PRESS RELEASE – VINIKozé, the OECS Commission’s Public Education Forum Series on Regional Integration, began airing on television stations across OECS Member States, the wider Caribbean and in the Diaspora on Tuesday.
ViniKozé – Kweyol for ‘Come Chat’ – provides an opportunity for key decision-makers, grassroots observers and experts within respective fields to discuss and debate issues raised by a live audience on the achievements, development opportunities and challenges facing the region.
The series acts as a conduit for a collective citizens’ voice to help shape local, regional and national policy as it relates to the various facets of Regional Integration.
Forum topics include Education, Economic Development, Youth Empowerment, Regional Integration, Agriculture and Climate Change.
OECS Director General, Dr.Didacus Jules, believes the issues of deep concern to the average citizen should be at the forefront of discussions that seek to shape the future of the region.
“This initiative provides a platform for intelligent and open discussion and debate on areas of interest to our citizens, such as education, youth empowerment and climate change,” he said.
“The views, opinions and aspirations shared by citizens will be canvassed in shaping the future of the OECS in relation to these key areas of development,” added Dr. Jules.
Dr. Jules hopes that discussions held at the live fora will continue in homes via the television broadcast and that citizens will engage the Commission once again through online participation in the subsequent OECS social media campaign.
The OECS Public Education Forum Series ran from January to March 2017 and was staged across six OECS Member States, including The BVI, Anguilla, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and Martinique.
The series was funded by the European Union through its 10th EDF programme on Economic Integration and Trade of the OECS region and was produced by ELShaFord Productions on behalf of the OECS Commission.