VIRGIN ISLANDS AT OVERSEAS COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES SESSIONS

PRESS RELEASE

The BVI’s progress on climate change and financial services were presented at the 15th OCT-EU Forum and OCTA Ministerial Conference in Aruba last week.

Mr. Joseph Smith-Abbott presents at the 

climate change plenary on February 24, 2017.

The conference was held from February 20 to 24 and was represented by a delegation headed by BVI London Office Director, Mr. Benito Wheatley; Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour, Mr. Joseph Smith-Abbott and BVI London Office Deputy Director, Dr. Sandra Besson.

During a plenary session on climate change on February 24, Mr. Smith-Abbott made a presentation on the BVI's participation in the OECS Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) project on climate change adaptation and sustainable land management.

"It was my pleasure to share the progress BVI is making on climate change as a part of the OECS GCCA project. I also offered recommendations on how the Overseas Countries and Territories can implement a wider climate change thematic programme for the Caribbean supported by the EU’, Mr. Abbott said.

The Deputy Secretary also participated in a workshop on implementing the EU's BEST programme on biodiversity in the margins of the 15th OCT-EU Forum.

BVI’s London Office Director and EU Representative, Mr. Benito Wheatley delivered a report at the OCTA Ministerial Conference on the Financial Services Partnership Working Party (PWP) meetings held in 2016, which the BVI co-chairs with the European Commission.

Mr. Wheatley said, "We had a highly successful year of engagement with the EU on financial services which I was happy to report on. We have plans to deepen our dialogue with the EU on tax and transparency in 2017. The BVI will continue to lead in this area."

The Premier of the Turks & Caicos Islands, the Honourable Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson was elected the Chair of OCTA for 2017, while European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Mr. Neven Mimica led the EU delegation at the Aruba meetings.

The BVI is a member of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA), and associated with the EU. BVI is represented at the annual OCT-EU Forum and OCTA Ministerial Conference each year.

The Government of the Virgin Islands is committed to strengthening international relationships, in positioning the Territory for the futurE.

EU Overseas Countries and Territories complete innovation strategies

Innovation In The EU’s Overseas Countries And Territories Moves Up A Gear

BRUSSELS, WILLEMSTAD – Brussels, January 25 – The drive for Innovation in the European Union’s Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) has moved up a gear following the finalization of innovation strategies drawn up by Individual OCTs under the OCTA Innovation project.

Individual OCT innovation strategies detail the innovation landscape, the scope for innovation by sector and action plans to achieve the new goals. The strategies are a key feature of OCTA Innovation, a four-year EU funded project that is leveraging economic diversification and improved regional and global competitiveness in the EU’s inhabited OCTs*.

Fiona Curie was appointed as Innovation Manager by the government of Curaçao to be in the driving seat of all of the project’s activities for the island. OCTA Innovation Team Leader, Milan Jezic von Gesseneck, says: “All segments of society in the OCTs were involved in drawing up the strategies: government, public bodies, businesspeople, academics, scientists, banks, investors, not-for-profit organizations and individuals from every sector – agriculture, construction, the creative industry, energy, financial services, fisheries, food processing, IT, tourism, trade and transport.”

“A great job has been done, but a lot of the work to apply innovation strategies lies ahead. The progress made so far shows that OCT governments understand the crucial importance of innovation for their countries, and are ready to make the systemic innovation, undertaking required to implement innovation across all segments of the economy and society.

The approval letter accompanying Curaçao’s strategy was signed by Prime Minister Bernard Whiteman. It reads: “We fully recognize the importance of innovation to bring sustainable economic growth to the Overseas Countries and Territories. We are highly appreciative to the OCT Association for both having initiated and taken the lead in the Territorial Stategies for Innovation project, and to the EU for providing funding.”

In parallel with actions to develop systemic innovation, the project is directly funding innovation initiatives. It has already secured EUR 1.5 million of EU funding for pilot projects as a first step towards implementing the strategies. “The European Union understands the importance of keeping the momentum of our innovative work and supporting the first steps of the action plans developed on the basis of the innovative strategies,” says Milan Jezic von Gesseneck.

*Anguilla, Aruba, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Falkland Islands, Greenland, Montserrat, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, French Polynesia, Saba, St. Barthélemy, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre-et Miquelon, Sint Eustatius, St.Maarten, Turks and Caicos, Wallis and Futuna.

Overseas Countries and Territories Association convenes in the Virgin Islands

Special Week For OCTS And EU 

In The BVI

Over 150 top government officials from the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) will gather in the Virgin Islands for the Annual OCTA Ministerial Conference on February 26 and the 13th Annual Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) European Union (EU) Forum on February 27.

Led by the Chairman of OCTA and Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE, the OCTs will engage with the European Commission at the highest level. The European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development will be represented by Mr. Neven Mimica at the meetings.

In reflecting on the upcoming meeting, Premier Smith stated, “I look forward to this meeting as the OCTs consider how they have unlocked their value by leveraging their special relationship with the EU and other international and regional partners, to create regional hubs and centres of excellence.”

He added, “OCTs will also reaffirm their commitment to the sustainable use of natural resources and emphasise the importance of coastal marine management and climate change adaptation.”

During his year-long tenure as Chairman, Premier Smith has represented over 20 Countries and Territories, under the theme “Unlocking the Value of the OCTs: Sustainable Development through innovation, competitiveness and green growth”.

In this regard, he has lobbied for strategic development in areas such as green growth, innovation, and access to funding for programming. In relation to programming, the Territory and all other OCTs who are members of the OCTA group, are participating in the Territorial Strategies for Innovation (TSI) Project currently being implemented. 

Additionally, the Regional Small and Medium Enterprise Development project is currently managed by the Virgin Islands, with funding from the 10th European Development Fund (10th EDF), has the participation of 12 Caribbean OCTs including the British, Dutch and French territories. 

The OCTs also recognise their economic, environmental, scientific and strategic value to the EU and the wider region can be developed through EU support for research and development in renewable energy, climate change, biodiversity, conservation, science and technology and other areas.

In observance of the OCTA Ministerial Conference, the Government of the Virgin Islands will hold an educational exhibit under the theme, “Unlock the Value of the OCTs: Sustainable Development Through Innovation, Competitiveness and Green Growth”.

The Exhibition will be showcased in the parking lot of Maria’s By the Sea Hotel on Wednesday February 25 and Thursday February 26 starting from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day. The BVI community is invited to come and view featured displays from the Virgin Islands and other Overseas Territories and learn more about the role of OCTA. 

Nadia James-Harris

Information Officer II

Premier’s Office

Telephone: 468-3701 ext. 2076

Email: njames-harris@gov.vg

"Europe Meets the Americas Business Conference" scheduled for Aruba

Event Announcement Dear Colleague:  CCAA is pleased to inform you share with you an invitation to "Europe Meets the Americas", an event hosted by the Government of Aruba. Please see the letter and included links for details on registration and other information. Sincerely, Caribbean-Central American Action "Europe Meets the Americas" 6-8 May 2013 Dear Madam/Sir, It is with great pleasure that we invite you to the first annual "Europe Meets the Americas Business Conference" to be held on May 6th, 7th, and 8th, 2013 in Aruba. South America's economy is booming. This means that South America's commerce and industry is flourishing and the buying power of approximately 500 million people will grow. South America is and will remain a significant growth point which, regarding culture and perception, leans closer to Europe than to China or India. For trade to and from South America, Aruba is the perfect gateway, and The Netherlands shares and supports this endeavor. To this means both countries signed a cooperation protocol in 2011. This strong troika of two strategic gateways between these two continents is absolutely unique and gives both countries an important lead on the competition. As a gateway, Aruba can assume various roles, such as a business meeting place, a stepping stone to Latin America or to Europe, a showcase, a knowledge hub, or a center for supporting services. This conference will provide a platform for companies from both Europe and the Americas to connect with each other. The main focus will be on sustainable technology, logistics, retail, and business and professional services. The three-day program will provide valuable information on the opportunities within the different continents and regions, presented by prominent international speakers. For more information, please visit our website http://www.eumeetsamericas.com. To register, simply Click Here.   Warmest regards, Europe Meets the Americas Team     Attachments: Event Flyer USAT Report

New European Decision on the association of the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs); expected adoption in March 2012

Special to Overseas Territories Review

This indicative roadmap is provided for information purposes only and is subject to change. It does not prejudge the final decision of the (European) Commission on whether this initiative will be pursued or on its final content and structure.

The Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) are associated with the European Union (EU) through a regime based on the provisions of Part IV of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) and the detailed rules and procedures laid down at present in the Overseas Association Decision of 27 November 2001. 

This current Overseas Association Decision will expire on 31 December 2013. Thus, the European Council in its 22 December 2009 conclusions stressed the importance of updating the unique relationship between the EU and the OCTs to reflect new developments in the EU, in the OCTs and in the wider world. It also encouraged the Commssion, through appropriate dialogue with the OCTs and the Member States, to revise the Overseas Association Decision and to present it to the Council before July 2012.

Historically, the list of OCTs mainly included countries and territories that have in the meantime become independent sovereign countries, most of them ACP countries. This explains why the logic (of the 2001 Overseas Association decision) applied to cooperation between the EU and the OCTs is to a large extent identical to that applied to cooperation between the EU and the ACP states, despite the fact that the OCTs are covered by a separate legal base in the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU).

However, such parallelism does not correspond to the reality in the field, the specific social, economic and environmental challenges faced by the OCTs today, and the close historical, institutional and political ties between the OCTs and the EU. Furthermore, it does not take into account the potential of OCTs as strategically important outposts, spread all over the world, as proponents of the EU’s values. In addition, the wider international context has evolved, in particular as a consequence of globalisation, the ongoing liberalisation of international trade and also the increased regional integration of the ACP countries.

Who will be affected by it?

All OCTs: Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint-Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Anguilla, Cayman islands, Turks & Caicos islands, Montserrat, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis & Futuna, Pitcairn, British Indian Ocean Territory, Mayotte, St Pierre & Miquelon, Greenland, British Antarctic Territory, Falkland islands, South Georgian and South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, French Southern and Antarctic Territories.

The special relationship between the EU and the OCTs should move away from a classic development cooperation approach to a reciprocal partnership to support the OCTs’ sustainable development and promote the EU’s values and standards in the wider world. According to Commission Communication COM(2009)623 the focus of the renewed OCT/EU partnership should be on three central objectives tailored to the OCTs’ specificity:

i) Enhancing competitiveness

ii) strengthening resilience and

iii) promoting cooperation

These objectives are to be pursued via five inter-linked principles and axes of cooperation, which are: 

(a) to support the development of OCTs as centres of excellence

(b) to support the voluntary adoption by OCTs of EU rules and standards

(c) to cooperate with OCTs on environmental issues and disaster risk reduction

(d) promote OCT accessibility, and (e) to ensure trade and economic cooperation.
 

The future association will no longer require a relationship between donor and aid partner as is the case today, but will call for a new framework of cooperation. In this regard, the EUs internal policies offer interesting examples. 

This does not mean that these policies or parts of them should be applied as such to the OCTs, or that the OCTs should be brought within the scope of these policies. Instead, the detailed rules and procedures for the association of the OCTs with the EU after 2013 should continue to be based on Article 203 of the TFEU, but should draw inspiration from successful formulae followed in implementing the EU's internal policies. 

Following the outcome of the public consultation that was organised in 2008, the statements and declarations of the four relevant EU Member States and the OCTs themselves during the last OCT Fora as well as the Council Conclusions of December 2009, the next step would be to submit to the Council a proposal to revise the Overseas Association Decision. This would go beyond routine up-date of existing legislation and would concern the OCT-EU association in all of its aspects. 

Article 203 of the TFEU requires an act adopted by the Council, at the latest when the current Overseas Association Decision expires. As regards the future Financial Instrument a detailed analysis is carried out in the context of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) post 2013. 

Nevertheless, it has to be recalled, that the 2009 Communication indicated that the aim of the new Association should be not to revise the current financial framework with a view to broadening assistance to the OCTs, but rather to limit cooperation to more concentrated areas. The new Association could provide a better access of OCTs to various European Programmes to which they are eligible but also to define rules that would take into consideration the administrative capacity and size of the OCTs.

Wheatley Joins Virgin Islands London Office

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Author of several  in-depth analyses on Caribbean sustainable development

British Virgin Islands London Office

The Director of the British Virgin Islands London Office is pleased to announce the appointment of Eleizer “Benito” Wheatley to the Political and Public Affairs position at the London Office effective 1st March 2011.

Wheatley who holds a Master of Arts Degree in Political Science with an International Affairs concentration and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science is expected to assist the Director with analysis of United Kingdom and European Union domestic and foreign policy; to identify opportunities to advance BVI interests in the UK, Europe and as otherwise required; and to keep abreast of international and domestic issues affecting the Virgin Islands as well as the long term strategic interests of the Territory in order for the BVILO to adequately advise and inform the Government of the Virgin Islands.

‘A son of the soil’, Wheatley is no stranger to international relations. He has a decade of experience in International Affairs and has held positions in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Winrock International, and Southern Center for International Studies and has also worked on a number of projects
for the World Bank, Institute for Caribbean Studies and Foundation for Sustainable Development.

“At such an important point in the development of the EU and of the EU/OCT relationship this position is critical in the day to day operation of the London Office as it seeks to advise the Government of the Virgin Islands on the current and impending issues that affects us as a territory,” says the Director who is confident
that Wheatley will provided the needed support in this area given his training, experience and passion for the subject.

Mr. Wheatley... join(ed) the BVI delegation to the annual Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) Ministerial Conference and the OCTA-European Union (EU) Forum... held in Noumea, New Caledonia, from 28th February to 4th March as one of his first assignments.

“I am anxious to get started and to make a valid contribution to the London Office and to the Virgin Islands, my home,” Wheatley said in regards to his new appointment.

See: Positioning the British Virgin Islands in the New Global Economy

       Global Economic Slowdown and Economic Security in the British Virgin Islands

Caribbean Colonies Seek to Redefine Economic Relations with European Union

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Colonies Seek to Redefine Relationship with EU

By Peter Richards

TerraViva-Europe

http://www.ipsnews.net/

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (IPS) - The newly elected chair of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA), Montserrat's Chief Minister Reuben Meade, wants "trade rather than aid" to form the basis of the future relationship between Europe and its colonies around the world.

The ninth European Development Fund (EDF) assistance programmes are now coming to an end, and Meade wants to "get maximum benefits" for the 17 member countries of OCTA - mainly territories of Britain, France, the Netherlands and Denmark - when EDF-10 comes on stream.

"The European Union rules on drawing down on funds are extremely stringent and it can take years to get a drawdown," Meade told IPS. "What we are trying to do is to ensure that both sides pretty much understands what needs to be done to draw down the money" that plays a significant role in the socio-economic development of these European colonies.

"We continue to face many difficulties in the finalisation of the frameworks for the funds to be released," said Meade, whose island, under the EDF-10, has been allocated 15.7 million Euros for building a new port.

Each year a ministerial meeting between the ministers of the OCTs and a Tripartite Forum between the member states, the European Commission and the OCTs are held. The ministerial meeting sets out the visions, strategy and action plan which is subsequently implemented by the Executive Council, while the Forum outlines the visions for cooperation between the parties.

This year's meeting in early March took place in New Caledonia, a French colony located in the southwest Pacific. The distance proved to be a nightmare for some delegates and Meade, who had expressed his disappointment at the absence of several key European Union representatives, told IPS that a proposal is now being considered that would allow for the annual meetings to be held in Brussels with the OCTs staging "focused" meetings on matters such as the environment.

"This would give the opportunity for all players in the partnership who are involved in facilitating the support to OCTs to be present and can share critical information. Given the scarcity of resources, we have to be mindful of the cost-effectiveness of hosting these fora outside of Brussels," he added.

Meade said another aspect of his stewardship will be to get "Europe to better understand the needs of the territories". He believes the Apr. 12 "Open Day in Brussels" showcasing the socio-economic development strategies of the overseas territories will provide the European parliamentarians and other stakeholders with the opportunity to get "a better feel of what are our challenges".

But Meade, 57, an economist by training, said that he does not like the idea of the Europeans "changing the rules from time to time, (and) shifting the goalpost" with little or no consultation.

OCTA was established as a non-profit organisation in 2002 and has since been working to coordinate the views of the overseas territories, whose leaders have already established a Joint Position paper (JPP) that sets out the framework terms and conditions the European Union will use to prepare the new Overseas Association Decision (OAD).

Market access looms large

The existing OAD, which is a trade regime that gives the OCTs free market access to the EU to help create economic and social prosperity in the territories, expires in 2013. Britain has already indicated that the successor to the OAD must be flexible enough to meet the needs of both the larger, more prosperous territories, and those which are more vulnerable and likely to be in need of development assistance for years to come.

"The mandate of the European Union is to look at poverty reduction and there are some Overseas Territories which do not get direct aid from them," said Angela Greenway, who is also Montserrat's Territorial Authorisation Officer for the EDF.

"There have been challenges with drawing down the funds from approved EU projects and the new agreement will look at the disbursement," she said. Other areas which are covered in the proposed position paper are the issues of environmental protection and trade.

An array of challenges

When he took over the chairmanship of OCTA, Meade said he regarded his election "not only as a serious responsibility but as an opportunity to support the diverse agenda of the OCTs."

"It is no doubt a challenging time to be the chairman of OCTA," he added. "We must face the effects of protracted global economic and financial decline, falling levels of disposable incomes of our people and increasing challenges of war and natural disasters and their demand on scarce resources."

The Montserrat government leader said that the targets set by the EU to be achieved by the year 2020 provide "the basis for hope in the OCTs, if we can fully benefit from such an agenda."

According to Meade these targets include an employment rate of 75 percent of the 20- to 64-year-old-olds in the overseas territories; investment of three percent of the EU's gross domestic product in research, development and innovation; and reducing greenhouse gases by 20 percent below the 1990 levels, conditioned on international agreement.

The targets also call for achieving 20 percent energy from renewable sources and a 20-percent increase in energy efficiency, reducing school drop-out rates to below 10 percent, and having at least 40 percent of 30- to 34-year- olds complete tertiary education or its equivalent.

Committing to 20 million fewer people at risk of poverty and social exclusion is also among the identified targets.

But Meade, a strong supporter of a redefined relationship with the EU, says he hopes at the end of his one-year chairmanship, his legacy would be that the OCTs have been able to gain improved trading opportunities with Europe.

"Basically that's what we are looking at...focusing on trade relationships rather than aid," he said, noting that the OCTs could benefit from their services sector as well as investment opportunities in the European colonies.

In the Caribbean, the OCTs are Anguilla, Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Turks and Caicos Islands. In the Indian Ocean, there is Mayotte, and in the Pacific there are New Caledonia, Pitcairn, French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna. The Falkland Islands, Greenland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon and Saint Helena are also members.

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Montserrat's Chief Minister named chair of OCTA ministerial conference

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BRADES, Montserrat (GIU) – Chief Minister of Montserrat, Reuben Meade, on Monday accepted the chairmanship of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) ministerial conference.

Speaking in New Caledonia at the European Union and OCT Forum, which is the annual gathering of representatives from all of the OCTs and EU member states, the chief minister said it was “both an honour and a privilege to serve the OCTA family in this office. I see my election not only as a serious responsibility but as an opportunity to support the diverse agenda of the OCTs.”

Meade said the targets set by the EU to be achieved by the year 2020 provide “the basis for hope in the OCTs, if we can fully benefit from such an agenda.”  These include:

i. Employment of 75% of their 20 – 64-year-olds.
ii. Investment of 3% of EU’s GDP in Research, Development and Innovation.
iii. Reduction of greenhouse gases by 20% below the 1990 levels (conditioned on international agreement).
iv. Achieving 20% energy from renewable and 20% increase in energy efficiency.
v. Reduction of the school drop-out rates to below 10% and at least 40% of 30 – 34-year-olds completing tertiary education or its equivalent.
vi. Reduction in the levels of poverty and social exclusion by committing to 20 million fewer people at risk of poverty and social exclusion.


However, he said “we must strive for simplicity above complexity; social justice and order above discrimination and pride; and, a cleaner and more sustainable environment above destruction and greed.
“It is no doubt a challenging time to be the chairman of OCTA. We must face the:

• effects of protracted global economic and financial decline;
• falling levels of disposable incomes of our people; and
• increasing challenges of war and natural disasters and their demand on scarce resources.


“There is a need for open discussion about where we all are today. A discussion about what needs to be done individually and collectively to achieve a sustainable future and a realistic allocation of resources to make that future happen. That discussion will include pushing for progress on the [Economic Development Fund] EDF 10 programmes. We continue to face many difficulties in the finalization of the frameworks for the funds to be released,” Meade stated.

He said the OCTs are encountering “the continuous changing of the goal posts in the development of the relevant documentation and processes. We must strive to develop an understanding with the relevant officials in the relevant directorate to overcome these difficulties.”

Meade reiterated his commitment to working with all the OCTs and the European Union to build and focus efforts on a sustainable future and hoped that the Brussels meeting, he is to chair later this year, will show that substantial progress had been made and OCTs “would feel much better about the future of our people.”

Calls for integration of EU and OCT resources for sustained growth

BRADES, Montserrat (GIU) – Chief Minister of Montserrat Reuben Meade has expressed his disappointment at the absence of several key European Union representatives at the EU/OCT Forum now ongoing in New Caledonia and called for more resource integration to reach the established goals.

During his first intervention at the forum, the chief minister said missing from discussions, among others, are members of the EU environment directorate, which is one of the key areas up for discussion in the New Caledonia meetings. He supported a suggestion from the British Virgin Islands to hold all future forums in Brussels, rather than the present practice of rotating the venue dependent on which nation was at the helm.

He noted that many had travelled for miles to “work collectively to build a stronger future” for those they represent. However, he said “some EU directorates relevant to current OCT projects are not attending this Forum as well as regional EU delegations… due to budget considerations.”

“The presence of these personnel is vital at our annual Forum. It provides the opportunity for the OCT’s to dialogue with the Commissioner, the Task Force and the Delegations to share information and in some cases, to plan the way forward for a speedier progress of the SPD, programmes and projects, to which all are in agreement. Given the importance of this issue, I support the intervention by the British Virgin Islands that future fora should be held in Brussels. This would give the opportunity for all players in the partnership who are involved in facilitating the support to OCTs to be present and can share critical information. Given the scarcity of resources, we have to be mindful of the cost effectiveness of hosting these fora outside of Brussels,” Meade said.

The chief minister, who is the incoming chairman of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) Ministerial Conference, said Montserrat is confused by the various pronouncements coming from the European Union.

On the one hand, the joint position papers (JPP) and the political resolutions (PR) speak to partnerships, mutual benefits, and common policies but yet “some of us seem to be under constant threat of losing our economic base and have our reputations undermined by policy directives, activities and pronouncements by the European Union.”

He added that they expected the economies of the OCTs and their way of life should “be protected by our most senior partner(s).”

“We commit to standards of accountability, transparency and good governance and the [European Union] Commission commits to a package of assistance. The goals of our partnership are noble, the standards we aspire to are laudable and the Commission’s support demonstrates their continued commitment to us.

“I dare say that this is a partnership where the member states can suspend or remove our Constitutions, veto our laws, prevent us from borrowing and determine who we have economic and social relationships with. This is a situation that can make political and administrative governance difficult, if not impossible. As a consequence, scarce resources must be diverted from critical programmes into areas where we have had no record of a problem or the volume and quantum of the transactions is miniscule. This is all happening at a time when development and budgetary aid are stagnant or falling, economic activity forecasts are gloomy (notwithstanding short term recovery) and there are both a subtle and overt pressures for OCTs to live on declining budgets.

“This may very well spell disaster for many OCTs that have one or two sector economies, lack natural resources and where government expenditure dominates economic activity. The JPP and political resolution provide a consensus for consideration. However this need for consensus probably masks some of the more specific and serious sustainable development issues of individual countries,” the chief minister’s statement read.

Meade said the potential power of the EU/OCT Forum must be highlighted with the organs of the EU able to transform the economies of the OCTs.

“This underscores the need for balance in using standard policy directives across the diverse range of circumstances within the OCTs. I wish to emphasize the need to integrate and harness the resources and potential of the OCTs for the mutual benefit of the EU/OCT family. It is the only way that we can use our combined economic potential to achieve long term sustainability for all of our peoples,” he said.

Meade also welcomed Bonaire, Curacao, St Eustatius and St Maarten to the OCTA family and wished them well as they developed their governing structures.

Sint Maarten PM Signs OCT Position Paper

Prime Minister Wescot signs Joint Position Paper at OCTA Ministerial Conference in South Pacific



GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – Honorable Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams, on Monday signed the Joint Position Paper (JPP) on the first day (Monday) at the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) Ministerial Conference and the OCT-European Union (EU) Forum on the South Pacific island of New Caledonia.

The Sint Maarten delegation arrived in New Caledonia on Sunday. The JPP entitled, “The Future of the Relations between OCTs and EU,” signing was the first official act of the prime minister at the conference.

Sint Maarten’s approval of the proposals put forward in the JPP is of the opinion that they provide an effective basis for a more current and relevant Association Decision, post 2013.

Sint Maarten hopes the provisions in the paper will be given serious consideration by the European Commission and further developed within a cooperation framework that will be mutually beneficial to all parties concerned.

The Ministerial Conference is the highest political body of OCTA which meets on an annual basis to discuss and agree on policy matters concerning the Association.

The discussions at the meetings are primarily centered on a new EU-OCT cooperation structure. The existing Overseas Association Decision (OAD) or the OCT Decision will expire in 2013.

The OAD is primarily a trade regime which gives the OCTs free market access to the EU. The intention of the decision is also to help create economic and social prosperity in the territories.

The trip is being funded by the EU and is being coordinated by the Department of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK) that falls under the Ministry of General Affairs.

New Caledonia is a French OCT which is located in the Southwest Pacific Ocean approximately 751 miles East of Australia and 930 miles Northwest of New Zealand.


Prime Minister Wescot using OCTA Ministerial Conference to build networks for Sint Maarten



GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – Honorable Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams, is using the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) Ministerial Conference and the OCT-European Union (EU) Forum currently taking place on the South Pacific island of New Caledonia, to build networks with other OCTs. Sint Maarten is also using the opportunity to highlight challenges as well as opportunities as a new member within the OCT group.

The Sint Maarten delegation under the leadership of Hon. Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams also supports proposals for OCTs to gain greater accessibility to EU funding programs.

On Tuesday morning conference delegates were welcomed to the opening of the OCT-European Union (EU) Forum which was officiate by Member of the French Government in charge of the Overseas Territories Minister Marie-Luce Penchard, President of the Government of New Caledonia Philippe Gomes and Commissioner Andris Piebalgs.

There was also a session on “Future OCT-EU Relations,” which entailed the presentation of the Joint Position Paper and of the political resolutions adopted by OCTA as well as statements by Heads of the delegations of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Other statements were made by Member of the European Parliament Maurice Ponga, President of the Regional Council of Martinique on behalf of the Conference of Presidents of Outermost Regions Serge Letchimy (video message) and a statement by Commissioner Andris Piebalgs.

The Ministerial Conference is the highest political body of OCTA which meets on an annual basis to discuss and agree on policy matters concerning the Association. The trip is being funded by the EU and is being coordinated by the Department of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK) that falls under the Ministry of General Affairs.

Montserrat Elected Vice Chair of OCTA

Press Release
Government of Montserrat

Montserrat to play greater role in keeping the OCTA on task

BRADES – Montserrat intends to play a greater role in keeping the members of the overseas territories and the EU partners to task so that the milestones established will be met, says Mrs. Angela Greenaway, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Development & Trade.

The permanent secretary was a part of the delegation led by Chief Minister Reuben Meade to the Forum on the European Commission and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) held in Brussels last Thursday and Friday. Montserrat now holds the Vice Chairmanship of the OCTA and will chair the 2011 sitting of the forum in Brussels.

“The focus of the discussions were the future relations between the OCT’s with the European Commission. The Commission has issued an outline of the possible new elements of the new partnership arrangement. This outline sets out three pillars for possible future development – Enhancing competitiveness, strengthening resilience and promoting cooperation.

It is up to the OCT’s now along with the Commission to discuss in detail, how these pillars will be developed into a new OCT Decision which must be agreed and signed off by the end of 2013. The overall responses from the forum were positive but it is necessary that we stay on top of each member to ensure that the targets are met,” explained the permanent secretary.

“We plan to play a greater role in maintaining the dialogue between the overseas territories and the EU partners. There is a tendency for the momentum to be lost over time as the European Commission become distracted with other issues. Time is important as the current Overseas Association Decision expires on December 31, 2013,” Mrs. Greenaway added.

In his remarks, Chief Minister Meade said Montserrat was “sincerely grateful for the generous contributions from the European Union and the UK government in particular, to our recovery efforts. We are particularly thankful for the indicative budget of 15.7m Euros under EDF 10 which we have allocated to replace our Port that was destroyed in Plymouth, and we hope to receive further assistance, to complete the project now estimated at 30 million Euros.”

The chief minister said the strategic goals in the island’s sustainable development plan 2008 – 2020 “cannot be achieved without both technical and financial support.” He added that “sustainability cannot be achieved by simply focusing on poverty reduction” and there was a need to “redefine our relationship with the EU and ensure we sculpture the development objectives to meet our needs based on our rights to aspire to EU standards.”

The official UK statement said “the successor to the OAD must be flexible enough to meet the needs of both the larger, more prosperous Territories, and those which are more vulnerable and likely to be in need of development assistance for years to come.”

The Green Paper which was launched at the November 2008 forum “recognises that the EU – OCT relationship should be built on one of partnership. This is the basis of the UK’s relationship with our OTs. Partnerships, with their shared responsibilities and obligations, have their ups and downs. There has to be some give and take for a successful partnership to work. Compromise is sometimes necessary. As the re-negotiation moves forward, discussions should be open and transparent. The Commission must have no hidden agenda or pre-conceived ideas and must listen to its’ Territories.”

“The UK agrees that the OCTs should be seen as assets rather than burdens on the EU tax payer. Their links to Europe are long standing and important, but each has its’ own distinct culture, character and diversity. OCTs should however adhere to European values on good governance. Those with a financial services industry must reach internationally agreed standards. And the EU should recognise the progress that has been made in this area.”

“Any proposed changes to legislation have to be relevant, and must take into account the capacity limitations of the Territories. OCTs cannot be tied into legislation that they do not have the resources to implement effectively. Where they cannot meet these requirements, or do not have the expertise to become a centre of excellence there should be no discrimination against them. We cannot have a first and second tier of OCT,” the statement said.

The OCT-EU Forum is a tripartite meeting that includes the associated and dependent territories of the EU (Anguilla; Aruba; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; French Polynesia; Greenland; Mayotte; Montserrat; Netherlands Antilles; New Caledonia; Pitcairn; St. Helena and dependencies; St. Pierre and Miquelon; French Southern and Antarctic Territories; Turks and Caicos Islands; Wallis; and Futuna); the European Commission; and the four EU Member States that have such territories (UK, France, Denmark, and The Netherlands).

This annual meeting is chaired by the European Commission with the aim of outlining the visions for cooperation between the parties, enabling the OCTs to take a full part in the implementation of the OCT-EC association, and to allow a broad-based dialogue to enable the EU, all the OCTs and the Member States to which they are linked to consult each other on the principles, detailed procedures and results of the association.

New Caledonia is the 2010 chair of the OCTA and will host the next meeting later this year or early 2011 in that territory.