Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says an economic union of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) deserves the support of citizens in the sub-region.
His statement comes as OECS member states prepare for the historic signing of the OECS Economic Union Treaty in Basseterre, St. Kitts today.
“There are some things we have to do and maintain our sovereignty, but there are many things that we ought to be doing together to bring greater economic and social prosperity to our citizens as a collective.
“If 25, 27 countries in Europe can do it, different languages, why can’t six of us, seven of us with the same language and basically the same culture and way of life, do it?” Skerrit questioned. The prime minister added that the OECS stands to benefit from the accord.
After today’s signing, OECS member countries will seek to fully implement the economic union.
The signing ceremony for the OECS Economic Union Treaty will be carried live from 5 o’clock on state-owned radio, DBS.
In my opinion you are not right. I suggest it to discuss.
Prophet2 thanks.
SEAN have some coffe and wake up, whose economy liat helping, a banana boat beating LIAT any day, them people running LIAT like a soup kitchen and governments have to constantly be bailing them out, all that money they use to bail out liat could have start an airline with better planes, the other white man that make the deal with SANFORD that is why he get the money, and is not dominicans that like people country they like us and paying us good money for what the dum heads in their country cannot do so what the heck, and sean do you really beleive what you just wrote about the OECS union goshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
FOOLISH in response to your question, the OECS union is a an opportunity for a delegation of big wigs to get a free trip, stay in a fancy hotel, not to mention the perdium and sit around a table and fall asleep or scratch their balls to stay awake, gosh them people just wasteing money talking about signing ceremony my foot send that by email have it signed and scanned back to the secretariat, they should tell us how much all this is costing and what we benefitting from it why they cannot camp in a school, and eat pelaeu and broth instead of all them expensive food, but then again the people of the islands not doing a d…., we need to start having peaceful protests about these meetings and force our leaders to take action, all we have is the EC dollar and soon we will have the CASTLE BRUCE dollar……………………………………………
What de haha ha putting LIAT in that for? If it wasn’t for LIAT you would still be using bannana boats to out of dominica. LIAT is the largest investment in the caribbean and if it is gone our economy will drop, you don’t see STANFORD run with all you money, boy black people real dummy heads.
If all you was listening to the news, all would know wat it’s all about, it’s about the integration of business and people throughout the caribbean but the treaty is placed in a way that countries can pull out at anytime seeing that dominicans like people country too much.
P.M is doing a good job , keep it up you deserve it.
But wait a while , If this was so serious, where was Skerrit? Did he participate in the signing ceremony. I cannot remember seeing him.
To Foolish, this link may help.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/caribbean/news/story/2009/12/091229_oecsunion.shtml
After 2011 here is what the Caribbean will look like with International Airports capable of handling Non Stop Jet Flights from the US, Canada, Europe. Here is a list so far starting north all the way to south America, grab your atlas and start making pencil marks.
Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Turks & Caicos, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St Thomas, St Croix, St Maarten, Antigua, St Kitts & Nevis, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, St Vincent & the Grenadines (after 2011), Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao.
Thats pretty much ever island in the Caribbean with exception of Anguilla, St Barths, Saba, Tortola, Montserrat which have no land to expand their small airports due to their small size. Dominica is no where on this list!
Mr PM you talk about OECS where countries are doing better financially while you dragging your feet on an International Airport. All this talk about improving Dominica is joke. Dominica Labor party has been in power for 10 yrs and nothing to show for it.
Dominicans gave you another 5 yr term to get it right but will have motivation, the will to give us what we want. Tourism is dead and cruise tourist don’t contribute much to Dominica’s economy while you find all sort of excuses why an International Airport can’t be built.
@ Shelli
What the hell are you talking about???
Somebody please tell me what is this OECS union about. What are the significant details here. Allow me to ask these dumb questions.Aren’t we already economically united? Are we talking about jobs here. What are the real benefits here?
Shelli correct me if I’m wrong but you seem to be in agreement that reform is needed. If so Shelli then why did we have to wait after the election. After all the issue had been placed on the table for a long time before the election. What does it take to provide voter ID. After all we’ve spent money of things that were not in the budget . I hate to use the garbage bin as an example,for my argument may seem political. I do agree with crying Dominican- What was wrong with the implementing the voter ID. Was it because it was a proposal by the opposition or was it because it was opposed by Tony Astaphan.
Shelli if the Labor party start talking about reform then I’ll have no choice but to believe that the election was manipulated . so Shelli for the sake of intelligent and honest discussion – Do you think that we need to reform the electoral system. Is there a need for reform when the laws are in the books? Is right to import voters who are not legible to vote whether the act is done by UWP , Labor Party or Freedom Party?
Like Crying Dominican said – No political meandering. Lets move forward a deal with the problem at hand.
Shelli note that I did not insult you nor use any derision in dealing with your comment. I wish that you would encourage ALL to be respectful of everyone’s opinion and stop the insult and arrogane.
There is an observation that needs to be made here; The Prime Minister of Dominica after having lead responsibility on matters of immigration in Caricom/OECS in 2007 got Dominica to secure New Machine readable Passports as well as new and improved drivers license with digital signatures attached to this plastic card in October 2009 (which by the way this same technology could be used for Voter ID Cards ), he sort of slowed down on the mass education drive and switched gears and had instead both pre and post budget consultations throughout Dominica and gave little information about the OECS economic Union.
When dust was raised by the Opposition UWP for Skerrit to cease his political campaign under the guise of the post budget consultation he suddenly switched into full political campaign mode and obeyed the Leader of the DFP and announced the election date within the 48 hours as demanded simply because he knew that all his ducks were in a row already.
It would be good if DNO would have a navigation button on all the articles Skerrit where Skerrit made mention of the OECS Economic Union benefits for Dominica and Dominicans.
The reason we cannot do it is because our leaders wants to want to measure their manhood based on what they can say they accomplish, it would be so nice if we could live as one have a real airline BONDIE NOT LIAT, maybe even a ferry service, train our nurses and law enforcement together and all the rest of the good stuff anyway in the meantime GO SKERRO GO and make them know that Dominica serious and we ready for the long haul