OECS MEMBER STATES ENHANCE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE OECS ECONOMIC UNION

Castries, September 12- A wide cross section of persons from the OECS Member States of Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis is being trained to further promote awareness and benefits of the OECS Economic Union to the people of the region.

In this regard an Economic Union spokespersons Seminar is being held from September 9th to 11th 2013 in Antigua and Barbuda, where at least 6 participants from each of the mentioned OECS Member States will be trained on the genesis and benefits of the new regional integration regime and how to communicate this information.

The OECS Secretariat’s Regional Integration Unit is encouraging Member States to have the persons who have been trained constantly keep in touch with the public and spread the message about the benefits of Economic Union: “This means going out there and talking to their nationals, being on the ground, being eyes and ears and influencing increased participation by the public in the evolution of the OECS.

Head of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Regional Integration Unit Elma Gene Isaac told the OECS News Link there is need for many persons within the OECS to speak on the matter of Economic Union: “What it means is that we are not looking strictly to the OECS Secretariat as the technical people who go out into the region and try to spread this message with which persons don’t identify. It is to have nationals in each country who are capable of this level of interaction or being constantly in touch with citizens”.

The individuals chosen by the Members States for the spokespersons workshop on the OECS Economic Union include members of the private and public sectors, some of whom are well engrossed in integration matters, and media practitioners.

Isaac says Economic Union evolves, will continue to evolve and with time there is need for more persons to have an understanding of, as well as an ability to give their input on the issues associated with the OECS Economic Union as it continues to transform, and at the same time further integrate the people of the OECS. She states that it is also important that the spokespersons be able to perform their role on an ongoing basis because while technical people go out from time to time from the OECS Secretariat, it is not possible to cover all Member States or to have constant engagement.

A critical part of the spokesperson training is to assist technical people to simplify the language associated with technical work and to communicate integration and economic union in a manner which people understand and which demonstrates how it helps with their daily lives and therefore encourages them to give their input and their feedback and ultimately to profit from the integration movement as far as they can.

The Revised Treaty of Basseterre gives effect to the Economic Union. The OECS Economic Union operates through five organs namely:

The Authority of Heads of Government of Members States of the OECS;

The Council of Ministers;

The OECS Assembly;

The OECS Economic Affairs Council; and

The OECS Commission.

The free movement of people across the Member States is referred to as the most important factor of the OECS Economic Union. OECS Member States are, however, also engaged in initiatives involving the free circulation of goods, the articulation of a Growth and Development Strategy, as well as a Common Tourism Policy, the establishment of the Competition Commission and development of an Oceans Governance Policy among others.

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