OECS Heads to meet in Montserrat

~~Adz:Left~~BRADES, Montserrat – The nine heads of government for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) will be meeting today (Nov. 19) in Montserrat for the 48th Meeting of the OECS Authority.

The two-day meeting, held in the Montserrat Cultural Centre, Little Bay, is expected to focus on the efforts made to establish an OECS Economic Union by 2009.

Because Trinidad and Tobago have recently opened dialogue to join the Economic Union by 2011, reports emanating from consultations made between the twin-island Republic’s Prime Minister Patrick Manning and the OECS Heads will also be presented at the meeting.

According to a report from the OECS, other important issue to be discussed will be the region’s Trade Ministers reaching a unified perspective prior to the upcoming CARICOM/Canada Trade negotiations and the effective implementation of the recently signed CARIFORUM/European Union Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

The meeting is also expected to address issues in relation to social and sustainable development initiatives including the OECS Protected Areas and Associated Livelihoods Project, the Protecting the Eastern Caribbean Region’s Biodiversity Project, healthcare provided by the HIV/Aids Project Unit and the Pharmaceutical Procurement Service among others.

The recently-signed Memorandum of Understanding with Spain and the University of Puerto Rico to provide training for nationals of OECS will also be one of the main talking points of the meeting.