More than fifty delegates of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) met recently for the first of three consultations leading up to the international organization’s mid term review.{{more}}

Stake holders from St. Lucia, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines met at the Palm Haven conference room in St. Lucia on April 12 and 13, discussing the Multi Country Program Strategies for 2008-2011.

Participants discussed the four key elements of the four year plan: child protection, early childhood development, HIV and life skills as well as the social policy, advocacy and partnership for children.

In the two days of plenary discussions and in group settings, participants outlined concerns and made suggestions on areas of improvement for the program at its half way mark.

UNICEF Representative Tom Olsen indicated that the consultation and its subsequent recommendations will be used to strengthen the partnership and cooperation between the two organizations, and in essence create a better future for the children of the OECS and wider region.

Olson said that the there was a need for stakeholders to ‘think outside the box’ and search for more innovative ways to promote social and economic development within the region.

He said that by learning from the past and planning in the present, stakeholders through the consultations can make a better future for generations to come.

A second set of consultations is scheduled to take place next week in Antigua, with the third meeting to be held in St. Kitts in June.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines was represented at the consultation by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Nicole Bonadie- Baker; Cecile Harry, Education Officer / Early Childhood Education in the Ministry of Education; Judith Hull- Ballah of VINSAVE; De-Anna Ralph and Sandra Grant from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and Junior Jarvis of SEARCHLIGHT.