YOU, ME & CSME?: OECS then and now

‘We did it’.Satisfaction, with a tinge of exhaustion marked the voice of Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, Len Ishmael, just days after she successfully saw the goal set on the 25th Anniversary of the Organisation, for full attainment of an Economic Union, fully realised on the same day, four years later. At times difficult, this hugely ambitious project, was seen through by a group of leaders who were resolute in the attainment of the goal. Under what has been remarked as incredible and skillful chairmanship by Kittitian Prime Minister, Denzil Douglas, the OECS planned this move as a response to regional, international and domestic imperatives, with domestic downturns being huge. But, says Dr Ishmael, this feat was realised by the right leaders at the right time. Why elaboration at this time?At the heart of this issue is that these islands are really too small to compete, to negotiate alone. From St Lucia with 185 000 people to Montserrat now with 5 000 people, and everything in between. The implications are enormous, in just the resources that are required to modernise societies. So pooling resources, both human and financial has always made tremendous sense for the OECS. With a long standing tradition of cooperation between the islands, the seeds of the institutional architecture began in 1981, to provide the services in common. Years ago CARICOM was thought of as the vehicle the OECS would use to carry on its business with the rest of the world, but five years ago, the OECS leaders realised that while most countries in CARICOM still had their own currency, still had their own authorities for dealing with civil aviation, their own authorities for dealing with telecommunications, their own individual diplomatic missions around the world, the OECS HAS HAD THESE IN COMMON, SOME OF THEM FOR 40 YEARS. The EC dollar is over 40 years old, the Euro, by comparison is just 12 years old. At the same time that the Treaty of Lisbon, ratified by the EU just months ago, speaks to the experiment of joint diplomatic missions, the OECS first joint diplomatic missions were in 1986. So they are at a really advanced stage of pooling their resources together and setting up institutions for their advancement. Their regional institutional architecture was far more advanced than the others, and waiting on the rest of CARICOM would have meant sure demise. They have claimed their leadership, realising they must be their own advocates in strategic areas wherever they lie, at the same time that they are fully and firmly in partnership with CARICOM. While Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica can compete with the rest of the world, with yes a little difficulty, in the production of goods, this is an impossibility for the OECS . With services the region can compete. There was a sense then a few years ago that the OECS had to play a more articulate role in championing itself and placing itself strategically relative to the rest of the world to embrace possibilities as they emerged. There was wisdom in that approach, timely as well. Had they waited until now to recalibrate their position in relation to the rest of the world or even CARICOM, it would be late. The realisation that they needed to articulate their space both regionally and internationally, as microstates, allowed them to step out of that vulnerability of small size to ply their trades, to set up their businesses, extend their boundaries, and allow for new dynamic possibilities. For instance, China and Finland, would like to set up charters to this part of the world. But it is very expensive and difficult for a Finn or Chinese person to consider coming for a visit to one island. An economic union allows for the possibility of facilitating that travel to multiple destinations. Clearly there are structures that have to be put in place, but it allows for folks to consider this as one economic space. That is a real achievement.