OECS Heads to say goodbye to CM Fleming at 50th Meeting being hosted by Anguilla

(OECS Secretariat)- Anguilla will play host to Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Heads of Government, at the 50th meeting of the  OECS Authority from Wednesday November 18th to Friday November 20th. According to a release from the organization - currently in it's 28th year of existence, the gathering will include a packed agenda dealing with, among other issues, matters pertaining to the imminent establishment of the OECS Economic Union, the region’s strategic responses to the global economic crisis, and regional crime and security.

Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Hon. Denzil Douglas will chair this historic gathering and is expected to address the opening ceremony on Wednesday evening.

The release futher stated,  "The 50th Meeting of the OECS Authority is also expected to be a fitting send-off for the outgoing Chief Minister of the host country Anguilla, the Hon. Osbourne Fleming, who has announced plans to retire from active politics in 2010.  The OECS Authority will also welcome a new Head to the family in the person of the new Chief Minister of Montserrat, Hon. Reuben T. Meade."  

Additionally, " The 50th Meeting of the OECS Authority promises to be the most covered OECS event so far, as Media personnel from all the OECS Member States will be in Anguilla for a Spokespersons Workshop on the OECS Economic Union, conveniently arranged to coincide with the event. In addition, in solidarity with the event, at least 14 Radio Stations along the OECS News Link Network (www.oecs.org) will join in a live simulcast of the opening ceremony of the historic OECS Authority meeting on Wednesday November 18th in The Valley."

The meeting in Anguilla comes as the current global economic downturn is forcing small countries like those in the OECS to strengthen their ties and work closer together.

In a statement to the press on November 3, Anguilla's Governor, Alistair Harrison who currently has responsibility for the island's Foreign Affairs stated his observation of Anguilla's relationship with regional bodies, saying "Anguilla has membership or associate membership of the ECCU, OECS (we are hosting its Summit very shortly), CARICOM and other regional arrangements, and business there is dealt with by the elected Ministers. I suspect membership of regional organisations will become ever more important for all Caribbean territories, and I have observed that in this region independent and non-independent countries co-operate very successfully in a way that is fairly unique to this region."

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Attachments

Programmes_for_OECS_Heads_November18_20_2009_738805829.pdf