Martinique OECS membership described as ‘historic’

oecs-flags-200x300
Flags of the OECS

Chairman of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, has welcomed Martinique’s move to join the island grouping saying it is a historic occasion.

On Wednesday Serge Letchimy, President of the Regional Council of Martinique signed the accession agreement of Martinique to the OECS, making it the first French territory to enter the organization as an associate member.

The ceremony took place at the Hotel Bateliere in Martinique.

“You the Martiniquan people, I want to applaud you for allowing the president to sign on to the OECS,” Skerrit said at the ceremony. “Because without your support we would not have been able to achieve this occasion here this evening.”

He stated that he is very excited about Martinique joining the OECS and he looks forward to engaging Guadeloupe so that it also can join.

“I know there is political will, there is support in Guadeloupe for this…” Skerrit said.

A release from the government of Martinique said the agreement to join the OECS was the result of technical negotiations between the OECS Commission and the Regional Council ofMartinique which started in March 2013.

The agreement stated that cooperation will be held in the following areas:

-Education, Sport, Health
-Sea and air transportation
-Leisure boating and tourism
-Arts & Culture
-Cooperation in development & research of foreign funding solutions
-Development of renewable energies
-Cooperation in sciences
-Sea resources management
-Agriculture
-Development of a business-friendly environment
-Promotion of operations in natural risk management & protection of population
-Promotion of a mobility-friendly environment

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18 Comments

  1. The Facts
    February 6, 2015

    Congratulations to Martinique, one of our sister islands, as an OECS member. In time, your membership will serve and benefit you and Dominica well.

  2. faceup
    February 6, 2015

    Associate member that’s it… Martinique don’t need any more refugees 8-O

  3. Dominican
    February 5, 2015

    hopefully the benefits are mutual and not simply one sided.

  4. positive
    February 5, 2015

    Great news………people should be more interested in celebrating Caribbean integration than petty politics…

  5. A Doubting Thomas
    February 5, 2015

    Welcome Martinique as a member of the OECS. One of our closest neighbours; this is a very good thing.

  6. joe
    February 5, 2015

    More Great news, this is going to be a year of achievements!!!!!!!!!!

    • Ma Moses
      February 5, 2015

      I don’t know what it means for us ordinary folks but right now I am more interested in Solid Waste collecting my garbage in a timely manner. Sorry P.M. but that is more important to me right now than Martinique joining OECS.

  7. anonymous
    February 5, 2015

    would really like to understand what are the terms and conditions for martinique as an OECS member? since OECS member states share a wealth of cooperation and integration.

    • PS
      February 5, 2015

      Martinique is only an associate member and in practice that does no mean much. it is an occasion for the big boys to congratulate one another with backslapping and good intentions but very little concrete beyond that.

      • A
        February 5, 2015

        I peeped that on the news this morning ‘associate’ member and i was wondering sighs but its a start i guess never mind all the applause please tell me what does all of this means for d.a and martinique?!

      • Alain Gabriel-Régis
        September 9, 2015

        … So true.

  8. TRUTH MAN
    February 5, 2015

    whats in this for me. does that mean i can go martinique without a visa? and they now going to use the EC DOLLARS

    • angel
      February 5, 2015

      lol that s not for right now . you have to provide insurance and have somebody doing paper work for you in Martinique. most people in Martinique will not allow the ” political leaders” to open futher their doors because they have a feeling of English speaking caribbean as people not briging anything to theme. These guys squezzed in that signature, no body knows anything about OECS in Martinique.

      • The Facts
        February 6, 2015

        Martinique surely does not need any more criminals. A country needs people who can contribute to its revenue and who enhance it. It does not need any freeloaders and troublemakers who depend on it for their livelihood. Therefore do not blame it if it closes its doors to certain people. Today, all reputable countries are doing exactly that. They want people of progress; not regress.

    • A
      February 5, 2015

      why would they now use ec smh. a visa isnt needed to go to martinique.id like to know what opportunities and benefits are there for both dominica and martinique

  9. atruemartiniquecarib
    February 5, 2015

    Wow, awesome stuff!!!! Great to finally have one of the French islands as a member of the OECS. A very beneficial milestone!

    • Titiwi
      February 5, 2015

      Man, you can’t even fly from here to Martinique on a scheduled flight even though they are next door so what is all that hoopla bout?

      • The Facts
        February 6, 2015

        So what? Is this Martinique’s fault? You should blame this on LIAT and whatever other airline.

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