OECS Secretariat, Castries St. Lucia December 15th, 2009: It was with a deep sense of sadness and loss that the OECS Secretariat received the news of the passing of former Acting Director General of the OECS, Mr. George Goodwin Jr, in his native country Antigua & Barbuda.

Mr. Goodwin, (affectionately known as "Juni"), was a stalwart of OECS integration and development, having spent most of his working life in the service of the member states of the OECS. He worked briefly with the Regional Development Agency in the 1960's, and then with the East Caribbean Common Market Secretariat, and when this transformed into the Economic Affairs Secretariat of the OECS, he continued to work with the new Organization in Antigua & Barbuda.

He functioned in various capacities in the Economic Affairs Secretariat until 1997, when with the incorporation of the Economic Affairs Secretariat into the St. Lucia based Central Secretariat, he transferred to St. Lucia as Director of Functional Cooperation, in which post he served until called to act as Director General in late 2001. Mr. Goodwin demitted office in 2003 at which time he had worked with the OECS for some 22 years, or for the whole existence until then of the Organization in this form. When his service with the ECCM is also considered, it would be seen that he was indeed a foundation pillar of the integration process of the Eastern Caribbean. Up to the very end, Mr. Goodwin continued his close commitment to and identification with OECS integration, as he was looking forward to being present in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, to witness the signing of the new OECS Treaty bringing into being the OECS Economic Union.

Mr. Goodwin molded and influenced generations of staff members of the OECS, instilling in them the notion of sanctity of the cause of OECS integration and development, and exhorting them also to be faithful to this cause. His contributions are immeasurable and the people of the OECS are better off for his work and service.

The Director General and Staff of the Secretariat of the OECS extend deepest condolences to his family and friends. George Goodwin Jr. certainly deserves the wish and hope that he may Rest in Peace.

The Secretariat will be represented at this funeral by a delegation headed by Mr. Randolph Cato, Senior Director at the Secretariat.