ST.GEORGE’S, Grenada, May 18th 2011 - Prime Minister Tillman Thomas and Ambassador to the OECS and CARICOM, His Excellency William Joseph, left Grenada today to attend two important regional meetings designed to move the process of regional integration forward.
The two member Grenada delegation will first attend the Heads of Government of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines following which he will travel to Guyana for a retreat of CARICOM Heads.
“The decision of OECS heads to move towards the full integration of our islands is paramount on our minds as we continue to discuss the exact elements needed to achieve that objective. These meetings are extremely important if we are to successfully chart a course for our countries,” the Prime Minister, Who also Chairs CARICOM, said prior to boarding a flight at the Maurice Bishop International Airport this morning.
The meeting will discuss the implementation of the proposal for the free movement of people and goods within the Economic Union, the status of ratification and enactment of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre.
Leaders will also look at the man power skill requirements of the Economic Union, a budget for the operations of the St. Lucia based OECS Secretariat and a work plan for 2011-2012. Further, the meeting will discuss an approach to boundary delimitation issues and the rationalization of overseas missions among OECS states.
The leaders will then travel to Guyana to participate in a CARICOM Heads of Government retreat which was announced during a meeting of CARICOM leaders in Grenada last February.
The CARICOM leaders retreat will seek to address a variety of issues faced by the regional grouping, including the implementation of decisions which are not instituted in their respective countries when the leaders return home.
“We need to address the implementation deficit…it is a persistent problem for us. I think we need to set up a legal framework to address this issue which is undermining the confidence of our people in the ability of the regional machinery to meet their needs,” said the CARICOM Chairman.
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Grenada News