The meeting at City Hall in Ottawa was coordinated by OECS High Commissioner to Canada, His Excellency Brendon Brown, and was addressed by Dr. Ishmael and Director of the Economic Affairs Division of the OECS Secretariat Mr. Randolph Cato.

OECS nationals were told that a draft Economic Union Treaty was available for public discussion and they were urged to access it at the OECS website and submit their own recommendations on the provisions they would like included in the final document.  In their very focused and forceful contribution to the discussion, several members of the audience expressed a strong desire to see a major role carved out for the Diaspora to participate meaningfully when the union is established.  They wanted to share their skills, to be able to invest across the region, and to help promote OECS interests in their adopted homeland.

The Secretariat team urged the gathering to work together to move their ideas into action.  High Commissioner Browne also promised to work with the Secretariat to organize a follow-up meeting at which a legal expert will be available to discuss the specific provisions of the draft Treaty.

In moving forward, the meeting was told, the OECS is aggressively pursuing its developmental interests in the changing geopolitical environment, reaching out to emerging economic powerhouses like Brazil and countries in the far-east.  However, the participants were also told, the OECS also continues to build on the traditional friendship of long standing allies like Canada which in recent years has been expanding its economic presence in the Caribbean, especially in the banking sector where Canada owns the three largest banks in the region.  Canadian Prime Minister Mr. Stephen Harper has pledged 600 million dollars over the next ten years to aid the Caribbean’s development.  The OECS team has indicated that among the opportunities opened for Canadian investment and partnerships are those in the offshore financial sector, the creative industries, offshore education and the health and fitness sector.The Ottawa Diaspora meeting was part of an OECS Road Show which is promoting the region in the Canadian cities of Halifax, Ottawa and Calgary.