By Bennette Roach
OECS media clinic member states
Judy-Deterville
Executive Producer at Radio Montserrat James white, Jr., and Bennette Roach, Editor of The Montserrat Reporter (TMR) participated in a two-day OECS Media Clinic that took place at the Bay Garden Beach Resorts in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia, on June 10 – 11, 2014.
The clinic delivered presentations which as could be expected were very interactive where from the outset it was clear that the new message coming out of the Secretariat now called ‘the Commission’ was that OECS Integration and the Economic Unity must involve an informed people who live and experience these entities and all they entail.
Dr. Jules on that major issue pledged to make the organization more visible to the people it serves. Among the OECS’s current objectives, he said, is to make the 600,000 people within the nine-member Economic Union feel they are part of a progressive process.
Director General, Dr. Didacus Jules
The presentations and discussions centered around a Tapestry for Success as the discussion surrounded The Revised Treaty of Basseterre and the Establishment of the OECS Economic Union; the OECS (Commission) perspective – a definition; players; and main challenges.The five-month old new Director General Dr. didacus Jules lead the presentation, followed by Elma Gene Isaac (Regional Integration Unit); David Popo from the Social Sustainable Development Division supported by senior journalist Stan Bishop from the media.Other topics on OECS Integration – A Single Financial Space lead by an ECCB Representative out of the St. Lucia Ministry of Finance – Mrs. Tracy Polius; Mr. Shelton Daniel from the national media house.Throughout the day some presentations from the media spoke to what each member State has achieved as part of the integration process.
Finally and following on such presentations on the Role of the EAC (Economic Affairs Council); more open discussions on the Media and OECS Commission as 
partners and Communicating on the Economic Union and its practicality. This final discussion brought together informally, Judy Deterville, James White and Tecla Fontenard, OECS.
Dr. Didacus Jules in his opening remarks, as he laid the foundation for the clinic said the media has a vital role to play in the communication and creation of mindset to drive the integration movement.
Elma Jean Isaac
He posited, “At the end of the day, for this regional integration thing to make sense, it has to begin to connect with people on the ground: in the communities, in the workplace,” Dr. Jules said. “What we are doing right now at the OECS Commission is asking ourselves what are the deficiencies to date of that regional integration movement despite its successes and what are the things we need to do to make it go deeper and wider.”
He then outlined that such deficiencies need to be identified and addressed if any real progress – economic progress included — is to be made. He identified three areas that constitute the key priorities of that progress: (1) consolidating the architecture of regional integration, (2) facilitating the free movement, growth and development of people, goods, services and capital, and (3) assuring security and well-being of citizens.
Setting the stage, Dr. Jules said as the sub region builds it’s own brand with a new approach, the media is seen as one of the key institutions to advance the processHe suggests three priorities as essential components of regional integration. The two-day exercise was hailed a success considering earlier one resounding critique observed, “…I think you speak to most people on the ground and people say that they recognize in terms of the overall regional integration that the OECS has much more to show than other integration movements, but at the same time as indicated, there is something lacking. That something did present itself.
