History was made on Sunday night July 16, 2006 when the first Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, OECS Flag was flown at a the Caribbean Soca Monarch Competition. 

The OECS Flag was officially unfurled on Wednesday June 21st 2006 in St. Kitts-Nevis, during activities to mark the OECS 25th Anniversary. At Sunday night’s St. Lucia Carnival event the OECS Flag was flown as a symbol representing the OECS Member Countries taking part in the unprecedented showcase at Mindoo Phillip Park.

The presence of the OECS Flag at this Caribbean event also seeks to demonstrate the unconditional commitment of the OECS to regional integration.Head of the OECS Economic Affairs Division Randolf Cato spoke on the significant development at a welcoming reception for the Caribbean Soca Monarch competitors on Sunday.

“This event is an important one for us and our association with it is a continuation of marking the 25 years that the OECS has been in existence... We are now an important institution in the Caribbean. We are an important force for bringing the smaller countries of the Caribbean together and in many ways the OECS have been leading the rest of the Caribbean. This activity which has moved from an OECS into a wider Caribbean activity is indicative of how much we are showing the Caribbean what can happen once we apply goodwill and good sense in doing things.”

Besides fielding liaison officers and facilitating communication with the competitors, the OECS Secretariat also sponsored the winning trophy for the Caribbean Soca Monarch. Of the 9 member grouping, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, former OECS Soca Monarch winner St. Kitts–Nevis, along with two time OECS Soca Monarch champions St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia were the OECS Member Countries taking part in the novel event.

Fielding two competitors, Trinidad and Tobago made a historic appearance, winning the unprecedented event through Patrick “Mista Vybe” Gorden’s Ting for De Road Song. OECS competitors, St. Lucia’s Jonathan Ninga Dan St. Rose’s Labouwe finished second, while Wendhal Alpha Gerald and George “Platinum George St. Croix, shared third place singing Happy Birthday Carnival and May I respectively. Barbados also took part in this year’s regional musical entertainment showcase.

Antigua-Barbuda, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands were unable to compete in the 2006 Caribbean Soca Monarch.