OECS Chairman Roosevelt Skerrit participates virtually in 40th anniversary

Dominica: Chairman of the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States ) and the Prime Minister of Dominica, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit virtually participated in the OECS 40th anniversary held in St Lucia.

OECS Chairman PM Skerrit said that in 1965 Sir William called an economic and political union of 8 countries, including Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts, and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines.

PM Skerrit stated, “Emerging from the cloud of disappointment that shrouded the optimism of regional will was the movement in the year 1967 from coronal member states to incipient statehood in the configuration of the West Indies allied states, in that year 1967 the embers of regional unity were kindled in the establishment of an aiding architecture.”

Furthermore, PM Skerrit stated, “A West Indies associated member state supreme court which completely enveloped into the eastern Caribbean court of appeal & subsequently the Eastern Caribbean supermen court in 1981 .”

“The transformation of the journey of the eight to what we now celebrate today as the solidarity of the eleven; it was this journey that led us to the milestone,” stated Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit.

Additionally, he also added that the federation’s defunct currency, the British West Indies Dollar, was renovated in 1965 as the eastern Caribbean dollar via Eastern Caribbean Currency Authority, which subsequently found its dynast identity in the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.

PM Skerrit stated, “This 40th year is a historical marker on a road of incrementing convergence greater anticipation & unyielding possibility.”

He further noted, “We all have reached this milestone for one simple cause; we all have always focused on the things that united us rather than the things that divided us .”

PM Skerrit noted that he got support & solidarity during the challenging time from OECS. 

If we look upon the OECS achievements of the past four centuries, the Eastern Caribbean dollar maintained a fixed & immutable exchange rate against the US dollar and is now the most robust and most stable currency in the Caribbean.

The freedom of movement of the population allows the citizens of member states to travel without obstacle or restriction to work, play & study, or relocate to follow cannibals or follow a crusade.

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