French-speaking C’bean could develop closer ties with OECS countries

OECS Chairman and PM of St. Vincent
and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves.

Martinique and Guadeloupe may soon have closer ties with OECS countries.

This has been billed as a “very important strategic development” by OECS Chairman Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines. He was speaking at a press conference following the 56th Meeting of the OECS Authority, held on November 22-23 in Dominica.

He outlined, “An OECS negotiation team has been established, briefs have been prepared, and the team is ready to commence negotiations with the Martinique and Guadeloupe negotiation teams, who have indicated that they would shortly be ready to tango, so to speak.”

Also under discussion at the Heads of Government meeting was placing the Revised Treaty of Basseterre within the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. According to Dr. Gonsalves, this would be so that “the very special position of the OECS Economic Union would be recognised within the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas itself”.

Director General of the OECS, Len Ishmael (left);
and Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit.

He added that The Secretariats of OECS and CARICOM have been asked to meet at the earliest possible opportunity to further discussion on the matter so that we can have it on the agenda at the upcoming CARICOM Intercessional Meeting to be held in Haiti in February next year.

Other topics on the agenda included financing for the OECS Secretariat, the establishment of the Economic Affairs Council, oceans governance in the OECS.

Another point of discussion – and concern – was the new visa restrictions imposed by Canada on St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia. In their official communiqué, the Heads of Government expressed their “continued profound discomfort” with the manner in which this was done. Nonetheless, they agreed that citizens visiting Canada should do “in accordance with the law and immigration procedures of Canada” and urged them to do so.