BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – LEADERS and opposition parliamentarians from across the subregion are meeting today (Jun. 17) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the 7th Sitting of the OECS Assembly.
The Assembly will focus on key legislative discussions, including the free movement of nationals within the OECS economic space and the contingent rights associated with that freedom — such as education, healthcare, and other essential services.
Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, highlighted the role of the OECS Assembly as “a legislative filter” that helps shape bills before they are adopted by individual member states. This process supports smoother regional integration by aligning national laws with broader OECS objectives.
"Those touching and concerning contingent rights for migrants, for persons who move, OECS nationals," Dr Gonsalves revealed ahead of the meeting.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Dr. Gonsalves emphasized the importance of ensuring that migrants have access to basic rights under the free movement arrangement.
"You know, you will need to have a certain minimum bundle of contingent rights for your children to go to school, access to the health system and things like this, Gonsalves stated. "And then there are aspects of the economic union for the protocol states where we want to better coordinate the customs management, the customs union, things in food safety and handling, things which touch and concern all of us."
Dr. Gonsalves acknowledged that the OECS Assembly is not yet a fully empowered legislative body, as member states have not transferred formal legislative authority to it. Achieving that would require constitutional changes in the individual countries.
However, he stressed the value of the Assembly in promoting legislative dialogue: “It’s important to have buy-in from both government and opposition MPs. This forum brings together representatives in proportionate numbers. For example, from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, there are three of us participating.”
Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis is also attending the Assembly, leading a national delegation. He is joined by Alexis Jeffers, who is representing the opposition as Acting Leader of the Opposition during the forum.
