CASTRIES, St. Lucia (CMC):

St. Lucia's Prime Minister Sir John Compton has cautioned Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) leaders to focus on consolidating the sub-regional grouping before looking to take on new members.

Sir John spoke to reporters Friday against the backdrop of a visit to the region by a high-ranking official of Dutch St. Maarten who has been holding talks with OECS leaders about the possibility of his country's membership in the tiny bloc.

"Before we take a decision to expand to include other member states, we must deepen the existing integration progress which would include addressing a number of issues, such as the common markets, the single market and economy, freedom of movement of persons within the OECS, and freedom of movement of skills, we must try and deepen it first before we widen it," Sir John said.

Observer status

Sir John said that for the time being Dutch and other territories can come in as observers and see how "we do our thing, but we should not allow ourselves to be distracted from what we propose to do, which is to deepen the integration process."

During a visit here, Dutch St. Maarten's Minister of Constitutional Affairs, Roland Duncan, said the response from OECS leaders with whom he had so far met has been encouraging.

He said St. Maarten has much in common with the region. He pointed out that it is home to hundreds of Eastern Caribbean nationals and that it already trades with a number of the OECS territories. Additionally, the country uses the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) curriculum in some of its schools, he said.

The OECS is currently in the process of working through remaining matters connected to a draft economic union treaty in preparation for a major sub-regional public awareness and sensitisation exercise. The draft treaty was unveiled in June last year as part of plans to deepen integration in the sub-region.

The OECS was formed on June 18, 1981 and comprises nine members - Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands.