Thursday, June 30, 2022 — The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), through its Competitive Business Unit (CBU) with support from the European Union (EU), launched the Project for the Revitalisation and Sustainability of the OECS Business Council on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. This project falls under the OECS-EU Regional Integration through Growth, Harmonisation and Technology (RIGHT) Programme. The OECS Business Council (OBC) was originally established in July 2015, following the vision of the late Honourable Sir K Dwight Venner, former Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, who viewed the private sector as playing a more substantive role in the economic affairs of the region.
Kareem Guiste, Head of the OECS Commission’s Competitive Business Unit, noted: “At the regional level, the need for private sector participation in the processes for policy, regulatory and legislative formulation and implementation is imperative. The goal is to improve private sector representation and participation in relevant discussions of the organs of the OECS.” Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Barbados, the OECS, and CARICOM/CARIFORUM, Luis Maia, said: “We are of the view that by fostering a structured dialogue among all stakeholders, including the private sector, from formulation to implementation, we can boost sustainable investments and economic stability.” President of the OECS Business Council Gordon Charles added: “The OECS private sector has lacked a unified voice to represent its collective issues, concerns, priorities and development goals. We need a strong, unified private sector presence in the development and implementation of policies that impact them.”