ECCB Governor: The Big Push is not option. It is imperative

Published on April 27, 2026

The Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank says the Big Push must meet an ambitious 7% annual growth for the currency union if it is to transform the regional economy and deliver a better quality of life for residents.

Speaking at the start of the 10th Growth and Resilience Forum held in St. Kitts last week, Governor Antoine said the OECS region must grow differently, smarter and faster.

The Governor stressed the urgency of economic growth noting that development delayed is development denied and that inaction carries real costs.

Mr. Antoine revealed that the Big Push has seven theatres of transformation, starting with Food and Nutrition Security. He said an EC$2 billion food import bill is concerning.

Next was Energy Security with 90 percent of the region’s energy coming from imported fossil fuels.

The third major pillar to economic growth rested heavily on Trade, Logistics And Connectivity, with the Governor noting that ‘it is often cheaper to import from outside the region than to trade within it”.

The fourth theatre features Digital Transformation with the governor calling for focus on universal broadband, digital skills, AI enabled services and cybersecurity.

The fifth theatre of transformation is ‘Financial Inclusion and Wealth Creation” with the sixth being “Tourism 2.0” with the Governor noting that ‘a modest increase in daily spending can generate millions in additional revenue without a single new arrival”.

The 7th Theatre of Transformation is Human Capital Development -with the governor noting that “Resilience is about people, transformation is about people, and growth is about people”.

The ECCB Governor reminded the audience that history or geography cannot be changed but “we can accelerate and elevate our development trajectory through innovation and collective action”.