As in any society, access to information and the ability to communicate are essential if people are to participate in economic development.
In five countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)—Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent—an expensive and erratic telephone system held back development as the information age unfolded in the 1980s and 90s. Cable & Wireless, a British multinational company, enjoyed what was effectively an unregulated monopoly over telecommunications services among the islands.
In 1998, the World Bank helped the OECS countries set up a regional telecommunications authority, which ultimately negotiated the terms for liberalization of the eastern Caribbean’s telecom market. So far, the telecommunications project has reduced telephone and internet charges by nearly half. Lower rates have helped to stimulate new, more diverse businesses in these small economies. Low costs have also enabled the OECS countries to connect their businesses across national borders, through increased communication via the Internet, fax, phone, and teleconferencing.
Related Links:
 Â Organization of Eastern Caribbean States
 OECS Telecommunications Reform Project
Updated: July 2002
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