COMUNICADO DE PRENSA
El señor Presidente del Ateneo Puertorriqueño, el Dr. José Milton Soltero Ramírez expone, que desde su origen, el Ateneo Puertorriqueño surge en función de la defensa de la Nación. El debate de las ideas y el pensamiento de la Nación, es su razón de ser.
En la defensa de estos principios se justifica su existencia. Sin éstos, el Ateneo Puertorriqueño no tendría por qué existir. A través de su historia, en todos y cada uno de sus momentos, el Ateneo Puertorriqueño ha estado presente y ha tomado partido frente a las más importantes coyunturas de la Nación.
En el pasado cercano el Ateneo Puertorriqueño ha tomado partido en la defensa del idioma español, en la lucha por la desmilitarización de Vieques, por la reafirmación de la Bandera Puertorriqueña y por la descolonización de nuestro país. Por medio de su Comisión de Status el Ateneo resuelve que Puerto Rico necesita una democrática solución de status, de tipo no colonial y fuera de la cláusula territorial. El Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño (PIP) recogió todos estos principios y sometió una Resolución la cual fue aprobada por unanimidad en la Asamblea Legislativa y luego fue vetada por el ex gobernador Aníbal Acevedo Vilá. Hoy, el Presidente del PIP, el Lcdo. Rubén Berríos Martínez, ha vuelto a presentar su propuesta a los presidentes del Partido Popular Democrático (PPD) y del Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP); veremos a ver cuál es su respuesta. El Ateneo Puertorriqueño toma posición y se alinea en el campo de la descolonización y apoya en su totalidad la propuesta sometida del PIP.
EL PROPÓSITO Y PRINCIPIO FUNDAMENTAL DEL ATENEO PUERTORRIQUEÑO ES DEFENDER LA NACIÓN PUERTORRIQUEÑA; por lo que ante las coyunturas que puedan atentar contra la Nación, el Ateneo Puertorriqueño se definirá SIEMPRE A FAVOR DE LA NACIÓN. En el caso de la descolonización, el Ateneo pondrá todos sus empeños en ayudar al pueblo a poner en práctica todas aquellas acciones que nos conduzcan a afirmar nuestra nacionalidad.
Continuando con esta, que es la misión histórica del Ateneo, ahora tenemos que tomar posiciones y éstas siempre estarán en la trinchera de la Nación. Quedarnos en el "status quo" por el solo hecho de que recibimos una ayuda financiera que nos hace la vida económica más fácil, NO ES MÁS IMPORTANTE que los principios que mantienen nuestra sagrada misión.
Hoy enfatizo que el Ateneo Puertorriqueño contribuirá al debate de ideas que enriquezcan a la Nación. Es por esto que el Ateneo ha tomado las siguientes posiciones y determinaciones:
LA DESCOLONIZACIÓN DE PUERTO RICO:
Hasta que Puerto Rico no se descolonice, el Ateneo Puertorriqueño seguirá buscando la solución a esta coyuntura, puesto que la colonia atenta contra la vida misma de nuestra Nación.
La única solución descolonizadora es la obtención de la soberanía y la única forma de obtenerla es la independencia y en función de ésta podremos asociarnos, anexarnos o conservar la independencia. Las Naciones Unidas, a través de su Comité de Descolonización, aclaró ante el intento de Timor de ser anexada por Indonesia, que esto no era posible, pues un pueblo invadido por otra nación tiene que conseguir primero su soberanía y desde ahí solicitar su asociación o integración a otro pueblo.
LA UNIVERSIDAD DE PUERTO RICO (UPR):
La alta gerencia de la Administración de la UPR, ha realizado acciones que atentan contra la existencia misma de la UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL. El Ateneo Puertorriqueño, -la primera universidad que tuvo Puerto Rico-, no concibe una universidad pública sin el adjetivo NACIONAL.
La UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL es aquella que produce la discusión intelectual, que crea el quehacer del pensamiento que responde a los grandes problemas nacionales, los cuales son únicos, aunque no exclusivos, de Puerto Rico. No podemos aceptar que se considere a la UPR como un centro de estudios supeditado a la aceptación económica de sus egresados y por tanto a la demanda que tengan sus ofertas educativas.
Una UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL es la mayor y mejor oferta para educar al pueblo y por consiguiente, la ciudadanía. Nuestra sociedad puertorriqueña no podrá producir soluciones si no vive y se desarrolla en un ambiente que discute, observa y crea las formas y los mecanismos que ayuden a solucionar los grandes problemas que afecten a la Nación.
Por lo tanto si las acciones de la Administración de la UPR atentan contra la permanencia de la UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL, tenemos como Ateneo Puertorriqueño, que tomar partido por aquel grupo que defienda a ésta, y éstos son LOS ESTUDIANTES DE LA UPR. Por ello, el Ateneo Puertorriqueño dedicó la fiesta nacional de celebración de la Bandera Puertorriqueña a la lucha de los estudiantes por una universidad pública, nacional y acorde con las necesidades de nuestro pueblo. Y continuará su respaldo a éstos en la lucha por una Universidad de la Nación Puertorriqueña.
Finalmente, expresamos, que el crear una política cultural gubernamental le corresponde al Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. Pero crear una política de defensa de la Cultura Puertorriqueña en su más amplia acepción, le corresponde sin discusión y por derecho histórico al Ateneo Puertorriqueño, que fue fundado por los Padres de la Patria en el año de 1876.
Estos fueron, son y serán los principios que le han dado vida al Ateneo y con ellos seguiremos haciendo lo que nos corresponde. Para sostenerlo contamos con el intenso trabajo cultural y de AFIRMACIÓN NACIONAL realizado y por realizar de sus comisiones de Historia, Ciencias Políticas y Morales, Artes Plásticas, Literatura, Música, Cine, Teatro, Ciencias Físicas, Naturales y Matemáticas, nuestro Conservatorio Nacional de Arte Dramático y nuestro Archivo Nacional de Teatro y Cine.
03 February 2011
Positioning the British Virgin Islands in the New Global Economy
"To achieve economic security, the BVI must adapt to the new realities of the global economy."
By Benito Wheatley
CEO of The Wheatley Consulting Group
For comments or questions please send e-mails to:
benitowheatley@gmail.com
The global financial crisis (crisis) did considerable damage to the British Virgin Islands economy. It weakened global demand for both the territory’s tourism product and financial services, which resulted in sharp declines in tourist arrivals and international business incorporations in 2009. While the economy improved in 2010, growth remains weak on sluggish economic recoveries in the United States (US) and Europe; and stronger financial regulation at the global level. Realizing a full economic recovery will require the territory to adapt to the new economic realities of the post-crisis world.
The two most notable outcomes of the crisis are the economic weakening of the US and Europe and the robust economic recoveries of China, India, Brazil and other emerging markets that were largely insulated from the worst of the financial turmoil. Following negative growth in 2009 and anemic growth in 2010, the US and Europe in 2011 are forecast to grow at rates of about 2.5 percent and 1.5, respectively. Their fragile recoveries are characterized by large budget-deficits, high national debts and high unemployment that are expected to be a drag on economic growth in the coming years. A growth rate of four to five percent is expected by the end of the decade.
By contrast, China and India, who registered strong economic growth in 2009 and 2010, are forecast to grow between 8 and 9 percent in 2011. In addition, Brazil and other large emerging markets are forecast to grow at about five percent and higher. Extended forecasts estimate emerging market countries as a whole sustaining high economic growth through 2020.
This shift in the global balance of economic power has serious implications for the BVI economy. Namely, the sustainability of the tourism and financial services sectors in the face of weak demand from the US and Europe. If global economic trends hold, the recovery of tourism and financial services will be constrained by low economic growth in the US and Europe over the coming years. In order to ensure the sustainability of these sectors and the economy as a whole, the BVI must adjust its economic growth strategy to fit the new global economic landscape. This will require diversifying the economy to tap new global markets and strengthening the global competitiveness of the tourism and financial services sectors.
Diversifying the Economy
The development of new economic sectors is needed in large part to broaden the territory’s economic base and to help insulate it from global economic shocks like the financial crisis.
One potential new sector is outsourcing. Economic trends in the global outsourcing market indicate that new business opportunities are emerging in North America and Europe. In their private sectors, the financial industry has come under intense regulatory and financial pressures that are driving firms to outsource their mid- and back-office functions. In their public sectors, fiscal pressure is building to reduce budget deficits at a time when governments are faced with the challenge of providing unemployment benefits to the masses of newly unemployed, social security to retirees, and healthcare benefits to senior citizens, children, military veterans and the disabled. These developments are also pushing governments at every level to outsource back-office functions and some frontline services to lower cost providers.
These developments represent business opportunities for the BVI. The territory has the corporate infrastructure to take advantage of outsourcing needs in areas such as accounting, administration, finance, records management etc. Its competitive edge lies in its ability to deliver high quality services at a lower cost than onshore. The BVI also has the distinct advantage of native English speakers and close proximity to the US and Canadian markets and somewhat farther away European markets.
Improving our Tourism Product
In the tourism sector, improving the BVI’s tourism product will require a number of measures including the implementation of customer service standards for the hospitality industry, investing in state of the art accommodations, developing alternative tourism industries, and establishing direct international flights from major tourism markets.
As the foundation of hospitality, customer service in the territory must be improved. Improving the quality of customer service will require the hospitality industry to adopt a set of minimum-- internationally recognized (e.g., The Customer Service Institute of America’s charter) --customer service standards that are supported and reinforced by training and certification of customer service professionals working in the industry. Research indicates that there is a strong correlation between high-quality customer service and return visits by travelers.
The BVI must also upgrade its accommodations to include state of the art convention, conference, wedding and entertainment facilities and services. These needs can be met in part by the development of another luxury hotel. Adding these amenities to the territory’s tourism product and putting them, and existing facilities and services, to optimal use will help the BVI to capture a greater share of the international conference, convention and wedding markets in North America, Europe and the Caribbean.
Upgrades to the BVI’s tourism infrastructure should be complemented by the availability of direct flights from North America (i.e., US and Canada), Latin America (i.e., Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile) and Europe (i.e., UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain) to the territory. However, this will only become a reality when the runway at the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport is extended to accommodate wide-body jetliners.
Improvement of the basic fundamentals of the tourism industry should be followed by the opening up of the tourism sector for investment in emerging industries such as eco-tourism, medical tourism, health and wellness tourism and sports tourism. Special care should be given to rationally spreading tourism development across the archipelago to make the most productive use of the territory’s 40 islands, cays and islets.
Finally, the BVI’s tourism product must be aggressively marketed to the rest of the world. Marketing campaigns should not only target traditional tourism markets in the US and Europe, but also nearby emerging markets in Latin America and those far away in Asia. Ease of travel from Latin America and the availability of Spanish/English translation make the region attractive for tourism expansion. In terms of future tourism business, Asia is forecast to become the largest source of outbound tourists in two decades; a fact that cannot be ignored by the BVI.
Promoting Financial Services
In the financial services sector, incorporations have picked up since the crisis, but greater promotional efforts are needed to further raise the BVI’s profile. Current efforts would be greatly boosted by the establishment of International Finance Centre branch offices in strategic foreign locations (e.g., Brazil, Singapore, London, New York etc.). A permanent presence is necessary to achieve the level of engagement with the global financial industry needed to drive more financial services business to the territory.
The financial services sector must also strengthen its corporate infrastructure to improve its competitiveness as an offshore financial center. This in real terms means recruiting the needed accountants, insolvency practitioners, fund administrators, lawyers and other professionals that can efficiently deliver the high-quality corporate services desired by clients. The industry must also expand its range of services where possible to offer clients value added services (e.g., banking, trading etc.) in addition to fund domiciliation and international business incorporation.
Finally, in the area of shipping registration, an aggressive marketing campaign is needed to promote the BVI. In 2010, the global yachting industry improved upon its poor performance in 2009 and is expected to see an upswing in 2011. With regulatory authorities in popular Mediterranean countries like Greece and Italy cracking down on the owners of locally registered luxury vessels (e.g., megayachts/superyacht), the BVI can take advantage of the demand in these markets for shipping registration services.
Tapping Emerging Markets
In revising its economic growth strategy, the BVI must give special attention to emerging markets. Two-dozen fast growing countries, including Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC), are rapidly expanding their middle and upper classes. Combined, their middle classes number almost two-billion consumers who spent $6.9 trillion in 2009. By 2020, this number will rise to $20 trillion when emerging markets will account for two-thirds of the global consumer market. With respect to the new upper classes, emerging markets are experiencing the fastest increase in high net worth individuals (i.e., persons with $1 million in assets) in the world. These new consumer groups represent vast markets for the BVI and should be opened up to the territory’s tourism and financial services sectors.
Conclusion
Since the global financial crisis, the economic landscape of the world has changed. To achieve economic security, the BVI must adapt to the new realities of the global economy. This will require diversifying the economy to tap outsourcing markets in North America and Europe and strengthening the global competitiveness of tourism and financial services. It will also require tapping emerging markets in Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East for business opportunities presented by their rapid growth. It is only by making these necessary adjustments to the territory’s economic growth strategy that the BVI will thrive in the 21st century.
By Benito Wheatley
CEO of The Wheatley Consulting Group
For comments or questions please send e-mails to:
benitowheatley@gmail.com
The global financial crisis (crisis) did considerable damage to the British Virgin Islands economy. It weakened global demand for both the territory’s tourism product and financial services, which resulted in sharp declines in tourist arrivals and international business incorporations in 2009. While the economy improved in 2010, growth remains weak on sluggish economic recoveries in the United States (US) and Europe; and stronger financial regulation at the global level. Realizing a full economic recovery will require the territory to adapt to the new economic realities of the post-crisis world.
The two most notable outcomes of the crisis are the economic weakening of the US and Europe and the robust economic recoveries of China, India, Brazil and other emerging markets that were largely insulated from the worst of the financial turmoil. Following negative growth in 2009 and anemic growth in 2010, the US and Europe in 2011 are forecast to grow at rates of about 2.5 percent and 1.5, respectively. Their fragile recoveries are characterized by large budget-deficits, high national debts and high unemployment that are expected to be a drag on economic growth in the coming years. A growth rate of four to five percent is expected by the end of the decade.
By contrast, China and India, who registered strong economic growth in 2009 and 2010, are forecast to grow between 8 and 9 percent in 2011. In addition, Brazil and other large emerging markets are forecast to grow at about five percent and higher. Extended forecasts estimate emerging market countries as a whole sustaining high economic growth through 2020.
This shift in the global balance of economic power has serious implications for the BVI economy. Namely, the sustainability of the tourism and financial services sectors in the face of weak demand from the US and Europe. If global economic trends hold, the recovery of tourism and financial services will be constrained by low economic growth in the US and Europe over the coming years. In order to ensure the sustainability of these sectors and the economy as a whole, the BVI must adjust its economic growth strategy to fit the new global economic landscape. This will require diversifying the economy to tap new global markets and strengthening the global competitiveness of the tourism and financial services sectors.
Diversifying the Economy
The development of new economic sectors is needed in large part to broaden the territory’s economic base and to help insulate it from global economic shocks like the financial crisis.
One potential new sector is outsourcing. Economic trends in the global outsourcing market indicate that new business opportunities are emerging in North America and Europe. In their private sectors, the financial industry has come under intense regulatory and financial pressures that are driving firms to outsource their mid- and back-office functions. In their public sectors, fiscal pressure is building to reduce budget deficits at a time when governments are faced with the challenge of providing unemployment benefits to the masses of newly unemployed, social security to retirees, and healthcare benefits to senior citizens, children, military veterans and the disabled. These developments are also pushing governments at every level to outsource back-office functions and some frontline services to lower cost providers.
These developments represent business opportunities for the BVI. The territory has the corporate infrastructure to take advantage of outsourcing needs in areas such as accounting, administration, finance, records management etc. Its competitive edge lies in its ability to deliver high quality services at a lower cost than onshore. The BVI also has the distinct advantage of native English speakers and close proximity to the US and Canadian markets and somewhat farther away European markets.
Improving our Tourism Product
In the tourism sector, improving the BVI’s tourism product will require a number of measures including the implementation of customer service standards for the hospitality industry, investing in state of the art accommodations, developing alternative tourism industries, and establishing direct international flights from major tourism markets.
As the foundation of hospitality, customer service in the territory must be improved. Improving the quality of customer service will require the hospitality industry to adopt a set of minimum-- internationally recognized (e.g., The Customer Service Institute of America’s charter) --customer service standards that are supported and reinforced by training and certification of customer service professionals working in the industry. Research indicates that there is a strong correlation between high-quality customer service and return visits by travelers.
The BVI must also upgrade its accommodations to include state of the art convention, conference, wedding and entertainment facilities and services. These needs can be met in part by the development of another luxury hotel. Adding these amenities to the territory’s tourism product and putting them, and existing facilities and services, to optimal use will help the BVI to capture a greater share of the international conference, convention and wedding markets in North America, Europe and the Caribbean.
Upgrades to the BVI’s tourism infrastructure should be complemented by the availability of direct flights from North America (i.e., US and Canada), Latin America (i.e., Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile) and Europe (i.e., UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain) to the territory. However, this will only become a reality when the runway at the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport is extended to accommodate wide-body jetliners.
Improvement of the basic fundamentals of the tourism industry should be followed by the opening up of the tourism sector for investment in emerging industries such as eco-tourism, medical tourism, health and wellness tourism and sports tourism. Special care should be given to rationally spreading tourism development across the archipelago to make the most productive use of the territory’s 40 islands, cays and islets.
Finally, the BVI’s tourism product must be aggressively marketed to the rest of the world. Marketing campaigns should not only target traditional tourism markets in the US and Europe, but also nearby emerging markets in Latin America and those far away in Asia. Ease of travel from Latin America and the availability of Spanish/English translation make the region attractive for tourism expansion. In terms of future tourism business, Asia is forecast to become the largest source of outbound tourists in two decades; a fact that cannot be ignored by the BVI.
Promoting Financial Services
In the financial services sector, incorporations have picked up since the crisis, but greater promotional efforts are needed to further raise the BVI’s profile. Current efforts would be greatly boosted by the establishment of International Finance Centre branch offices in strategic foreign locations (e.g., Brazil, Singapore, London, New York etc.). A permanent presence is necessary to achieve the level of engagement with the global financial industry needed to drive more financial services business to the territory.
The financial services sector must also strengthen its corporate infrastructure to improve its competitiveness as an offshore financial center. This in real terms means recruiting the needed accountants, insolvency practitioners, fund administrators, lawyers and other professionals that can efficiently deliver the high-quality corporate services desired by clients. The industry must also expand its range of services where possible to offer clients value added services (e.g., banking, trading etc.) in addition to fund domiciliation and international business incorporation.
Finally, in the area of shipping registration, an aggressive marketing campaign is needed to promote the BVI. In 2010, the global yachting industry improved upon its poor performance in 2009 and is expected to see an upswing in 2011. With regulatory authorities in popular Mediterranean countries like Greece and Italy cracking down on the owners of locally registered luxury vessels (e.g., megayachts/superyacht), the BVI can take advantage of the demand in these markets for shipping registration services.
Tapping Emerging Markets
In revising its economic growth strategy, the BVI must give special attention to emerging markets. Two-dozen fast growing countries, including Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC), are rapidly expanding their middle and upper classes. Combined, their middle classes number almost two-billion consumers who spent $6.9 trillion in 2009. By 2020, this number will rise to $20 trillion when emerging markets will account for two-thirds of the global consumer market. With respect to the new upper classes, emerging markets are experiencing the fastest increase in high net worth individuals (i.e., persons with $1 million in assets) in the world. These new consumer groups represent vast markets for the BVI and should be opened up to the territory’s tourism and financial services sectors.
Conclusion
Since the global financial crisis, the economic landscape of the world has changed. To achieve economic security, the BVI must adapt to the new realities of the global economy. This will require diversifying the economy to tap outsourcing markets in North America and Europe and strengthening the global competitiveness of tourism and financial services. It will also require tapping emerging markets in Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East for business opportunities presented by their rapid growth. It is only by making these necessary adjustments to the territory’s economic growth strategy that the BVI will thrive in the 21st century.
Eastern Caribbean integration bolstered by Role of institutions
Antigua and Barbuda Parliament to be home of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean General Assembly
by: "Erasmus Williams" sknpmpresssec@hotmail.com
erasmuswilliams2000
(CUOPM) – Current Chairman of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas is crediting several institutions with the successes of the regional integration movement and keeping it alive.
In a statement to mark the coming into force of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre Establishing the OECS Economic Union, Prime Minister Douglas singled out the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority and the OECS Secretariat.
He noted that for the last forty years, long before the formal establishment of the Organisation, the people of the OECS have benefitted from the operation of a single, fully functional regional judiciary, the OECS Supreme Court.
“This institution finds no parallel in the world, except perhaps with the European Court of Justice. Quite apart from its excellent record within the region, it has had a long and proud record of contributing to the development of international jurisprudence, with some of its best legal minds being pressed into service toward the resolution of problems in various parts of the world,” said Dr. Douglas.
He boasted that since 1965, long before it was ever contemplated by the region’s friends in Europe, OECS Member States have enjoyed a single currency, the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, which stands today as one of the most stable currencies in the world, having maintained a fixed rate of exchange to the US Dollar since 1976, thirty-five years ago! This currency, the associated institutional arrangements, and the entire banking system within the OECS is managed and regulated by a single authority, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.
This institution which had its origins in the 1965 establishment of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Authority is today a Central Bank of the highest international repute!
Another institution of long standing is the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority, which boasts a successful record in the management and regulation of the airspace and civil aviation within the OECS.
The region’s success at integration is also evident in the establishment and successful operation of other institutions of more recent vintage but of equally high international standing, such as Eastern Caribbean Stock Exchange, established upon a platform that is one of the most technologically advanced; or the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority, the single Authority for oversight of a fully liberalized Telecommunications Sector; or the OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement Service which has realized tremendous benefits for the regional Health Sector through the joint procurement of pharmaceuticals. Indeed, the OECS approach to the procurement of pharmaceuticals has attracted much interest in various parts of the developing world.
“At the centre of it all is the OECS Secretariat, the principal Organ responsible for the general administration of our Organisation, and in particular, implementation of activities leading to the formation of and now the operationalisation of the OECS Economic Union. The Secretariat is responsible for promoting such pursuits as joint diplomatic representation in major international capitals and institutions; policy harmonization and coordination in various spheres of human endeavour including critical areas such as energy, tourism, air transportation, health, education and judicial reform, as well as trade negotiations,” said Prime Minister Douglas in a radio and television statement to the peoples of the independent OECS states of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
He pointed out that in recent times, and at the behest of the Authority, the Secretariat has been engaged in a process of representing the region’s strategic interests through the development of relationships internationally, with non-traditional partners in different parts of the world – a move which has brought major dividends by way of the mobilization of unprecedented levels of developmental resources.
“These institutions and policy approaches to which I refer, have not only contributed significantly to the vastly improved quality of life which our people now enjoy, but they have also served as models for other countries and groups of countries in circumstances similar to ours. Indeed the OECS Model of Development has been hailed by leading international institutions such as the World Bank as a model worthy of emulation by Small Island Developing States,” said the Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, OECS Chairman and Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Antigua and Barbuda to be home of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean General Assembly
CALIVIGNY ISLAND, Grenada
Heads of Government of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States meeting on Calivigny Island in
Grenada for a Special Retreat of the OECS Authority have agreed that the parliament of Antigua and Barbuda will be the home of the OECS General Assembly.
Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer speaking from Grenada on Monday evening said that based on a proposal presented by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda which outlined the amenities and features of the Antigua and Barbuda parliament, Heads agreed that it would be ideal for the General Assembly which will consist of Members of Parliament and Legislatures from member states of the OECS.
The OECS General Assembly is one of the new organs established under the Revised Treaty of Basseterre establishing the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Economic Union.
The OECS General Assembly will be the body responsible for considering and reporting to the OECS Authority on any proposal to enact Acts referred to it by the Heads or Council of Ministers. The General Assembly will consist of five members of parliament from Independent States with at least one member coming from the opposition benches. The members must consist of the Prime Minister and Leader of the
Opposition.
The Legislature from the other member states of the OECS will elect three members with two members coming from the elected government while the opposition will elected one member. Members of the Assembly are eligible to serve for two years from the date of election.
This is an important achievement for Antigua and Barbuda. We have been leading the way in matters relating to OECS integration and to have the OECS General Assembly in Antigua and Barbuda is a symbol of our commitment to the cause of bringing the region closer together. The Government is looking forward to the convening of the General Assembly very shortly,² said Prime Minister Spencer.
The Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda is believed to be one of the most modern and state-of-the- art architectures in the region. Among some of its notable features and amenities are its multimedia and technology features, conference and workshop facilities, Observation Deck and dome shaped Debating Chamber. The Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda, which is approximately 47, 000 square feet was built in 2006 by the Hadeed Group of Companies.
OECS Heads met in retreat in Grenada to discuss among other things the operationalisation of the OECS Economic Union, OECS Secretariat manpower, OECS Regional Security matters and review resources deployed in representational activities at national and regional levels.
by: "Erasmus Williams" sknpmpresssec@hotmail.com
erasmuswilliams2000
(CUOPM) – Current Chairman of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas is crediting several institutions with the successes of the regional integration movement and keeping it alive.
In a statement to mark the coming into force of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre Establishing the OECS Economic Union, Prime Minister Douglas singled out the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority and the OECS Secretariat.
He noted that for the last forty years, long before the formal establishment of the Organisation, the people of the OECS have benefitted from the operation of a single, fully functional regional judiciary, the OECS Supreme Court.
“This institution finds no parallel in the world, except perhaps with the European Court of Justice. Quite apart from its excellent record within the region, it has had a long and proud record of contributing to the development of international jurisprudence, with some of its best legal minds being pressed into service toward the resolution of problems in various parts of the world,” said Dr. Douglas.
He boasted that since 1965, long before it was ever contemplated by the region’s friends in Europe, OECS Member States have enjoyed a single currency, the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, which stands today as one of the most stable currencies in the world, having maintained a fixed rate of exchange to the US Dollar since 1976, thirty-five years ago! This currency, the associated institutional arrangements, and the entire banking system within the OECS is managed and regulated by a single authority, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.
This institution which had its origins in the 1965 establishment of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Authority is today a Central Bank of the highest international repute!
Another institution of long standing is the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority, which boasts a successful record in the management and regulation of the airspace and civil aviation within the OECS.
The region’s success at integration is also evident in the establishment and successful operation of other institutions of more recent vintage but of equally high international standing, such as Eastern Caribbean Stock Exchange, established upon a platform that is one of the most technologically advanced; or the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority, the single Authority for oversight of a fully liberalized Telecommunications Sector; or the OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement Service which has realized tremendous benefits for the regional Health Sector through the joint procurement of pharmaceuticals. Indeed, the OECS approach to the procurement of pharmaceuticals has attracted much interest in various parts of the developing world.
“At the centre of it all is the OECS Secretariat, the principal Organ responsible for the general administration of our Organisation, and in particular, implementation of activities leading to the formation of and now the operationalisation of the OECS Economic Union. The Secretariat is responsible for promoting such pursuits as joint diplomatic representation in major international capitals and institutions; policy harmonization and coordination in various spheres of human endeavour including critical areas such as energy, tourism, air transportation, health, education and judicial reform, as well as trade negotiations,” said Prime Minister Douglas in a radio and television statement to the peoples of the independent OECS states of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
He pointed out that in recent times, and at the behest of the Authority, the Secretariat has been engaged in a process of representing the region’s strategic interests through the development of relationships internationally, with non-traditional partners in different parts of the world – a move which has brought major dividends by way of the mobilization of unprecedented levels of developmental resources.
“These institutions and policy approaches to which I refer, have not only contributed significantly to the vastly improved quality of life which our people now enjoy, but they have also served as models for other countries and groups of countries in circumstances similar to ours. Indeed the OECS Model of Development has been hailed by leading international institutions such as the World Bank as a model worthy of emulation by Small Island Developing States,” said the Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, OECS Chairman and Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Antigua and Barbuda to be home of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean General Assembly
CALIVIGNY ISLAND, Grenada
Heads of Government of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States meeting on Calivigny Island in
Grenada for a Special Retreat of the OECS Authority have agreed that the parliament of Antigua and Barbuda will be the home of the OECS General Assembly.
Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer speaking from Grenada on Monday evening said that based on a proposal presented by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda which outlined the amenities and features of the Antigua and Barbuda parliament, Heads agreed that it would be ideal for the General Assembly which will consist of Members of Parliament and Legislatures from member states of the OECS.
The OECS General Assembly is one of the new organs established under the Revised Treaty of Basseterre establishing the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Economic Union.
The OECS General Assembly will be the body responsible for considering and reporting to the OECS Authority on any proposal to enact Acts referred to it by the Heads or Council of Ministers. The General Assembly will consist of five members of parliament from Independent States with at least one member coming from the opposition benches. The members must consist of the Prime Minister and Leader of the
Opposition.
The Legislature from the other member states of the OECS will elect three members with two members coming from the elected government while the opposition will elected one member. Members of the Assembly are eligible to serve for two years from the date of election.
This is an important achievement for Antigua and Barbuda. We have been leading the way in matters relating to OECS integration and to have the OECS General Assembly in Antigua and Barbuda is a symbol of our commitment to the cause of bringing the region closer together. The Government is looking forward to the convening of the General Assembly very shortly,² said Prime Minister Spencer.
The Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda is believed to be one of the most modern and state-of-the- art architectures in the region. Among some of its notable features and amenities are its multimedia and technology features, conference and workshop facilities, Observation Deck and dome shaped Debating Chamber. The Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda, which is approximately 47, 000 square feet was built in 2006 by the Hadeed Group of Companies.
OECS Heads met in retreat in Grenada to discuss among other things the operationalisation of the OECS Economic Union, OECS Secretariat manpower, OECS Regional Security matters and review resources deployed in representational activities at national and regional levels.
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