Relationship dossier
Jamaica
Trinidad and Tobago
Relationship assessment
Caribbean cooperation alongside recurring friction over migration and regional integration
Jamaica toward Trinidad and Tobago
+25Jamaica has engaged Trinidad and Tobago through bilateral and Caribbean regional cooperation, including cooperation on energy and security. Jamaican governments have also raised concerns about the treatment of Jamaican nationals arriving in Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad and Tobago toward Jamaica
+25Trinidad and Tobago has pursued bilateral and Caribbean regional cooperation with Jamaica, including in energy and security. Its immigration practices toward Jamaican nationals have prompted Jamaican government protests and strained bilateral relations.
Overall relationship
+25The relationship is shaped by regional cooperation and practical bilateral engagement, alongside recurring disputes over migration, especially the treatment of Jamaican nationals in Trinidad and Tobago. These issues have created friction without displacing the broader framework of Caribbean collaboration.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago maintain Caribbean regional cooperation, including through CARICOM, and have pursued bilateral cooperation in areas such as energy and security. Their governments have also had disagreements over the treatment of Jamaican nationals entering Trinidad and Tobago, an issue that has periodically strained relations. The relationship combines practical cooperation with recurring sensitivities over migration and regional integration.
Areas of tension
- Treatment and entry of Jamaican nationals by Trinidad and Tobago immigration authorities.
- Differences over regional integration and the movement of Caribbean nationals.
Key developments
Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago engaged in bilateral and regional cooperation on energy and security.
Jamaican government concerns over the treatment of Jamaican nationals entering Trinidad and Tobago became a recurring source of bilateral tension.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral energy and security cooperation are unclear.
- The frequency and present handling of disputes involving Jamaican nationals entering Trinidad and Tobago are uncertain.