“..and her memory will be revered…”

The OECS Secretariat on Wednesday September 7 th 2005 issued a statement in tribute to the late Prime Minister of Dominica Mary Eugenia Charles.

 The 86 year-old regional icon, passed away in Martinique this week. The statement was enclosed in a letter to the Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica. The full text of the OECS Secretariat Statement reads as follows;

“The Director General and staff of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States wish to extend condolences to the family and the people of the Commonwealth of Dominica on the recent passing of Dame Mary Eugenia Charles. Dame Eugenia Charles played a pivotal role at the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and her memory will be revered. We recall that she was one of the original signatories to the OECS Treaty of Basseterre, and she was always unstinting in her commitment to the OECS integration process. Her contributions to OECS Heads of Government Meetings were legendary. During her tenure as Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica from 1980 – 1995, she also served as Chairman of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States on many occasions. We remember her firm leadership in October 1983, while as Chairman of the OECS, in spearheading the restoration of order in Grenada through the involvement of the United States Government under then President Ronald Reagan, and other Caribbean nations.

She was also in the forefront of the struggle to maintain favorable market access for bananas from the Windward Islands to the markets of Europe, after the advent of the European Single Market in 1993. She was known affectionately to many as the Iron Lady of the Caribbean and was able to more than hold her own with her male counterpart Prime Ministers. History will undoubtedly see her as a towering figure in the leadership of Dominica, the OECS, and the Caribbean. Even as we mourn her passing, we celebrate her life and her contribution to her times. It is thus with an immense sense of loss that we join the family of the late Dame Mary Eugenia Charles and the Government and people of Dominica on this occasion. The Secretariat of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States wishes to take this opportunity to renew to the Commonwealth of Dominica the assurances of its highest consideration.” 

Mary Eugenia Charles (second from right below) was Prime Minister of Dominica from 1980-1995. She was also parliamentary representative of Roseau from 1970. Ms. Charles was Dominica’s Signatory to the Treaty of Basseterre that established the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in June 1981. The other signatories were the then Deputy Prime Minister of Antigua/Barbuda Lester Bird; Prime Minister Maurice Bishop of Grenada; Government Minister Franklyn Margetson of Montserrat; Premier Dr. Kennedy Simmonds of St. Kitts/Nevis; the late former Prime Minister of St. Lucia Mr. Winston Cenac Q.C and Deputy Prime Minister Hudson Tannis of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands joined later as associate members to bring the sub-regional grouping to nine.

It was about a year ago when another Signatory to the Treaty of Basseterre, former Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Mr. Winston Cenac Q.C passed away.

The OECS was established to, among other things, promote co-operation among the Member States; to assist the Member States in the realisation of their obligations and responsibilities to the international community; to establish and maintain wherever possible arrangements for joint overseas representation and common services; and to promote economic integration among the member states. OECS governments have decided to further advance the gains achieved since the signing of the Treaty of Basseterre by moving towards an Economic Union of the sub-region.

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