Coming off two recent events in which she was able to shine in the post as foreign minister, Mrs Kamina Johnson Smith has suddenly been catapulted into the race for secretary general (SG) of the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat.

We do not question Mrs Johnson Smith’s qualification for the post. In fact, our more perceptive readers would have picked up that we have a lot of time for this very bright foreign affairs minister who has been a steady hand; except for a slight degree of petulance in handling Senator Lambert Brown, who can be quite a handful.

What we question, however, is the timing of the nomination and the lack of in-depth explanation of it, the absence of which gives rise to speculation. For example, did Jamaica jump the gun? Is the Government trying to reward or get rid of Mrs Johnson Smith? Are these the best conditions into which to throw her hat in the ring?

The position of Commonwealth secretary general is currently held by Baroness Patricia Scotland who was born in Dominica of Antiguan and Barbudan parentage. She will complete her first term shortly and has indicated her interest in serving another term. So there is as yet no vacancy.

There are unproven allegations of corruption and cronyism on her part. If these were to be substantiated, this could warrant her removal, and at that time it would be appropriate for people to offer themselves as candidates.

We note that Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Browne has been critical of Jamaica’s decision, describing it as a “monumental error”, and Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has called on Commonwealth governments to re-elect the incumbent.

Successful candidates usually have the backing of all or most of their region. This will not now happen in the case of Mrs Johnson Smith because the Caricom heads of government, at their Belize inter-sessional last month, issued a communiqué expressing their “overwhelming support” for the re-election of Baroness Scotland. Jamaica has now broken ranks with Caricom.

Moreover, it is extremely unlikely that a Caribbean person would be allowed to follow another Caribbean person because the geographic regions have an established rotation. If the incumbent does not serve two terms, it does not mean the second term automatically goes to another Caribbean person. A case would have to be made and there is no guarantee that it would succeed.

If the Caribbean wants to hold on to the post of SG it might be easier to stick with the incumbent, but if she is ousted and the Caribbean is allowed to fill the second term it is doubtful that Mrs Johnson Smith could succeed without Caricom consensus.

In 2015, when there were two Caribbean candidates for the SG post — Baroness Scotland and Antigua’s Sir Roland Sanders — the contest witnessed some unpleasant personal invectives and the rumours have already started, including silly suggestions that Mrs Johnson Smith shouldn’t go forward because she is a citizen of Jamaica and Canada.

What we think is unhealthy, though, is the inference that there may be some arrangement with those trying to remove the current secretary general. Any allegation or suspicion of this would certainly be detrimental to Mrs Johnson Smith.