Premier of Nevis Heads Delegation to OECS Meeting

Hon. Joseph Parry

(CHARLESTOWN,NEVIS-Tuesday, November 18th, 2008) Premier of Nevis, the Hon. Joseph Parry will head a St. Kitts-Nevis delegation to the Heads of Government gathering on Montserrat, November 19th to 21st for the 48th Meeting of the OECS Authority. The Meeting takes place at the Montserrat Cultural Centre in Little Bay.
 
The St. Kitts-Nevis delegation will consist of Chief Secretary- Mr. Ashley Farrell, Foreign Affairs Officer-Ms. Nyan Farrell and Executive Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister- Mr. Crios Freeman.
 
The OECS Economic Union and the move by Trinidad and Tobago to join the Union will be among the major talking points at the meeting.  OECS Member States have set themselves the goal of forming an OECS Economic Union by 2009.  

Trinidad and Tobago is expected to become a member of the Economic Union by 2011. 
 
Heads will also be updated on current trade issues including the work by Trade Ministers to fashion an OECS perspective for insertion in upcoming CARICOM/Canada Trade negotiations. 
 
The Meeting will discuss recently signed MOUs with Spain and the University of Puerto Rico which will provide training and other opportunities for nationals of OECS Member States.  

There will also be updates on ongoing Social and Sustainable Development initiatives including the OECS Protected Areas and Associated Livelihoods (OPAAL) Project; Protecting the Eastern Caribbean Region’s Biodiversity (PERB) Project; the health care provided by the  HIV/Aids Project Unit (HAPU) and the Pharmaceutical Procurement Service (PPS); the OECS Human Development Report and Oceans Governance.
 
Grenada’s Prime Minister, Mr. Tillman Thomas is the current Chairman of the OECS Authority. 
The OECS Member States are Antigua/Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands.