the candidates from Tuvalu and Jamaica.”