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Contact:
Claudia Monlouis
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Baldwin Spencer, Leader of the United Progressive Party casting his vote
during the Antigua & Barbuda elections |
Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - OECS member states will soon welcome the
newest Head of State to the sub-regional Organisation. Today, new Prime Minister
of Antigua and Barbuda, Mr. Baldwin Spencer was sworn into office.
In an interview with GIS News, OECS Communications Officer Raymond O’Keiffe, who
grew up in Antigua says the new Prime Minister will have a packed agenda to
attend to at the OECS and regional level.
“If he does not attend the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, in St. Kitts, he
will certainly be informed in terms of developments at this meeting, and in
addition to that there is the OECS Heads of government meeting scheduled for
May, this year in St. Vincent, and I am sure that he will be attending that
meeting. He will definitely be welcomed by the OECS Heads of Government,”
commented Mr. O'Keiff.
Like the other Heads, Prime Minister Spencer is expected to bring his experience
and competence to bear on the mandate of the OECS, Mr. O'Keiff said, adding that
he is a Trade Unionist; he has had a lot of exposure; and he is a people person,
who knows about the issues affecting people.
When the heads of government meet, they plan strategies and endorse programmes
to facilitate the development of human resources in the sub- region, so that
they can meet the expectations of globalisation.
Former Prime Minister Lester Bird had been at the helm of Antigua and Barbuda
since 1994, when he took over the leadership of the twin island nation from his
father, Vere Bird. The post of prime minister had been in the Bird family since
the country obtained independence from Britain in 1981.
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