“We at the Commission view the ECLS as a critical element of the OECS Development Strategy; an instrument of hitherto untapped potential, whose true contribution to the development of our region is yet to be realized. Unemployment continues to be one of the most critical issues facing our individual Member States, and we are of the view that the approach to its resolution has to be strategic and multi-pronged.” “I referred earlier to the untapped potential of the ECLS, particularly for addressing the unemployment problems of the region. We are of the view that much more can be done, and to this end we have challenged the new leadership of the ECLS to do two things: firstly, to increase the number of workers under the seasonal agricultural workers programme; and secondly, to expand the scope of coverage of the ECLS to other areas of service provision. The matter of increasing the number of workers requires no elaboration as the logic is clear.” He explained.