THE PRIME Minister of Antigua and Barbuda has warned that efforts to remove Commonwealth’s secretary-general Baroness Patricia Scotland from her post could pose a series threat to the future of the Commonwealth at a time when it should be focused on issues such as climate change and the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic. 

The Commonwealth secretary-general is the head of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the central body which serves the Commonwealth of Nations and is also responsible for representing the Commonwealth publicly. 

Incumbents are elected every four years.  Baroness Scotland, who was appointed Commonwealth Secretary General in 2016,  is seeking  a second term in office. 

Her first term has been automatically extended because the annual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, CHOGM, was cancelled due to the Covid 19 pandemic. 

Since the early 90s, there has been a consensus that someone seeking a second term will be reappointed. However in August, Kenya’s Monica Juma declared her candidacy for the role. The move has been seen by Scotland’s allies as being backed by the British government which has often criticised the current secretary-general over issues such as mismanagement of staff and overspending.

No audits have confirmed any suspicion of  financial irregularities. 

Suspicions that Britain’s government is backing Juma were fuelled following a recent meeting between Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo. Juma’s candidacy for Commonwealth secretary-general featured prominently on the list of topics that were discussed.

Browne wrote to all the Commonwealth heads of government in his role as sitting Chair of the Caribbean group CARICOM. He said that efforts to oppose Baroness Scotland being elected for a second term ran the risk of splitting the 54-country Commonwealth union and made clear the support she had among Caribbean Commonwealth members.

He wrote: “Our Commonwealth family has until now held to the tradition of at least two terms for a secretary-general and to the principle of rotation between regions. It now appears the separate regions of Africa, Asia and the Pacific have been, or are being encouraged to present candidates in opposition to the current secretary-general. This runs counter to the principle of rotation which would see Africa assuming the office of secretary-general in 2024 when the Caribbean’s turn would come to an end followed in turn by the Pacific.”

Browne continues: “If we are to live up the values of the Commonwealth which we cherish and hold dear we should eschew any attempt to pit our countries and our regions one against the other. Only in that way can the Commonwealth continue to be a beacon in this world which is beset by turmoil.

“Events we have faced in recent years show we cannot afford for this Commonwealth to be divided. We must be united against the common threat of Covid, climate change and economic fallout which will scar all our countries for the foreseeable future.”

A date for the next CHOGM, where leaders are due to elect the next Commonwealth secretary-general, is yet to be confirmed.