BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – REGIONAL integration is no longer optional but essential for the survival of small island states facing mounting global uncertainty, according to Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Dr. Didacus Jules.
Speaking at the opening of the 77th Meeting of the OECS Authority on Tuesday (June 17) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Jules described the current geopolitical climate as one of “deep and turbulent transformation,” warning that small states are disproportionately bearing the brunt of global shifts.
"We are living through a global crisis. That is a convergence of climate emergencies, economic shocks, pandemics, geopolitical conflicts and technological disruption.”
He cautioned that the decisions made now will determine not only the relevance of the OECS but the viability of its member states as functioning societies.
Since the swearing-in of U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year, the global order has faced significant disruption, with smaller states in particular struggling to adapt. The OECS region, still recovering from the economic and social fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, is also grappling with the compounding effects of climate change, global trade tensions, wars, and supply chain disruptions.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently downgraded the economic outlook for the Caribbean, which is heavily reliant on U.S. imports for food and other commodities.
Jules painted a stark picture of the region’s vulnerabilities: "For the OECS, these global shocks strike a fragile structure - 80% food import dependency, over-reliance on tourism, rising debt., imported transnational criminality, misaligned education systems, strained health services, and a haemorrhaging of talent. We are not just vulnerable, we are systemically exposed," he stated
Despite these headwinds, the OECS continues to push forward. Yesterday's (Jun. 17) 7th Sitting of the OECS Assembly tabled six pieces of legislation focused on contingent rights, standards, food and animal health, plant protection, and customs—efforts aimed at strengthening institutional frameworks within the region.
Jules also highlighted positive developments in education and reiterated the OECS’s commitment to fostering an environment that supports human development.
The 77th OECS Authority Meeting is being chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and is taking place in the capital, Kingstown.
