Since the signing of the Treaty of Basseterre on June 18th, 1981 in St. Kitts and Nevis, the OECS has made dedicated strides towards regional integration.
The OECS Director General, Dr. Didacus Jules in his address emphasized the need for solidarity and unity in order to excel. He mentioned some of the numerous achievements of the OECS, including:
- Free movement of people for labor or otherwise requiring only a Government issued picture ID.
- Strong EC dollar.
- Free driving among member states with a government issued driver’s license.
- Bulk buying of pharmaceuticals for all member states resulting in reduced costs for citizens.
- Closer ties with the French Caribbean resulting in increased tourism and expanded access to specialized health care.
- Purchase of refrigerated freighters to transport agricultural produce between member states, The Virgin Islands and Trinidad and Tobago ensuring a broader and more efficient market.
Dr. Jules went on to highlight areas which needed improvement as well as some future initiatives.
Link: https://pressroom.oecs.org/lets-step-up-the-pace-of-regional-integration
