CASTRIES, Saint Lucia – Sunrise Airways revealed today that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the OECS Commission to enhance regional connectivity across the Caribbean islands.
The agreement was formally signed July 31, 2025 at OECS Commission headquarters in Castries, Saint Lucia. The signatories were Mr. Philippe Bayard, founder and chairman of Sunrise Airways, and Dr. Didacus Jules (PhD), director general of the OECS Commission.
Speaking at the public signing ceremony celebrating the pact, Mr. Bayard, remarked: “For too long, our greatest challenge has not been geography. It has been fragmentation and disconnection. It is still easier to fly from many Caribbean islands to North America or Europe than to reach a neighboring island just minutes away. That reality has limited trade, weakened tourism, divided families, and held back opportunity. This Memorandum of Understanding forms part of our joint response to that challenge.”
Under terms of the MoU, Sunrise Airways and the OECS Commission have pledged to work closely together to alleviate obstacles to growth and sustainability in the Caribbean aviation sector. Specifically, Sunrise Airways and the OECS Commission will seek to:
- Improve regional mobility and intra-OECS travel.
- Support economic growth through enhanced trade, tourism, and education.
- Foster aviation sustainability and resilience.
- Enable technical cooperation, policy development, and innovation in air transport.
As Mr. Bayard noted: “These are not only aviation goals. They are development goals. Every step we take toward seamless movement – for people, goods, and ideas – expands opportunity, strengthens regional identity, and builds a foundation for shared prosperity.”
Building Bridges
Dr. Jules reiterated Mr. Bayard’s remarks, stating: “Ladies and gentlemen, let us be clear—this partnership is not just about aircraft and runways. It is about building bridges in a fragmented region. It is about ensuring that our citizens can seize the opportunities that regional integration affords. And it is about making Caribbean unity something that is experienced not only in treaties and communiqués, but in everyday life.”
News of the MoU between Sunrise Airways and the OECS Commission comes right after the pact signed in May 2025. This pact was made with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). It aims to provide help after natural disasters hit CDEMA Participating States.
Regional Thinking
“As with our recent partnership with CDEMA, this MoU with the OECS shows that regional integration is not a distant ideal. It is a practical mission. One that requires bold policy choices, regional thinking, and cooperation with those committed to building bridges, not walls,” noted Mr. Bayard. “Let us lift barriers and build bridges, not only in the sky, but in our institutions, policies, and mindsets. Let us be, together, as One Caribbean.”
Call for Unity
Sunrise Airways CEO Gary Stone echoed Mr. Bayard’s call for unity, saying: “I firmly believe that the region possesses the potential to achieve remarkable heights in the foreseeable future, catalyzing economic growth, facilitating trade, and fostering enhanced self-reliance. We eagerly anticipate collaborating as full partners in this visionary framework for a more robust, cohesive, and prosperous Eastern Caribbean.”
