MONTSERRAT’S MEADE WANTS OECS TO ‘FREE-UP’ FREE MOVEMENT

By Staff Writer

The Premier of Montserrat, Reuben T Meade, has called on member countries of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States(OECS) to remove any remaining restrictions preventing their citizens from moving and working freely among the islands.

He was speaking in Montserrat last week where the UK Overseas Territory was hosting a meeting of OECS trade ministers.

“We should be able to operate across the OECS as if it is one unitary state

 where we do not need a passport to travel, but a simple identification card and that our driver’s licenses be acceptable across the entire sub-region,” Mr Meade declared.

He said, “Anyone coming from any part of the OECS should not only be given a six-month stamp by the immigration department or immigration departments across the OECS, but be given an indefinite stamp so that they can remain wherever they wish to go and work within the OECS.”

Of the UK Overseas Territories, Montserrat is the only full member of the two blocs with Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands as associate members.

Premier Meade also reminded delegates that Montserrat was a founding member of both the OECS and the wider Caricom (Caribbean Community) group of nations.

The issue of free movement, though contained in the OECS charter, is yet to be ratified and implemented by all member states.

The Montserrat Premier also urged his colleague OECS member states to remove the remaining barriers to travel and resettlement.

“We’ve heard discussions about the professionals being able to move and work freely, the doctors, the lawyers, etc. We also need to ensure we broaden that to include our farmers, our labourers, our construction workers, no matter who they are or what skill they represent; they should be able to travel in the same manner as our professionals. Let us not discriminate.”

Established in 1981, the OECS list among its core objectives ‘making it easier for any citizen and their family members of the seven Protocol Countries: Antigua and Barbuda,  Commonwealth of Dominica,  Grenada,  Montserrat,  St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines to travel and live in any member state with a valid form of ID like a driver’s licence, national identification card, voters registration card, social security card or passport’.

The 1981 Treaty was replaced in 2010 with a Revised Treaty of Basseterre (the capital of St Kitts and Nevis where it was signed), creating an economic union. The updated agreement calls for reducing or removing barriers to trade for a single market with a customs union between the seven full member states.

The sub-regional group comprises 12 members; seven of which are founding or protocol members, with the other five being associate members. Those five are the UK Overseas Territories of Anguilla and British Virgin Islands, along with the French overseas departments/départements et territoires d’outre-mer-(Dom-Toms) Guadeloupe and Martinique and the collectivite of French St Martin.