OECS Heads of Government, meeting in St. Georges, Grenada on May 24th, gave their approval to a draft Treaty on OECS Economic Union – a move expected to pave the way for the creation of a single economic space among the islands in the sub-region.
The Heads also agreed to immediately begin an intensive process of public education and consultations on the new Treaty in all Member States. |
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In making the announcement at an end of meeting Press Conference, OECS Chairman, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica said an important first step to the public education process will be a series of engagements with Opposition Leaders in the region by the Chairman, the Director General Dr. Len Ishmael, and Chairman of the Economic Union Task Force Sir Dwight Venner. He said national cabinets will also review the draft Treaty as part of this process.
Prime Minister Skerrit says a formal launching ceremony will then follow, and it is expected to take the form of a regional television and radio broadcast by the OECS Chairman, other Heads of Government, the Director General and the Task Force Chairman. The goal is to reach out and involve the total population of the OECS to mobilize the highest possible level of commitment and support for this phase of the deepening of OECS integration.
Key elements of the public education process will include national focus meetings, and meetings with select stakeholders, regional and international consultations and the establishment of Working Committees in agreed areas. Prime Minister Skerrit has also called on the media to play an active role in disseminating information on the Treaty and facilitating public discussions on its provisions.
The public education and consultation process is expected to last one year during which copies of the draft Treaty will be made available to the public. At the end of the year, the necessary revisions will be made to the draft Treaty before it is formally accepted and ratified. The OECS Economic Union Treaty will eventually replace the Treaty of Basseterre which established the OECS on June 18th 1981.
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