The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) celebrates its 26th anniversary on Monday June 18th 2007.  It was on June 18th 1981 that the Heads of Government or their representatives from the participating  Eastern Caribbean countries gathered in the St. Kitts/Nevis capital to sign the Treaty of Basseterre which established the OECS.

In separate messages to mark the anniversary, the current OECS Chairman, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica and OECS Director General Dr. Len Ishmael both lauded the ‘OECS Model of Integration’ and the positive impact it has had on the OECS Member States over the past 26 years.  The nine OECS islands, they said, have benefit from cooperation in regional and international trade negotiations, health and education reform, economic development and the fight against HIV/Aids, among many other areas.  

The islands share a number of successful institutions, some of which are being promoted as models for integration movements in other parts of the developing world. These include the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority, the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority and the OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement Services.   

The OECS Chairman and Director General point to the year ahead as holding the potential to be the most significant in the history of the organization.  The OECS Heads of Government will lead a year long engagement with the OECS people on a new draft Treaty which will provide a stepping stone to an OECS Economic Union.  The sub-region’s people has been urged to participate in the national focus group meetings, town hall meetings, media engagements and other public consultations, and help to shape the future of the OECS. Following the consultations the Treaty will be taken to national parliaments for ratification, paving the way for the OECS integration movement to be taken to new level.

The OECS Secretariat also plans to use the year ahead to more aggressively pursue the OECS strategic interests in the changing geo-political environment.  They hope to build on the developing ties with Brazil and expect soon to welcome the establishment of a  Brazilian Mission to the OECS.  They also hope to pursue new trade and investment opportunities among the emerging economic giants in far east Asia through the development of new ties with that part of the world.  The pursuit of the OECS interest is also expected to include further strengthening of ties with traditional allies such as Canada, Cuba and Puerto Rico.

As part of the highlights of the OECS 26th Anniversary observance, the messages from the OECS Chairman and Director General will be broadcast on radio stations across the region.

The OECS member countries are Antigua/Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Anguilla, and the British Virgin Islands.