BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE OECS Economic Union, benefits to be had by the region and its people and the region’s thrust in the direction of further integration were at the heart of presentations and discussions made yesterday (Aug. 13) at a sensitisation workshop designed to promote awareness on the region’s integration thrust.
The event – organised by the Regional Integration and Diaspora Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister – was held at the St. Kitts Marriott Hotel under the theme “OECS Economic Union: Improved Prospects for the OECS Region and its People”.
It drew participation from in excess of 40 individuals representing a wide cross-section of the community.
As explained by the Chairperson of the opening ceremony – Erasmus Williams - the workshop forms part of the mandate of the Regional Integration and Diaspora Unit (RIDU) in the Office of the Prime Minister. The RIDU is the local agency responsible for managing and synchronising integration-related projects within the revised Treaty of Basseterre.
Topics addressed at the workshop included: The Revised Treaty of Basseterre: Purpose, Objections, Policies and strategies for Cooperation, OECS Parliamentary Assembly and The Way Forward which were presented by Director General for the OECS Commission Her Excellency Len Ishmael.
Other topics addressed were: Legislative Action Take by the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis in fulfillment of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre, presented by St. Kitts-Nevis Attorney General Patrice Nisbett; Free Movement of People Regime/Facilitation of Travel and Security, presented by Her Excellency Browne; and Governance Structure of the OECS, presented by OECS Commissioner for St. Lucia Her Excellency Dr. June Soomer.
The Revised Treaty of Basseterre makes provision for the establishment of the OECS Economic Union which equates to a lone economic and financial space.
And as explained by Her Excellency Browne in her opening statement, when the decision was made by OECS heads to take the deeper integrative road, “it was a decision that was informed by the deterioration of economic conditions…within the climate of heightened fiscal challenges and destabilising debt situation aggravated by the crippling effects of globalisation and trade liberalisation, all negatively impacting all sectors of society…”
She said with the Treaty now in effect, “member states are working towards the continued operationalisation of the administrative and legislative arrangements in fulfillment of their respective mandates under the Treaty.
The session was punctuated by a question and answer session where participants were free to bounce questions off the respective presenters, be it for purposes of clarification of additional information.
According to HE Browne, the RIDU would host other sessions as part of its ongoing sensitisation process.
