Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 14, 2020 (SKNIS): Public and private sector partners of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) gathered at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) in St. Kitts on Thursday, February 13, 2020, for the 4th Growth Resilience Dialogue with Social Partners.
Governor of the ECCB, Timothy Antoine, said that the forum is designed to actively engage stakeholders.
“The Growth Resilience Dialogue with Social Partners is not intended to be a talk shop, rather, it is intended to be a meeting of the minds of our social partners from which will flow clarity, consensus, collaboration and collective action on our regional transformation agenda,” said Governor Antoine during the opening ceremony.
Reflecting on the theme for this years’ forum: ‘Regional Transformation through Innovation’ Governor Antoine said “it is inspired by our empowering realization that we have the keys to unlock our growth potential and propel our social-economic transformation for shared prosperity. Three of these keys will be the subject of our panels today,” he said.
This years’ discussions focused on three main areas namely, the renewable energy transformation, the digital economy transformation and the payment system transformation.
The 4th Growth and Resilience Dialogue was organized by the ECCB, in collaboration with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission and The World Bank.
“The ECCB and the OECS Commission collaborate closely on this agenda because we are both created to serve the same fundamental purpose, the integration of those small islands,” said Dr. Didacus Jules, Director-General of the OECS Commission. “While each entity has its defined area of responsibilities, we recognize the interconnectedness of these duties. The integrity of the Eastern Caribbean Dollar cannot be upheld unless our economies are competitive and growing.”
The annual Growth and Resilience Dialogue is designed to address issues that affect the lives of the people within the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU). The forum provides a unique opportunity for civil and social partners to interact with the ECCB Monetary Council on multiple matters including growth, competitiveness and employment.
In addition to the ECCB Monetary Council, participants included Parliamentary Opposition Leaders, representatives from the business sector, civil society, churches and youth groups, as well as officials of the OECS Commission, the World Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
