Saturday, June 25, 2011

OECS mission in Ottawa to close

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

By Ian Francis

Yes, the OECS High Commissioner to Canada will proceed on leave, diplomatic staff has been recalled and local staff at the OECS High Commission will receive meager compensation, following which they are expected to begin the daunting task of job search.

The acceptance by the Authority or Standing Committee of OECS Foreign Ministers to make such a silly decision using the rationale as a cost cutting measure shows great contempt and disrespect to Canada. Come on Dr Ishmael, comprehend and understand the importance, need and necessity to have an OECS diplomatic presence in Ottawa. This dumb, stupid and unwarranted decision needs to be urgently revisited.

The weekend of June 18, 2011, was a memorable occasion in the nation’s capital, known as Ottawa’s Annual Caribbean Festival Weekend. Many visitors from Toronto, New York and Quebec descended on the nation’s capital to participate. Ottawa’s diplomatic community graced the events by ensuring their presence in various strategic vantage points to witness the festival.

Most notably absent was OECS High Commissioner Browne. It was reported that he is still in a sulky mood, having been advised by the Castries Secretariat that his Ottawa-based joint mission will be eliminated shortly.

Pending a retreat or reversal from the weak and useless OECS Authority or the “do nothing” OECS Standing Committee of Foreign Affairs Ministers, OECS diplomatic representation will flounder and it is very clear that the current OECS Consular Corps based in Toronto cannot fill a diplomatic void. Please, OECS dumb heads, there is a fundamental difference between a diplomatic and consular corps.

The global financial crisis is understood throughout the OECS region .Therefore, in my view, it is understood that the Castries Secretariat will have to recommend cost cutting measures to the Authority to meet the challenge. However, when decisions are made to decrease expenditure, it is very important to weigh all the factors and most important to ensure that the OECS maintain its diplomatic presence in key and essential strategic capitals.

Therefore, the OECS decision to close its Ottawa High Commission is very unfortunate and is a diplomatic snub to Canada and OECS nationals in the Canadian Diaspora.

Canada is a very important diplomatically to the OECS and this ill-conceived decision should have been avoided. It raises the question as to whether the OECS Authority or Standing Committee of Foreign Ministers understand and value the importance of diplomatic relations between the OECS and Canada. It is important for the OECS to maintain a diplomatic presence in Ottawa.

Whether the host or other foreign governments were parties to this ill conceived decision, it further shows the lack of vision by the Authority and the Standing Committee of Foreign Ministers. There are many initiatives between the OECS and Canada, which include the coming Caribbean Agreement; security and defence issues; diplomatic training and of course Canada’s recent foreign policy announcement that will result in Canada’s re-engagement in the region with an emphasis on small states.

In my view, the Heads could have approached the situation differently. Certainly, downsizing the Mission and making alternate Chancery accommodation at the OECS residence; delimiting the decision-making process between Castries and Bridgetown that would have resulted in a more defined work plan for the current useless High Commissioner and of course a reaffirmation by the Authority to make their monthly contributions on time to support the work of the OECS High Commission.

With these suggested changes, the High Commissioner would have only needed an administrative secretary and part-time chauffeur. Cost cutting measures could have been realized with this approach.

So while the speculation of a Mission shut down pervades the air, it is hope that the Castries Secretariat will soon issue a statement on the future of OECS diplomatic representation in Canada.

June 25, 2011 at 10:15 AM
Anonymous said...

Ian Francis resides in Toronto and is a frequent contributor on Caribbean affairs. He is a former Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Grenada and can be reached at info@visminconsultancy.ca

http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/headline-Commentary%3A-OECS-nationals-in-Canada-not-happy-with-pending-diplomatic-contempt-6708.html

June 25, 2011 at 10:18 AM
Anonymous said...

Where is the prime minister in all this, Does the foreign minister in compliance wirh administration or he is a one man show Hope that they can come to the people and let st lucians know exactly what is what.

June 26, 2011 at 7:35 AM

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