ECCB Governor Declares “Time for Talk Has Passed” as Region Pushes to Break Cycle of Economic Setbacks
The Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, Timothy Antoine, has issued one of his strongest calls yet for urgent regional transformation, warning that the Eastern Caribbean can no longer afford to keep “losing ground” every time disaster or global crisis strikes. Speaking during a recent episode of ECCB Connects, Antoine said the region has […] The post ECCB Governor Declares “Time for Talk Has Passed” as Region Pushes to Break Cycle of Economic Setbacks appeared first on Saint Lucia Daily Post.
Black News 
The Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, Timothy Antoine, has issued one of his strongest calls yet for urgent regional transformation, warning that the Eastern Caribbean can no longer afford to keep “losing ground” every time disaster or global crisis strikes.
Speaking during a recent episode of ECCB Connects, Antoine said the region has spent decades trapped in what he described as a “yo-yo” pattern of development, where economic progress is repeatedly erased by hurricanes, pandemics, global inflation shocks and other external disruptions.
“The time for talk has passed,” Antoine declared, signaling what he described as a shift from discussion to decisive action.
The Governor was speaking in the context of the ECCB’s newly launched 2026–2031 Strategic Plan, built around what the Bank is calling its “Big Push” initiative an ambitious regional agenda aimed at strengthening economic resilience, expanding wealth creation and reducing long-standing vulnerabilities across the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union.
According to Antoine, the strategy is not simply about economic growth, but about fundamentally reshaping the region into what he described as a “self-reliant and shock-resistant” society capable of withstanding global disruptions without suffering major developmental setbacks.
“Another way of thinking about resilience is shock absorbents,” Antoine explained. “So you want to increase your capacity to absorb shocks and still keep going.”
At the center of the ECCB’s strategy are three major areas the Bank believes are critical to the region’s future survival and prosperity: food security, energy security and digital transformation.
Antoine warned that the region’s heavy dependence on imported food estimated at roughly 80 percent leaves Caribbean economies dangerously exposed to international supply chain disruptions and rising global prices.
The Governor also pointed to the region’s continued dependence on fossil fuels, which contributes to some of the highest electricity costs in the Western Hemisphere. Transitioning toward renewable energy, particularly solar power, has therefore become a central pillar of the ECCB’s long-term resilience strategy.
Digital inclusion was identified as the third major frontier, with Antoine noting that nearly half of the region’s population still operates outside the digital economy, a reality the Bank views as a major obstacle to wealth creation and economic competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global environment.
Despite the scale of the initiative, Antoine insisted the ECCB is committed to transparency and public accountability throughout the process.
“We have put ourselves out there with our strategic plan. We’ve not discussed it in the dark, we have published it in the light for all to see,” Antoine stated.
The ECCB Governor said the institution intends to regularly publish measurable results so citizens, governments and private sector stakeholders can track progress and hold the Bank accountable for delivery.
While the ECCB is spearheading the initiative, Antoine stressed that the “Big Push” cannot succeed without collective regional participation. He said the broader vision including the ambitious target of doubling regional GDP and personal wealth by 2031 will require coordinated action from governments, businesses and citizens alike.
“Now is the time and we must act now,” Antoine urged.
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