CARIBBEAN- Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority to host 49th council meeting.

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – Telecommunications ministers from five Eastern Caribbean states will convene here on Friday for the 49th meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL), with digital transformation and regulatory reform high on the agenda.

Ministers representing the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are expected to consider and approve ECTEL’s first-ever Strategic Plan while reviewing progress on the passage of the Electronic Communications Bill across member states.

ECTEL Managing Director David Cox said the meeting comes at a critical juncture for the sub-region’s digital development.

“The 49th Council of Ministers Meeting provides an important platform for regional leaders to reaffirm their commitment to harmonised regulation and digital transformation across our Contracting States,” Cox said. “As technology continues to evolve, our collective focus remains on ensuring affordable access, resilient infrastructure, and inclusive digital opportunities for citizens of ECTEL States.”

He added that through collaboration and forward-looking policy decisions, the authority aims to strengthen the region’s electronic communications landscape to support sustainable growth and innovation.

Council members will also receive a status update on the World Bank-funded Caribbean Digital Transformation Project, managed by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), which seeks to modernise and reform the sub-region’s electronic communications sector.

In addition, ministers will review key findings from a recently launched Digital Inclusion Survey analysing how citizens across ECTEL member states access and use digital tools.

The Council of Ministers is the highest decision-making body within the ECTEL framework. It is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the ECTEL Treaty, including promoting effective competition, accessible pricing, and quality telecommunications services throughout the region.