CASTRIES, St.Lucia Aug. 11 – Two years after Heads of Government of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), declared that people of the regional grouping can move freely, Chairman of the OECS Authority Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Baldwin Spencer says the free movement of nationals will continue to hold a pride of place in efforts to further develop one economic space among the OECS Member States.
In a statement released on the weekend by the OECS Secretariat, Spencer said through this regime, arrangements are being enhanced for OECS citizens to enjoy free movement throughout the six independent Member States of the OECS and most recently Montserrat.
“It is extremely important that if we are going to be integrating this region and creating a single economic space for the benefit of the people of the region then they ought to be able to move freely up and down the OECS and it is a critical component of the Economic Union.”
“The arrangements agreed by Member States to give effect to the Revised Treaty of Basseterre are for persons to enter the participating Member States without hindrance and remain for an indefinite period in order to work, establish businesses; provide services or to reside. There is a solid commitment among the Member States to have persons enjoy free movement throughout the OECS Economic Union,” the Antiguan leader said. (CMC)
