St Kitts’ Marsha Henderson takes OECS Tourism Chair, calls for greater regional integration

St Kitts and Nevis: Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, International Transport, Employment and Labour, and Urban Development, Marsha T Henderson, officially assumed the chairmanship of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Council of Ministers: Tourism. The announcement was made during the opening ceremony of the Council’s 9th Meeting on February 11, 2026, in St Kitts.

A two press conference is being held at the St Kitts Marriott Beach resort on February 11 and 12, bringing together tourism ministers, government officials and industry players from across the Eastern Caribbean.

During her opening address, Minister Henderson noted that tourism is a much larger entity than what is considered an economic sector. She described it as the pulse of national economies in the OECS and the region’s most important export, as it supports employment, brings in foreign exchange, infrastructure development, and sustains communities. 

She said that no one country can achieve all of this alone. “No single member state can afford to operate in isolation. Our competitiveness, our resilience, and our relevance will increasingly depend on how well we function as a region,” added the Tourism Minister.

Minister Henderson also urged for greater regional integration. She also asked to end siloed operations and encouraged the idea of a coordinated and data-based tourism industry. The Tourism Minister said that the OECS must be designed for integration, structured for resilience, and prepared for the global market changes.

She thanked the Outgoing Chairman, Senator Adrian Thomas, who is also the Minister of Tourism for Grenada, for his steady leadership. Minister Henderson stated that they would build on what was achieved during his term to reach a more united regional tourism product.

Agenda of the Council’s 9th Meeting

• Improving intra-regional connectivity
• Balancing Investment and Sustainability Standards
• Strengthen Communities 
• Drive Equitable Growth 
• Utilizing Shared Data and Market Intelligence

Minister Henderson said that these goals are practical and not only theoretical, as it focuses on creating greater tourism industry efficiency, competition and resilience. She also said that the plan will benefit not only the Member States, but also help preserve their unique identities.

Attendees of the Council’s 9th Meeting

The meeting was attended by Dr Geoffrey Hanley, Deputy Prime Minister, St Kitts & Nevis; Charles Fernandez, Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation & Investment, Antigua and Barbuda; Luce Hodge-Smith, Junior Minister for Tourism, British Virgin Islands (BVI); Malvern Braithwaite, Deputy Secretary, Tourism, British Virgin Islands (BVI); and Sheila Rampath, Chair of the Tourism Commission of the Guadeloupe Regional Council, Guadeloupe.

Also in attendance were - Béatrice Govindin, Director of Tourism, Guadeloupe; Emily Siousarram, Head of Unit, International Cooperation Department, Regional Council of Guadeloupe, Guadeloupe; Joleyne Robin-Williams, Tourism Planner, Anguilla; Tivanna Wharton, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, St Kitts; and John Hanley, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Nevis.