OECS

Organization of Eastern Caribbean StatesModules pg 435-437Study Guide 6.3-6.5 pages 96-101

AMSR

https://oecs.org

Some islands are not included?Why not?

7 Full (founding) members:

1. Antigua and Barbuda

2. Dominica

3. Grenada

4. Montserrat

5. St. Kitts/Nevis

6. St. Lucia

7. St. Vincent and the Grenadines

What do they have in common?

WHAT THE OECS MEMBER STATES HAVE IN COMMON1. They all belong to the Lesser Antilles

2. They are all small, independent states (except for Montserrat)

3. They are all at a similar stage of economic development

4. They are facing similar socioeconomic problems• Poverty• High unemployment• High birthrates• Brain drain• Reliance on agriculture and tourism• Prone to natural disasters

5. They share common strategies for development

PROBLEMS OF SMALL STATES

1. Small states compete with large countries that can produce more and sell more cheaply

2. Small states have limited resourcesso they depend on larger countries to supply their needs. They are at the mercy of these countries because goods are often highly priced

3. Small states have limited skills and expertise to develop and utilize their resources

Timeline of Integration in the Eastern Caribbean

Stage 1: political integration

1967 - West Indies Associated States Council of Ministers (WISA)

Stage 2: economic integration

1968 - East Caribbean Common Market (ECCM)

Stage 3:

1981 - The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)

Stage 4:

2011 - The OECS Economic Union

The West Indies Associated States Council of Ministers (WISA)

After the larger Caribbean islands had gained their independence from the UK, the Eastern Caribbean islands felt that they needed to band together to work out their own political future.

STAGE 1:

• The first step towards integration in the Eastern Caribbean, following the collapse of the West Indies Federation, started with the West Indies Associated States Council of Ministers in September 1967.

• Political organization

• Based in St. Lucia

• 7 member states

WISA

OBJECTIVES OF WISA

1. To act as a caretaker organization for the member states until they could decide their political future

2. Sharing the costs of providing certain common services

• East Caribbean Currency Authority (1967)

• West Indies Associated States Supreme Court (1967)

MEMBER STATES OF WISA:-

1. Antigua and Barbuda2. Dominica3. Grenada4. Montserrat5. St Kitts & Nevis6. St Lucia7. St Vincent and the

Grenadines

The East Caribbean Common Market

STAGE 2:

• The second stage in the integration process in the Eastern Caribbean came when the same countries established the East Caribbean Common Market (ECCM) in 1968.

OBJECTIVE

• To strengthen ECONOMIC COOPERATION between the member states.

The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)STAGE 3

• After the members of WISA (except for Montserrat) achieved independence, they agreed to deepen relations among themselves by establishing the OECS.

• 1981 – signing of the Treaty of Basseterre

• A community just like CARICOM

• Replaced WISA and the ECCM

• Became a nine member organization when the British Virgin Islands joined in 1984 and Anguilla joined in 1995

OECS

Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

7 Full (founding) members:

1. Antigua and Barbuda

2. Dominica

3. Grenada

4. Montserrat

5. St. Kitts/Nevis

6. St. Lucia

7. St. Vincent and the Grenadines

4 Associate members:

8. Anguilla

9. British Virgin Islands

10. Martinique – April 9, 2016

11. Guadeloupe - March 18, 2019

* Saint Martin (observer status) – no voting rights

OECS Member States

Antigua and Barbuda

Dominica

Grenada

Montserrat

St Lucia

St Vincent and the Grenadines

St Kitts & Nevis

Flags of the full members of the OECS

Anguilla

British Virgin Islands

Martinique

Guadeloupe

Flags of the 4 associate members of the OECS

COUNTRY CAPITAL CITY

1. Antigua and Barbuda St. Johns

2. Dominica Roseau

3. Grenada St. George’s

4. Montserrat Plymouth

5. St. Kitts/Nevis Basseterre

6. St. Lucia Castries

7. St. Vincent and the Grenadines Kingstown

STRUCTURE OF THE OECS

The principal Organs through which the OECS accomplishes the functions entrusted to it:-

1. The Authority of Heads of Government of the Member States

2. The Council of Ministers

3. The Economic Affairs Council

4. The OECS Assembly

5. The OECS Commission

INSTITUTIONS

OF THE OECS

1. the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

2. the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank

3. the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority

The three institutions of the OECS1. The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank – ECCB

2. The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

3. The Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority - ECCAA

THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN CENTRAL BANK – ECCB (1983)

The Monetary Authority for the Eastern Caribbean countries of Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent & The Grenadines.

The ECCB issues the Eastern Caribbean Dollar and maintains its stability and oversees the banking system in the OECS states. Formed in 1983 and based in St. Kitts and Nevis, it replaced the Eastern Caribbean Currency Authority.

The Islands share a single currency, the Eastern Caribbean Dollar ($2.70 ECD = 1 USD). The operation of the currency is overseen by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the monetary authority for the seven OECS governments and the government of Anguilla. [The BVI uses the US Dollar; Martinique and Guadeloupe use the Euro]

The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

• Succeeds the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court which was established in 1967.

• It is a superior court of record for nine Member States, six independent, namely, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and three British Overseas Territories namely, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and Montserrat.

• The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court has unlimited jurisdiction in the Member States

The Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority The ECCAA provides civil

aviation safety and security oversight through a system of inspecting, investigating, monitoring and licensing; and regulates civil aviation activities in all Member States

THE OECS AUTHORITY(Heads of Government)

1. THE OECS AUTHORITY• Comprised of the Heads of Government

• The supreme policy-making organ of the OECS

• Decisions by the OECS Authority are binding on all Member States and on all organs of the OECS

• negotiates treaties or other international agreements on behalf of the OECS

• meets at least twice a year

• The office of the Chairman rotates annually among its members (in alphabetical order of the member states)

2. THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

Takes appropriate action on any matters referred to it by the OECS Authority

3. THE OECS ASSEMBLY

• Each Parliament of independent states which are full member states is entitled to elect five of its members to the OECS Assembly.

• Each Legislature of any other Member State shall be entitled to elect three of its members to the OECS Assembly.

• Members from both government and opposition in proportion to composition of their parliament

• Speaker and Deputy Speaker (2-year tenure)

4. The OECS COMMISSION

• Formerly called the OECS Secretariat

• The principal Organ responsible for the general administration of the OECS

• Comprises the Director-General, who shall convene and preside at meetings of the OECS Commission, and one Commissioner of Ambassadorial rank for each member state.

• The decisions of the OECS Commission shall be taken by a simple majority vote.

H.E. Dr. Didacus Jules,

Director General

The OECS COMMISSION: Functions

Provision of Secretariat services to the Organs of the Organisation, including:

a) servicing of meetings of the Organs of the Organisation; and

b) taking up action on decisions, recommendations or directives approved at such meetings.

Director General of the OECS

• The Director-General is the Chief Executive Officer of the Organisation and is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Organisation.

• Appointed by the OECS Authority

• Serves for a term of four (4) years and shall be eligible for re-appointment

• The Director-General and other members of the staff of the OECS Commission shall neither seek nor accept instructions from any Government or from any other authority external to the Organisation.

Dr. Didacus Jules

• All expenses of the Organization shall be approved annually by the OECS Authority and shall be chargeable to the annual budget.

• Revenues of the budget shall be derived from annual contributions by the Member States and from such other sources as may be determined by the OECS Authority. The budget shall be in balance as to revenues and expenditures.

• There shall be special budgets to meet extraordinary expenditures of the Organization. Each Member State shall pay regularly and in advance its annual contribution to the budget of the Organization and pay promptly its contribution to any special budget

Areas of cooperation in the OECS

• common market including customs union;

• monetary policy,

• trade policy;

• maritime jurisdiction and maritime boundaries; and

• civil aviation,

• common commercial policy;

• environmental policy; and

• immigration policy;

• joint overseas diplomatic or other representation

The OECS Economic Union

Stage 4:

• Formed on January 21, 2011 to help the OECS countries deal with the challenges of globalization and trade liberalization.

• The treaty that brought it into being is THE REVISED TREATY OF BASSETERRE which was signed in St. Lucia on June 18, 2010.

“better socio-economic outcomes for all OECS citizens”

Objectives of the OECS Economic Union:

• To increase competitiveness among firms

• To increase the total output of goods and services

• To improve the quality of life of the people of the member states.

WHAT THE OECS MEMBER STATES HAVE IN COMMON• Common Eastern Caribbean Currency

• All belong to the Lesser Antilles

• All are small, independent states

• Share common strategies for development

• Common Central Bank

• Common High Court

• Joint Stock Exchange

Summary of OECS efforts at integration

1. 1967: WISA; political integration; Goal: share costs of some common services (e.g. Court/Central Bank)

2. 1968: ECCM; economic integration; free trade with each other (free trade area)

3. 1981: OECS; economic integration – formation of a Community; Treaty of Basseterre (signed in St. Kitts and Nevis); trade liberalization/common policies/ functional cooperation/ free movement/harmonized fiscal and monetary policies

4. June 18, 2010 Revised Treaty of Basseterre signed in St. Lucia signalling intent to form the OECS Economic Union; a single market & customs union

- Jan 21, 2011: OECS Economic Union came into effect; “better socioeconomic outcomes for all citizens”; to increase competitiveness among firms, to increase the total output of goods and services, to improve the quality of life of the people of the member states.

Information and image sources

OECS members states map: https://www.undp.org/content/dam/barbados/img/general/undp_bb_caribbean_map_2017.JPG/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg

Map:

• http://www.shipdetective.com/images/maps/caribbean_map-FS.png

• https://pasarelapr.com/images/world-maps-caribbean/world-maps-caribbean-2.jpg

RI Venn Diagram: Wikipedia

OECS Website: https://oecs.org