Dominica’s ambassador to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Felix Gregoire, has called on St. Lucia to pass legislation to allow free entry and movement of OECS nationals within its borders.
Citizens of the OECS are expected to move freely among member states with only an identification card or driver’s license, work without a permit and receive indefinite stay at ports of entry.
Gregoire said that while several member states have enacted legislation to facilitate such initiatives, St. Lucia has been dragging behind.
“The OECS Secretariat is based in St. Lucia and St. Lucia has not been passing the required legislation,” he said at the 30th AGM of the Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities (DAPD) on Monday. “They have been telling us that they will do it, it is there somewhere but it has not gone to parliament.”
According to Gregoire, he is “making a lot of noise with St. Lucia over that.”
“So now all my effort is on St. Lucia,” he pointed out.
He expressed optimism that the matter will be resolved and pointed out that he is not just being a critic of St. Lucia, but is simply informing the populace of what is going on.
“And I am not saying that to criticize them but for you to know that if you go to St. Lucia, they will give you six months and the six months will come from the CARICOM arrangement,” he stated.
Gregoire said the free movement of people and goods is presently being pushed vigorously within the OECS.
“We have specific things we are pushing right now in terms of the Union … free movement of people and free movement of goods and services, that’s high upon the agenda…” he noted.
He said Dominica has already passed laws for free movement of people and goods and just last month Antigua and Barbuda followed suit.
“Now in Dominica we have passed laws to make all those things happen …,” he noted. “So any OECS citizen can come to Dominica and enjoy all those benefits and they have been enjoying it even before we passed those laws … the government had made the arrangements for that to happen.”
The OECS is a nine-member grouping comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands are associate members of the OECS.
Ok stop it! Some of you who are making comments about St.Lucia/Dominnica, it’s not a St.Lucia/Dominnica thing. Stop going off topic, it’s OECS thing. Stop it.
I am not Saint Lucia nor Dominican but am engaged to a Saint Lucian and yes I am from an O E C S member state. I strongly believe that this union will benefit our little island states .It is much better for two to fight together than one alone. We all need to be more educated on the Economic Union and Indefinite stay for OECS citizens only then we will understand that we are all one people and that there is really no need for us to be pulling down our sister island.
This movement thing should NEVER have to be legislated, when back in the sixties the opportunity for unity was rejected because of selfish politicians, each one wanting to control their own turf, and so after years of independence we continue to be beggars.
beggars are not chooses in the case of Dominica the labour party,they quick to cooperate with any idea that comes up. to me there is very little strategic planning even with the positive is in their face take for example agriculture,look what is happening with tourism messing with the boiling lake drilling a hole under it,WE NEED FREE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE ,DOMINICAN WILL NEED TO ESCAPE TO SAFER GROUNDS IN CASE ROSEAU VALLY EXPERIMENT FAIL
All you stayed there like beggars and allowed Skerrit to destroy the name of Dominica and now you want to blame St. Lucia for not being busy to sign into a program that will allow criminals who hold a Dominican passport to live and work? All you crazy? I would never take a chance with anything to do with this current Dominica and government. What if a terrorist lands in SLU with a Dominican Passport and decides to attack American interests? All YOU FOO?
All of this serves as testament to the fact that we are ill-prepared for any such movement of people. Because we as a people are too busy playing big fish, oblivious to the fact that we are actually swimming about in a teacup. That we should need government to legislate our treatment of each other, speaks volumes in itself. Even when the commonalities that should unite us surpasses the minor differences that may define our individuality as nations; and in the case of Dominica and St. Lucia, even more glaring a reality. There is NOT a single government official to be found in these hateful and hugely unsubstantiated comments I have read thus far. So think for a minute….is it really OUR GOVERNMENTS responsible for our economic and social maelstrom? Or are they just an easy target for our HOUSE nigga and FIELD nigga poster we so readily adopt, when in reality we are just NIGGAS all the same? Fighting each other whilst our own destiny is being lifted from the palm of our hands for the benefit of the view astute opportunists amongst us! THEN WE CRY FOUL!
Even hurricanes, tropical storms, rising gas prices and VAT to connect us when creole and LIAT fails. Yet, we are relentless in our attempts to sever that tie! Ignorant of the fact that a house divided against itself cannot stand!
At this stage I can only hope that this quote holds true, “no amount of government reform can solve that which a crisis is supposed to.” Since we have accelerated our stride towards the latter, I should be optimistic if not sadisticly euphoric!
Free movement is great but what i would like to see is that leading to cheaper ticket prices in LIAT which would enable us to travel better. Less taxes on LIAT will enable better movement.
Hey i can’t travel if i can’t afford it.
I guess they trying to get it going so the many Dominicans that were given passports all over the world can come and vote for them. I hope the opposition is doing their work to ensure that ONLY qualified persons make an X this time around.
You fool
This is the most IGNORANT post thus far! You need to educate yourself on regional integration etc.
Given that Mr. Gregoire is the Ambassador of Dominica to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, is it within his mandate to be “making a lot of noise with St. Lucia” over an internal St. Lucia government matter, in their own parliament? As Dominica’s Ambassador to the OECS, how is this his business?
My suspicion is that if you cannot see the direct link between the Ambassador’s mandate, his noisemaking, and the tardiness of the Lucians then you will not even understand the response to the question that you ask.
get off the computer.
Mr. Gregoire, here are to scripture verses I would like you to read: Ecclesiastes 7 :1 A good name is better than precious ointment. Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
But Mr. Gregoire, if you were the Prime Minister of St. Lucia would you be busy to pass that legislation especially when you know how Dominica’s government has sold our passports to criminals all over the world? Didn’t you warn them? St. Lucia has a good name to protect and they have to be careful that they protect their citizens and country against International Criminals that hold a Dominican passport. So you should put the pressure on your government for spoiling our once- upon- a- time good name, in exchange for corrupt money.
Our government did not think of our name to protect and instead went for the riches at all cost, and now you making noise with St. Lucia? Go and make noise with Skerrit
why is Barbados not in part of such a good thing?? they know better to stay away.
Barbados is not part of the OECS you retard!
can you please tell why do some people write comments and they do not understand or even know the members of the OECS and what does OECS means or are just being foolish and stupid. Can you please identify where Barbados is situated in the OECS?Not wink link But weak link
Hello ! Barbados is a Rich Country – with OIL and Natural Gas in the East – Their Dollar is 2 to I. US Dollar . They don’t want Poor People from the OECS in Their Place . Oh by the way I am not from Barbados .
Barbados is a rich country with oil and natural gas? yet they want to lay off public workers due to mounting debt. yet they too, want to introduce passport vending. Is Jamet intentionally being an idiot?
Lmao.
You Dominicans are so ignorant.
lol.
Just another comedian, another singing for his supper!
Election is near, so this talk about movement of people will get them some votes, because when Dominicans hear about travel, as usual they cry “oh yes he want to make it easier for us to go to St. Lucia you know.”
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Oh, what a thing, what a tangle web we weave when first we try to deceive; political bankruptcy is a bad thing.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
I wonder who is the REAL Comedian? Maybe if you took a look in the mirror you’d have the answer.
While I think this is a very good proposition because this can generate revenue, thus boosting the economic systems of the countries, I cant help but be concerned that with people travelling from country to country how they please and can stay anywhere indefinitely that this can increase criminal activity and serve as a danger to the nationals of any respective country.
St Lucia is leader on crimes in the OECS, strange St Lucian forgot to mention. My sister got a management job in St Lucia and she left after much harassment at work from co- workers telling her to go back to Dominica; immigration showed up at her workplace. Thank God all her documents were intact. They made certain that she knew that this free movement of people was not for St Lucia; go back to her poor country. They paid no attention to the fact that she got there because of her qualifications. This OECS freeness is just an excuse for the leaders to gather together to eat , drink and be merry. It’s only IN DA we allow all kinds of nationalities to come here and we offer them the best jobs because they have a fancy accent different from ours.
I do agree we a serious crime problem such as other islands in the Caribbean. And it has to do with all those foreigners (over the years,) we have allowed to reign freely on our island.
We have a huge Jamaican, Venezuelan community here and many Oecs Nationals (including lots of Dominicans.)
But having said all that, our society is far superior and better than Dominica.
If Saint Lucia will not cooperate, how about moving the Secretariat from Saint Lucia and relocate it to a OECS compliant country?
Mr. Gregoire i feel your pain, they don’t even give you six months, they give you time based on how long you intend to stay which in most cases is less than 6 months.
St Lucia nah ready yet, they think they can go it alone, you all should consider them a renegade and move the OECS head office to Dca.
St Lucia think they all that because foreigners build 5 star hotels, but their people more poor than the other OECS islands with their countless ghettos, all in the center of Castries by the CDC houses is pure Ghetto!!!!!
I REALLY HATE THAT PLACE!!!!!
if only the entire caribbean can get on board ! so we can trade with each other and cut down on the import from external countries, such as the US, Europe and China. Each island can specialize on specific products that we usually import and help us retail more money.
What does Dominica have to trade? PASSPORTS? You believe those headless chickens governing this island can help the citizenry to increase trade?
Stuppessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!
CHANGE IS A MUST!
We in St Lucia are concrened about the sale of Passports to Criminals who appear on the wanted list of FBI, interpol, etc, etc. St Lucia Good name will not be used to the advantage of those Governments who take reckless decisions in the name of economic development
It is great that you are concerned about the good name of St Lucia.
So how do you explain the random murder of visitors to St Lucia?
If appears that you are trying to potray St Lucia as a crime-free haven, but reality check; it is not!
@Dominican Your definition of crime is very shallow indeed. Why did you OMIT, the deadliest of all crimes which have you and thousands of Dominicans AS BEGGARS?
In case you didn’t know, its name is:
CORRUPTION
CORRUPTION
CORRUPTION. It has a fetid smell, and it is particularly dangerous, when it occure at the governmental level.
Never exclude it again from your list of crimes, Sir/Madam. It is wrecking havoc at the core of our society (Dominica). It has impoverished this once flourishing country. Why has it blinded you? Is it that you are benefitting from it?
I hate it, that’s why I AM ONE OF THE CITIZENS WHO WANT CHANGE.
How Long?
Not Long!
Well i would appreciate it if St Lucisa takes urgent steps to implement free movement. The bad thing though is that our population will dwindle even more, since many people will live this country and go. It’s easier to live in St Lucia.
@Dominican, We all know there are crimes all over the world and I don’t believe @St. Lucian is suggesting that St. Lucia is crime-free haven. However, the difference between crimes in St. Lucia and what @St. Lucian stated is: In the case of SLU the murders you made mention of are committed by locals; whereas in the case of Dominica, It is our government that sold our passports to Criminals who appear on the wanted list of FBI, interpol, etc, etc and as a result, anyone holding a Dominican passport has to be of great concern to any nation. That we need to blame our government for as they have become millionaires at our expense.
It has to do with Economic development and who we allow in.
And it will be dealt with where immigration laws will be strengthen to keep out the miscreants.
And i am very much aware of many murders and stabbings in Dominica.
But just recently your government said they are also considering the economic citizenship program to raise money.
Give them credit, St. Lucian have an inflated sense of who they are vis-à-vis other OECS countries. Truth be told, they are catching their a the same as everybody else in the OECS.
@St. Lucian, I cannot believe that you care so much about the good name of St. Lucia when St. Lucians themselves bringing it down, not the nationals of other Caribbean islands. The crime rate in St. Lucia equates some of the cities in the USA. The SHOOTINGS and MURDERS all remind me of NY projects. What the hell. All now, St. Lucia have NOT caught the St. Lucians who murdered the young Dominican girl named Giselle which happened over 10 years ago and all you know but hiding the information from the authorities. Toneh. Las seway eve fais comme si di zor tellement bonne.
i am sure you are not a lucian
LoL! If you were truly St. Lucian you would not dare post such a comment because you would know that there are enough Lucians in high places who do enough damage to Lucia. How many top Lucian cops have been denied entry into the US?
Now, assuming that you are Dominican, please list the number of criminals who “appear on the wanted list of FBI, interpol, etc, etc.” and who have been awarded citizenship under our citizenship scheme. This must be a very easy task.
If you were intelligent enough, you would know why it is so.
And you would understand it has to do with accountability based on judicial killings that the US is seeking.
But of course, you’re just a dominican.
what good name?crime sky high in Lucia,a place i love,
To a fellow Saint Lucian, i am also in support of your comment.
St. Lucia is NOT for Sale! And will never be.
Sir John, didn’t create our Saint Lucian society to let it go to the Dogs.
good job but can i drive in those countries with my dominica license up to six mounths?