HEAD of OECS explains key to empowerment

The key to empowerment for Caribbean people is found in social and collective progress.

However, Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Dr. Didacus Jules identified that a major challenge within the regional integration movement is how to

reignite the fire, spirit and purpose towards such a goal as many obstacles are placed in its way.

“History has conspired against us. At a certain point in history, all great civilisations passed through the Caribbean. History matters even more than we had recognised. So this movement was built as a catalytic initiative in the history of the Caribbean.

The strongest common thread in the philosophies of our most transformational leaders whether from the political or cultural level, from Marcus Garvey to Bob Marley, from Eric Williams to Maurice Bishop, from the Mighty Sparrow to Black Stalin, the key to empowerment and liberation to the formerly oppressed people of the Caribbean is in thinking differently about ourselves, our conditions, our potential and our possibilities,” he stated.

As part of the panel taking part in the OECS Sustainable Development Movement (SDM) 2020 Summit’s Fireside Chat yesterday, Jules emphasised “it has to be about more than individual empowerment, but social and collective progress.”

He therefore underlined the SDM direct relevance to 12 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN as “it seeks to ignite entrepreneurial action and innovation in realising those goals including: zero hunger, good health, quality education, gender equality, clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry and innovation, responsible consumption and production, climate action, (protect) life below water and life on land and (create) partnerships.”

Speaking on the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the world, Jules insisted this time be used wisely.

“Nature has put a pause button on globalisation with Covid and we now have an opportunity to take a different look at things. So many things have been called into question by the Covid experience we now recognise that entrepreneurship going forward must be something that is rethought in the context of an alliance with nature, working in synergy with the universe. Regardless of being rich or poor we are all impacted… so we have to take a look at the green, blue and orange economies and taking a different approach on how we build our nations,” he stressed. (JMB)