Fellow Citizens of the OECS:

Today, Monday June 18th 2007, we celebrate the 26th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Basseterre through which the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States was created. 

 Our celebrations today bring to an end a year-long series of activities in commemoration of our ‘silver anniversary’.  In many ways, those activities  contributed to making the past year one which I consider to have been very much a benchmark in the continuing evolution of the history of the OECS.

You may recall that momentous occasion in June last year, in the lovely capital city of Basseterre when, for the very first time, an OECS flag was raised.  On that same evening our Heads of Government signed a Declaration signaling their intention to ratify a new Treaty to lead the OECS into an Economic Union.  They have since moved one step further, on the eve of this 26th anniversary, to accept the draft Treaty and to serve notice of their intention to be at the forefront of a campaign to engage in dialogue with all the  people of the OECS, about the provisions of the Treaty and the opportunities it presents for significantly accelerating the pace of development in our sub-region.  

Our member governments have charted a course to deepen the integration process and the years immediately ahead hold the potential for exciting and far-reaching developments, in which everyone of us as OECS nationals will be called upon to play a part.  Even as we put in place domestic arrangements which will strengthen our integration movement, we are also putting in place mechanisms which will allow us to engage more fully with partners in various parts of the world in which we have strategic interests.

The first OECS International Development Conference which was held in January this year, drew high level regional and international experts in a variety of development fields to help us to critically assess the development options for the OECS, as the region positions itself to participate meaningfully in the changing and challenging global economic environment.  This international conference, now poised to be an annual event, will however focus on the principles and philosophy of development as seen through the periscope of Caribbean lens.

Last year we opened an OECS Office in Puerto Rico through which to pursue the sub-region’s tourism, investment, transportation and other interests.  Our thrust in the coming year will see the OECS seeking to build strategic alliances with emerging economic power houses globally, while strengthening the existing ties with traditional allies.  In this regard, the OECS will for example, during this upcoming year, work to establish closer ties with Brazil which, along with India and China, are emerging economic giants in the developing world.  We will build on a visit which I paid to Brazil earlier this year, in response to theirs of a few months ago, and engage in discussions which could lead to the establishment of a Brazilian Mission to the OECS.  I expect to visit Brazil again in August to make presentations on the OECS, to the Brazilian Senatorial Committee on Foreign relations.

Benefits for our OECS people arising from this relationship will include training in diplomacy and fiscal administration among other areas, technical and cultural exchanges, support to the health sector and small industry development.  At the current time, Brazilian authorities are working with their Barbadian counterparts to inaugurate a direct flight service between the two countries.  The three hour flight will significantly reduce the current 32 hour transit time between the two regions, opening up enhanced possibilities for trade and tourism between the two.

We will also mount an exploratory mission to south east Asia in the coming year to among other things, identify new sources of technical assistance and financial support for the OECS Economic Union, human capacity development and seek potential partners for functional cooperation programmes and projects.  While each of our Member States have developed strong bilateral ties with countries in that region, there are undoubtedly real benefits to be gained from relations at the regional level.

We intend to adjust the focus of our OECS Mission to Canada to develop a greater focus on the promotion of trade, investment and tourism.  We want to position the region of the OECS to benefit from Canada’s recent rapid economic growth, fueled by its increased oil wealth.  It is in this context that I will lead a trade, tourism and investment promotion mission to Calgary, in the fall of this year. 

We will also review and refine the operating structure of our technical mission to the WTO in Geneva to ensure that we utilize our presence in Geneva to the fullest possible advantage. The very strong and beneficial ties which our Member States share with Cuba will be strengthened with relations also at the regional level.

This is clearly a year of transition and change in the OECS.  We look ahead to this next year with optimism and enthusiasm as we enter a very exciting phase of deepening the integration process, while engaging aggressively in those relations which will move our strategic interests – as the OECS - forward.

I want to invite you all - from Antigua/Barbuda, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to come out and be part of the public consultations on the OECS Economic Union Treaty when the various events come to your island.  This Economic Union is about each and every one of us and the type of region and the legacy which we want to create for future generations.    

I want to wish each of you a very happy OECS 26th Anniversary.