New Dominica Prime Minister to address OECS meeting

Thursday, January 22, 2004

ROSEAU, Dominica: New Dominica Prime Minister Mr. Roosevelt Skerrit will address the opening ceremony of the OECS Heads of Government meeting which takes place in St. Lucia, January 22 and 23.

Mr. Skerrit took over the leadership of Dominica following the sudden death of Mr. Pierre Charles on January 6th.

During the business session of the meeting, he is also expected to present an update on Dominica's economic recovery programme and his projections for the way forward.

Another new Head of State, the Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands, Dr. Orlando Smith will also address the opening ceremony.

Dr. Smith was elected to office last year, replacing the long serving Mr. Ralph O'Neal.

It is also the first OECS Heads of Government meeting for Director General Dr. Len Ishmael, who assumed the leadership of the OECS Secretariat in May last year, and she will also make her first presentation at Thursday's opening ceremony.

The ceremony will also be addressed by host Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony. 

Current Chairman of the OECS Authority, Chief Minister Mr. John Osborne of Montserrat, only returned home this week after a medical operation in the United States and is unable to attend the meeting.

The two-day meeting is expected to agree on measures to further advance the movement towards an OECS economic union, including common OECS Citizenship, and the common OECS passport.

The Heads are also due to examine the level of implementation of the OECS Development strategy that will guide the future economic development of the sub-region.

Several critical issues involved in current international trade negotiations, such as the proposed hemispheric Free Trade Area of the Americas, are also down for discussion.

The Heads are also expected to give their approval for a number of cooperation initiatives that offer wide-ranging benefits to the people of the sub-region. These include stronger OECS/Puerto and OECS/Guadeloupe relations.

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

  Back...

  Most popular articles: viewed, printed and e-mailed

  Printable version