By Floyd French
Observer Reporter
(Basseterre, St. Kitts) – Government chiefs of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States are scheduled to meet in Castries, St. Lucia on May 23 to discuss a range of major economic proposals that could affect member nations.
The agenda includes the establishment of an OECS Economic Union, OECS-Canadian interests and the cost of living in the sub-region.
St. Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas is leading a five- member delegation to the meeting in Castries.
The other members of the delegation are Premier of Nevis, Hon. Joseph Parry, Nevis Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Ashley Farrell, Executive Director in the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Ms. Eudora Nisbett and Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Verna Morris.
The OECS Member States are Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Anguilla, and the British Virgin Islands.
Heads of Government are expected to finalise plans to continue the engagement of the public on the proposed OECS Economic Union that seeks to create a single economic space among the islands which will provide and expanded base for business development and from which the region can more effectively engage the rest of the world. The OECS now recognises the need for greater integration after the single market and economy initiatives at the Caricom level.
Many believe the progress made at Caricom level might make the sub-regional organisation obsolete.
A year-long consultation exercise was launched in Dominica last April and similar national launches are expected to take place in other OECS member states in the coming months. The consultations are part of an overall strategy to educate the citizens of OECS states on the benefits of greater integration within the sub-region.
Heads of Government will also discuss the OECS-Canadian strategic interests within the context of the up coming Caricom-Canadian negotiations for a new trade and investment agreement and review the member states deployment of diplomatic and other missions in relation to cost and effectiveness. These issues are testing grounds for the greater sub-regional cooperation envisioned for the future of OECS.
The meeting will also look at the cost of living, a growing concern for the region and world.
The incoming Chairman, Prime Minister of Grenada Hon. Keith Mitchell will be joined in addressing the opening ceremony by outgoing Chairman Prime Minister of Dominica Hon. Roosevelt Skerritt, host Prime Minister Hon. Stephenson King of St. Lucia and OECS Director General Her Excellency Dr. Len Ishmael. The meeting takes place at Bay Gardens Resort, Rodney Bay, St. Lucia and is set to conclude on May 24.
