Trinidad and Tobago is keen to come under the OECS banner

Mr Manning has been talking about closer ties with the OECS for some time, but at a recent meeting of his ruling People's National Movement he left no one in doubt as to his outlook.

“Trinidad and Tobago wishes to be a part of that,” he stated of his wish to see his two-island state join the nine-member grouping of smaller countries.

	PM Manning: Is it a case of hello OECS, goodbye Caricom

And he went further: “Trinidad and Tobago feels that all countries that are prepared to move on a fast track to economic integration should watch carefully what's happening in the OECS."

The Trinidad and Tobago leader said this is a prerequisite to political integration.

Mr Manning also called on his counterparts in the larger Caricom states "commit ourselves in some form".

The OECS Secretariat in presently conducting a series of public consultations on economic union in the OECS member countries, a process that's expected to last a year.

Trinidad and Tobago wishes to be a part of that (OECS)   Prime Minister Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago

Dr Cuthbert Joseph who is attached to Trinidad's Foreign Affairs ministry, is one of a two-man team appointed by Mr Manning to look at how Trinidad can link up with the OECS.

He told BBC Caribbean that Mr Manning has been turning his focus towards the OECS after Caricom rejected a proposal for a regional Commission.

The Commission was to have been an executive body to push through the implementation of decisions taken at the Caricom level.

Listen to the interview with Dr Cuthbert Joseph