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Free movement is key to regional integration says new OECS Authority chairman

Contact:  Shannon Lebourne

Friday 20 May 2011 – Saint Lucia's Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Honourable Stephenson King says as the new chairman of the OECS Authority he is committed to bringing about significant gains in the free movement of people within the OECS region, free from intimidation and discomfort.

Speaking in his maiden address as Chairman at the 53^rd Meeting of the OECS Authority in St Vincent & the Grenadines, Prime Minister King told regional leaders that the OECS cannot afford to lose sight of its goal for the greater integration of the region.

“We in the OECS are taking on a tremendous challenge; there will be missteps and there will be mistakes, we may have to redesign and some things may take longer than we wish, but we are not going to take our eyes off the ball or loose sight of our goals.

“The OECS integration movement will continue to grow from strength to strength, the OECS Economic Union which we are now energising is a very critical milestone on the path of our collective journey and is a central instrument on our developmental agenda.”

The appointment of the Saint Lucian leader to the position of OECS Authority Chairman, comes just two weeks after Saint Lucia’s Parliament approved the OECS Treaty Bill on April 30, 2011.

Prime Minister King is assuming the chairmanship of the OECS Authority at a timely juncture as he will become the first Prime Minister to preside over the implementation of the OECS Economic Union Treaty.

Prime Minister King will preside as Chairman of the OECS Authority for a period of one (1) year.

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