Officials from several of St Lucia’s regulatory and border agencies have received specialised training aimed at making the country’s ports of entry more coordinated, efficient and intelligence-led.
The three-day workshop was held at the Finance Administrative Centre in Castries from August 18 to 20, 2026. It focused on strengthening officers’ understanding of risk management systems and procedures governing the movement of goods across St Lucia’s borders.
The training is being conducted across the seven OECS Protocol Member States as part of efforts to establish a unified OECS external border in support of a functioning customs union and the free circulation of goods.
Coordinated by the OECS Commission, the workshop brought together frontline, supervisory and coordinating personnel from Customs, Agriculture, Health, Standards, Police and Port Authorities. The programme was funded by the European Union under the 11th EDF Regional Integration through Growth Harmonisation and Technology (RIGHT) Programme and delivered by regional experts from AENOR Consulting.
Speaking virtually at the opening, OECS Commission Head of Trade Policy Development Ricardo James said the customs union represents the next major stage of regional integration.
“Among the protocol member states, we have achieved significant progress in the free movement of people, supported by a single currency and a single court. But the customs union is our next great frontier. We are replacing seven independent customs territories with one single customs territory. Once goods enter any official point of entry, they enter the entire economic union,” said James.
St Lucia Customs and Excise Comptroller Sherman Emmanuel said the training supports national reforms and international compliance requirements, describing risk management as central to effective border management, saying, “Our Risk Management framework will be central to improving border management efficiency and effectiveness. It is key to achieving greater control of high-risk consignments and travelers while facilitating compliant traders and travelers.”
Emmanuel also noted that such measures are required under Article 7.4 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.
AENOR representative Nigel Edwin stressed that modern border management requires agencies to work as an integrated, whole-of-government network.
“Facilitation does not mean the absence of control. Rather, it requires us to apply controls more intelligently, concentrating our resources on high-risk persons, goods, and activities while allowing legitimate trade and travel to move more efficiently. This is not simply a Customs initiative; it is a collaborative effort,” stated Edwin.
Participants reviewed existing border management arrangements, identified legal and operational gaps and refined a national roadmap for the forthcoming regional pilot programme, supporting Saint Lucia’s preparations for deeper OECS integration.
