(Trinidad Guardian) – Trinidad and Tobago and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) have moved one step closer to economic and political union. They did so on Sunday with the formal presentation of the report of a task force appointed to formulate the mechanism for union.

Guyana President Bharrat Jagdeo, second from left, makes a point during Sunday’s news conference at the Diplomatic Centre. At left is St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves and Prime Minster of Belize, Dean Barrow and T&T Prime Minister Patrick Manning, right.

It was presented by task force chairman Prof Vaughn Lewis to the four Caricom prime ministers who signed the original joint declaration in Port-of-Spain last August. Among the leaders present at the ceremony were the four original signatories of the Joint Declaration for the union. They were Grenada Prime Minister Tillman Thomas, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, St Lucia Prime Minister Stephenson King and T&T Prime Minister Patrick Manning.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s, Manning described the report as “an excellent document.” He said the report would not be released to the public before it was taken to the cabinet of the respective countries this week. He said the report would be released on Saturday. He then advised the media that “there is nothing sinister in any delay…it’s a deliberate decision to ensure that the (regional) governments are properly advised before we make the document public.”