Prime Minister Gaston Browne has thrown his support behind an ambitious regional initiative to double the size of the Eastern Caribbean economy within seven years, targeting an expansion of gross domestic product to approximately EC$50 billion.
According to Antigua News Room, Browne made the announcement Thursday during the 113th Meeting of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank's Monetary Council in Dominica, where he confirmed that the council has formally embraced ECCB Governor Timothy Antoine's so-called "Big Push" vision as a framework for accelerating economic growth across the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union.
"The Monetary Council has embraced Governor Antoine's vision of a Big Push, to double the size of our economies and expand regional GDP to approximately EC$50 billion during the next seven years," Browne said.
The Prime Minister was emphatic that the initiative extends well beyond simply growing economic output. "This is not merely a growth agenda; it is a wealth-creation agenda," he said, outlining objectives that include expanding ownership and earnings, strengthening entrepreneurship, increasing investment and generating lasting opportunities for the region's citizens.
Browne also called on the Central Bank to take a more active role in financing the push. He urged the institution to develop innovative credit and securities instruments and to deploy a portion of its reserves to catalyze investment in renewable energy and other priority sectors. He argued that stronger, more self-sufficient regional economies — less dependent on imports and foreign direct investment — would ultimately reinforce the stability of the Currency Union itself.
The Monetary Council additionally approved the ECCB Strategic Plan 2026–2031 at the meeting. The plan prioritizes food and nutrition security, energy resilience, connectivity, trade, logistics, financial deepening and wealth creation. One of the proposals under consideration is the establishment of OECS Air, a proposed regional airline designed to improve connectivity, facilitate commerce and support tourism and investment throughout the Currency Union.
Browne said the overarching strategy aims to translate the resilience already demonstrated by Eastern Caribbean economies into long-term prosperity, stronger institutions and broader economic opportunity for citizens across the region.
