The Caribbean joins in mourning with Saint Lucia
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Contact: Claudia Monlouis
"A great Caribbean Leader passes on"
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 – The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States extend condolences to the Family, Government and people of Saint Lucia on the passing of their beloved Prime Minister, the Right Honorable Sir John George Melvin Compton, on Friday 7th September 2007.
According to the OECS Statement Sir John was, throughout his political life, a towering figure in the regional integration movement, and will be remembered in particular for the significant role he played in the establishment and growth of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
Senior Communications Officer Kendol Morgan reflected on Sir John's strong advocate for the islands of the Eastern Caribbean.
“Sir John played a significant role in establishment and early growth of the of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States the OECS. Prior to the creation of the islands were in arrangement called the WISA Council of Ministers which brought together the Windward Islands and the Leewards Islands after the collapse of the West Indies Federation and while they were working together in areas of functional corporation Sir John felt that those islands as they moved to political independence do so jointly.”
Faced with the daunting task of conducting their own external affairs, including managing and financing overseas diplomatic representation, the governments of the Eastern Caribbean islands turned to Mr. Compton, then Premier of St. Lucia, to chair a Committee to make recommendations on a model for joint overseas representation.
Although Sir John was out of office when, what became known as the Treaty of Basseterre was signed in Basseterre, the capital of St. Kitts and Nevis in 1981 to establish the OECS, his return to the helm of the St. Lucia government in 1982 brought renewed commitment and support for the new organization.
His close working relationship and friendship with other long serving OECS leaders during the early years of the organization, included Dame Eugenia Charles of Dominica, Sir James Mitchell of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Kennedy Simmonds of St. Kitts and Nevis, Mr. Herbert Blaize of Grenada and Deputy Prime Minister Lester Bird of Antigua and Barbuda. Together they helped to create and sustain a number of enduring institutions of functional cooperation among the Member States of the OECS. |
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