Roadtown, Tortola - Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE has reaffirmed the Territory’s commitment to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
Delivering remarks during the opening ceremony of the 49th Meeting of the OECS Authority on Wednesday, the Premier said the reaffirmation is based on the fact that the OECS remains as relevant today as it was in June 1981, when it was established with the signing of the Treaty of Basseterre by seven countries.
Welcoming his OECS counterparts and the respective country delegations, the Premier said the OECS “continues to play a vital role in promoting the welfare of the peoples and islands of our region.”
He added that “the OECS as an institution has solidly positioned itself in the consciousness of the people of the sub-region and it affects every man, woman and child in some significant way.”
The Premier also acknowledged that “in this complex world one of the most powerful strategies for managing change and moving forward with confidence is the establishment of strong and durable regional affiliations and one of our answers is the OECS.”
The promotion of unity and solidarity among member states is one of the objectives of the OECS and Premier O’Neal said this is even more important now as member states grapple with the effects of the global economic downturn.
“Our tourism economies are threatened daily and in the case of the BVI, the financial services sector remains vulnerable to the beat of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.”
The challenges of the current global economic climate resonated throughout all of the speeches delivered at Wednesday’s opening ceremony. In her remarks OECS Director General, Dr. Len Ishmael said challenging times present opportunities for best practices.
“The current financial distress has forced the wider region to engage in discussions at the highest level on the articulation of a regional framework of sharing information with the establishment of a regulatory and monitoring mechanism across the central banking systems and for a greater emphasis on due diligence,” she said.
Outgoing OECS Chairman, Grenada’s Prime Minister, Honourable Tillman Thomas said it is important more than ever for the OECS member states to act in cohesion, going forward with greater unity.
Honourable Thomas said “the challenges that face us are numerous. Our region is caught in the turmoil of the present international economic situation with no control over events and no influence on the outcome of the initiatives being taken by the larger countries.”
However, he noted that the region has not been complacent. “Despite the limitation of our capacity to shape these events, we have not stood by helplessly wringing our hands in despair, we have been putting in place our own responses to manage the effects,” the Grenadian Prime Minister said.
Incoming OECS Chairman, Dr. Lowell Lewis, the Chief Minister of Montserrat said the way forward is through continued collaboration. He cited the many achievements of the OECS and recommended a number of initiatives.
“For example, an OECS Tourism Authority that specialises in multi-destination marketing, a transportation company with a fast inter-island ferry service as well, an inter-island sporting league for cricket, football, basketball and other sporting disciplines,” the Montserratian Chief Minister stated.
The OECS Authority is the highest decision-making body of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. It meets twice annually in member states to discuss a range of issues pertinent to the organisation.
British Virgin Islands News