WASHINGTON, Oct 2, CMC - Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations are well positioned to influence the focus of the Organisation of American States (OAS) agenda, as diplomats from the region are at the helm of the OAS’ Permanent Council for a 15-month stretch.

The three-month rotation, in alphabetical order, has created a 15-month consecutive CARICOM leadership through chairmanships from St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Ambassador La Celia Prince of St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Wednesday assumed chairmanship of the OAS’ Permanent Council, one of the two main political bodies of the OAS, composed of ambassadors from the 34 member states.

Prince took over the chair  from   Ambassador Sonia Johnny of St. Lucia.

On assuming the role, Prince, said it is a tremendous honour for St. Vincent and the Grenadines to be entrusted with the responsibility of chairmanship of the Council.

“For St. Vincent and the Grenadines assuming this chairmanship is a symbol of our place in this hemisphere and an acknowledgement that we too have a role to play in advancing the objectives and purposes of this Organisation,” she said.

“It is one of the great things about this Organisation, that no matter the geographical size or financial wealth of a country, each Member State has an equal opportunity to be at the forefront of steering the Organisation in the advancement of its work.”

Prince will be at the helm of the Permanent Council for three months, after which the chairmanship will be passed to Suriname.

The Permanent Council will also be chaired for an unprecedented 12 consecutive months by female envoys, notably from the CARICOM region.