ECCU designs regional economic strategy

The region’s coordinated response to the global and economic crisis and the OECS Economic Union moved closer to implementation when representatives from the ECCU member countries policy teams and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, along with other regional and international organisations, engaged in an intensive strategy planning session “Boot Camp” from September 7.{{more}}

The objective of this strategic meeting is to design and implement policies that would position the ECCU countries to better respond to the global economic and financial challenges and in so doing provide an enabling environment for investments and employment.

The “Boot Camp” is being held at the ECCB Headquarters in St Kitts. During the seven-day session which ends on September 15, the participants will discuss and finalise the timing and strategy for the first five points of the ECCU Eight Point programme, which is the region’s strategic policy response to the global economic and financial crisis. The first five points of the programme address: Financial Programming; Fiscal Reform; Debt Management; Public Sector Investment Programmes and Social Protection Programmes.

Representatives from the Caribbean Development Bank and the Caribbean Technical Assistance Centre, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank will make presentations during the session. It is expected that at the end of the Boot Camp the ECCU member countries would have a coherent and harmonsied strategy for the economic and financial stabilisation and adjustment of the ECCU.