Castries, Jun 30 (Prensa Latina) Trade Ministers from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) will gather in Castries, St. Lucia, on Saturday to discuss the group's participation in the proposed CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).


The OECS is made up of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands.



Their trade ministers will make specific proposals to amend Chapter Seven of the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which establishes the CSME that is characterised by the free movement of goods, services, labour and skills across the Caribbean, the Caribbean Media Corportation reported.



The proposals will guide the presentation of OECS leaders at the July 3-6 CARICOM summit.



Issues relating to the OECS participation in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as well as matters related to negotiations for the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA's) between the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) nations and the European Union will also come under discussion.



According to official stats, the balance of trade within OECS widened from 79.2 million US dollars in 1980 to 178.1 millions in 2003.