Organization of American States (OAS) Assistant Secretary General Meets With St. Kitts and Nevis Political Leaders
ST. KITTS – Ambassador Albert R. Ramdin, Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) was among a number of International and Regional Dignitaries, to witness the signing of the revised Treaty of Basseterre, establishing the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States) Economic Union.
The specially arranged Signing Ceremony took place on December 29, 2009, in the Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank in Basseterre, St. Kitts, which is the birth place for the establishment of the OECS on June 18th 1981. Following the historic signing of the new Treaty, Ambassador Ramdin stated that his presence was a testimony of the commitment of the OAS towards the small economies of the Western Hemisphere. “We will, in collaboration with the OECS Secretariat, consider how we can provide technical assistance to the implementation of the economic union,” he affirmed.
While in the Federation, the Assistant Secretary General held a series of meetings with key political figures representing the various political parties. The exchanges centered on the invitation to the OAS, from the Government of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, to observe the forthcoming General Elections and the readiness of the organization to be present with an international observer mission once the date for the election has been set.
Ambassador Ramdin met with Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas, political leader of the ruling St. Kitts/Nevis Labor Party, the Premier of Nevis, the Honorable Joseph Parry and Leader of the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), the Honorable Vance Amory, Leader of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) in Nevis, and Mr. Lindsay Grant, leader of the Peoples Action Movement (PAM) in St. Kitts. The OAS Diplomat also met with the Supervisor of Elections Mr. Leroy Benjamin and the head of the Electoral Office Mr. Oliver Knight.
Ramdin expressed the hope that in good Caribbean tradition elections in the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis would be peaceful, orderly, well organized and inclusive. “I believe that the political leaders have a particular responsibility to ensure the most conducive environment leading up to election-day”, said Ramdin at the conclusion of his visit.
He also stated that once the date of the election was announced a technical team would be visiting the Federation to begin working with the functionaries in order to put in motion the requisite arrangements.