The two-day Regional Conference titled Digital Economy Moonshot for the Eastern Caribbean closed yesterday, Friday, May 24th, 2019, with Timothy Antoine, the Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) thanking Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister for attending the ECCB-World Bank meeting in Washington, D.C.
Yesterday, Friday, in wrapping up the conference, the ECCB Governor expressed appreciation for Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris’ “presence as Prime Minister, as CARICOM Chairman and Member of the Monetary Council of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.” The meeting was held at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Addressing the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Mr. Antoine said, “You have to know that the wind is behind you. I think we felt that sense of support in your presence with us today and yesterday.”
The ECCB Governor continued, “We have great expectations for this project,” adding, “You’ve set out what the next steps are – for us to look at the countries’ priorities, but within a regional frame.”
Over the course of two productive days, policy makers and technical teams from Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as representatives of the World Bank, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL), the OECS Commission and international companies discussed and strategized how to accelerate the development of 21st century government and its concomitant citizen-centric services, as well as cybersecurity, digital skills and entrepreneurship, in the Eastern Caribbean.
Prime Minister Harris said “a special thank you” to both the Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and Ms. Tahseen Sayed, Director for the Caribbean Region at the World Bank for their “herculean efforts in organizing this remarkable workshop.”
The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis went on to note that, “Regional leadership has been taken to a higher plateau over the last two days” as he reiterated the importance of creating opportunities for the benefit of the people of the Caribbean.
Addressing the participants on Thursday, the first day, the Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank said, “When we look back at this conference 10 years from now, we will say this was a pivotal moment.”
