OECS Heads to meet in Montserrat

November 14, 2008 - OECS Heads of Government will gather in Montserrat on November 19 to 21 for the 48th Meeting of the OECS Authority.

The on-going efforts to establish an OECS Economic Union and the move by Trinidad and Tobago to join the Union will be among the major talking points at the meeting.

OECS Member States have set themselves the goal of forming an OECS Economic Union by 2009. Trinidad and Tobago is expected to become a member of the Economic Union by 2011.

Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Mr. Patrick Manning met with OECS Heads on October 23rd in St. Kitts/Nevis to discuss the way forward. Reports on this encounter and on the progress towards the OECS Economic Union will be presented at the upcoming meeting of the Authority.

Heads will also be updated on current trade issues including the recent efforts by Trade Ministers to fashion an OECS perspective for insertion in upcoming CARICOM/Canada Trade negotiations.

The Ministers want to see a strong focus on the areas of services, development, and special and differential treatment for small island states for the Canada and other trade negotiations. The Heads will also discuss implementation of the recently signed CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

The meeting will discuss recently signed MOUs with Spain and the University of Puerto Rico which provide training and other opportunities for nationals of OECS Member States.

There will also be updates on ongoing Social and Sustainable Development initiatives including the OECS Protected Areas and Associated Livelihoods (OPAAL) Project; Protecting the Eastern Caribbean Region's Biodiversity (PERB) Project; the health care provided by the HIV/Aids Project Unit (HAPU) and the Pharmaceutical Procurement Service (PPS); the OECS Human Development Report and Oceans Governance.

Grenada's Prime Minister Mr. Tillman Thomas is the current Chairman of the OECS Authority. The Meeting takes place at the Montserrat Cultural Centre in Little Bay.

The OECS Member States are Antigua/Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands.