“We hope through agreements and protocols we can have a structured relationship whereby we can determine when people can go to Martinique for certain types of treatments. This will not be an ad hoc thing. It is part of a restructuring of the health sector to look at a graduation of health care facilities, so that you can know what can be handled at a community level, at a national level, at the sub-regional level, and beyond,” he said.
Jules also placed focus on community tourism as it relates to the engagement of Martinique in the OECS.
“For us, Martinique and Guadeloupe offer a unique window of opportunity. We think that there are further opportunities where Martinique can participate in cultural events in St Lucia. They already participate in Saint Lucia Carnival, but we would like to deepen those existing links and structure them in a way that they can have more impact on the economies, and the opportunities to small business and individuals,” he explained.
Martinique’s official initiation as an associate member of the OECS took place on February 4.
An update on the implementation of the OECS Economic Union, the free circulation of goods, as well as issues on sports and health was also discussed at the 60th meeting of the OECS Authority.