OECS Economic Union moving ahead - Caribbean360.com

[Anguillan newsboy]

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, May 26, 2008 - Heads of governments of Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) member states are moving forward to establish an Economic Union.

They agreed to press on with the initiative, which builds on an already existing framework of sub-regional institutions, at their 47th Summit which ended here over the weekend.

The leaders have also indicated that they are examining the possibility of having the sub-regional grouping's non-independent member states - Montserrat, Anguilla, and the British Virgin Islands - participate in the Economic Union, taking into consideration the legalities of such a move. Heads of the OECS independent members are expected to accompany the non-independent member states for a joint engagement with the British Government in October.

"We noted the consultant's recommendations that the most effective solution to the constitutional challenges facing the non-independent territories would be constitutional advancement, which would enable them to sign and ratify OECS treaties on their own without having to depend on that authority being delegated by the British Government," St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves noted.

Public dialogue on the creation of the Eoconomic Union was launched in Dominica last month and Gonsalves announced at the meeting that St. Vincent would launch its public dialogue on June 16. Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer previously said he expected the discussion in the twin-island nation to begin shortly.

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