OECS Heads of Government gather for their 41 st meeting in Dominica, June 16 th -17 th at which they will seek to further advance the process of building an OECS Economic Union, and discuss benefits to member states participation in the impending CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The Heads will receive a progress report on the preparatory work being done on an OECS Economic Union Treaty, being developed to more directly facilitate current moves to create a single OECS economic space. 

A major highlight of the meeting will be the presentation of an empirical study commissioned by the OECS Secretariat, and conducted by the United Nations Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean (UN-ECLAC) on benefits to OECS countries from participation in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). OECS member countries are among the next batch of countries to join the initial three countries - Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, in accessing the CSME.

Heads will address challenges facing key areas of economic activity. These include the sugar sector in St. Kitts/Nevis where the government has announced plans to begin the process of winding up production with the current season. The decision comes as the European Commission considers proposals which will sharply reduce export prices. Heads will also be updated on threats to the banana sector in the Windward Islands from current preparations by the European Union to set a single import tariff to replace the current quota arrangements which provided secure preferential access to the EU market and viable returns to banana farmers.  

In the face of these challenges, the meeting will receive recommendations from an OECS Ministers of Agriculture meeting for revitalization of the agriculture sector in the sub-region. There will also be a report from the OECS Council of Tourism Ministers meeting in April which considered measures for further development of the sector.

The Meeting will continue discussions on proposals for OECS regional prison and police services and an OECS Air Transportation policy.

Other discussions will focus on a strategy for disaster mitigation and risk reduction, a Global Fund HIV/AIDS project for the sub-region, and a World Bank study on large scale energy projects in the Caribbean. Heads are also expected to give the green-light to an OECS/Trinidad and Tobago Memorandum of Understanding and seek to advance implementation of an earlier MOU between the OECS and Puerto Rico. There will also be discussions on relations between the  OECS and the University of the West Indies.

The meeting will also decide on a programme of activities to celebrate next year’s 25 th anniversary of the June 18 th signing of the Treaty of Basseterre which established the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.

Contacts:
Kendol Morgan Senior Communications Officer OECS Secretariat This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Raymond O’Keiffe Comm.Officer OECS Secretariat email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it