Members of the OECS diaspora in Toronto gathered recently to celebrate a milestone: The 36th anniversary of the Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States.

The OECS Nationals Council Canada marked the Anniversary with its annual church service at the Asbury and West United Church, followed by a reception. Church member Sheila Mascoll set the tone with her welcome to the congregation and OECS representatives. Special speakers and guests included Consul General of St.Lucia, Cheryl Francis, Chairman of the Council and OECS Day Committee Chair, John Allen who delivered greetings to the congregation and OECS community; and church member Jocelyn Shewalter who gave a historical overview of the OECS and its significance to the Caribbean basin. Other notables in attendance included Patsy Henry – President of Antigua and Barbuda Association, Toronto and her spouse Vincent Henry, Rhona Carty – Anguilla Community Representative, Rev. Carol McKinley and her spouse McKinley, Asbury and West United Church, and Joel Bussue – NEVCAN Toronto.

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is the inter-governmental organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance between countries and dependencies in the Eastern Caribbean. The OECS is now a ten-member grouping comprising the full Member States of Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines, with the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Martinique as associate members of the OECS.

http://www.oecs.org/homepage/about-us

(Vincent Henry, Eulalie Walling-Sampson – Co-Chair, OECS Day Committee 2017,OECS Nationals Council Canada,Patsy Henry- President of Antigua and Barbuda Association, Toronto, Cheryl Francis – Consul General of St. Lucia, Sandra Bobb – OECS Liaison Office, Toronto, John Allen – Chair OECS Day Committee 2017,OECS Nationals Council Canada, Dawn Francois – National outreach Chair,).Sheila Mascoll – Asbury & West United Church member).

Feature Photo: (John Allen – Chair OECS Day Committee 2017,OECS Nationals Council Canada, Lorraine Delsol – Co-Chair, Culture and Entertainment, OECS Nationals Council Canadal, Dawn Francois – National outreach Chair, OECS Nationals Council Canada ; Ingrid Reviere (in Dominica national dress ) – Madame Wob Dwiyet Canada,Sandra Bobb – OECS Liaison Office, Toronto, Eulalie Walling-Sampson – Co-Chair, OECS Day Committee 2017, Rev. Carol McKinley and her spouse Rick McKinley, Asbury and West United Church, Cheryl Francis – Consul General of St. Lucia & Patsy Henry- President of Antigua and Barbuda Association, Toronto.)

Photo credit: John Allen.

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