Prime Minister Gaston Browne has endorsed an ambitious plan to double the size of the Eastern Caribbean economy over the next seven years, calling for greater investment, entrepreneurship and wealth creation to expand regional gross domestic product to approximately EC$50 billion.
Speaking Thursday during the 113th Meeting of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank’s Monetary Council in Dominica, Browne said the Monetary Council has embraced ECCB Governor Timothy Antoine’s “Big Push” vision as a strategy to accelerate economic growth across the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union.
“The Monetary Council has embraced Governor Antoine’s vision of a Big Push, to double the size of our economies and expand regional GDP to approximately EC$50 billion during the next seven years,” Browne said.
He stressed that the initiative goes beyond increasing economic output.
“This is not merely a growth agenda; it is a wealth-creation agenda,” Browne said, adding that the objective is to expand ownership and earnings, strengthen entrepreneurship, increase investment and create lasting opportunities for the region’s people.
Browne argued that the Central Bank should play a greater role in financing the initiative by developing innovative credit and securities instruments and using a small portion of its reserves to catalyze investment in renewable energy and other priority sectors. He said stronger regional economies with less dependence on imports and foreign direct investment would ultimately reinforce the stability of the Currency Union.
The Prime Minister also announced that the Monetary Council had approved the ECCB Strategic Plan 2026–2031, which prioritizes food and nutrition security, energy resilience, connectivity, trade, logistics, financial deepening and wealth creation. Among the initiatives under consideration is the creation of OECS Air, a proposed regional airline intended to improve connectivity, facilitate commerce and support tourism and investment throughout the Currency Union.
Browne said the strategy is intended to transform the resilience demonstrated by Eastern Caribbean economies into long-term prosperity, stronger institutions and expanded economic opportunities for citizens across the region.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: PM Browne Backs 'Big Push' to Double Eastern Caribbean Economy Within Seven Years.