CASTRIES, St Lucia — THE Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Secretariat and the European Union have entered into an arrangement to, among other things, boost private sector competitiveness in the OECS Economic Union.

The Castries-based Secretariat and the European Delegation in Barbados have signed a funding Protocol to provide financial support to OECS member states under the aegis of the 10th European Development Fund.

OECS Director General Dr Len Ishmael said the programme of support entitled “Economic Integration and Trade of the OECS Region”, which is based on the OECS development and integration strategy, seeks to support the deepening of OECS integration through the establishment of the OECS Economic Union, which commenced on December 10, 2012.

“The programme will be implemented in three major components, enhanced institutional capacity of the OECS to stimulate, manage and coordinate the economic integration process, improved sectoral policy harmonisation in the tourism and agricultural sectors and boost competitiveness and export capacity of the OECS private sector,” Ishmael noted.

She said that in the coming weeks the OECS Secretariat proposes to conduct consultations in member states and with the public and private sector to advise on the programme activities’ areas of focus, including for medium and small enterprises (MSMEs) and synergies with national programmes.

The consultations, she advised, are also seen as an opportunity to initiate discussions with the public and private sector aimed at improving the Secretariat’s delivery to its clients and stakeholders.

The OECS Secretariat team will kick off the consultations in Dominica on January 30 2013.

— CMC