Founder and Chairman of Sunrise Airways Philippe Bayard (left) and Director General of the OECS Commission Dr. Didacus Jules (right).
CASTRIES, St. Lucia--Sunrise Airways announced in a press release that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission to boost intra-regional connectivity throughout the Caribbean.
The agreement was formally signed on July 31, 2025, at OECS Commission headquarters in Castries, St. Lucia. The signatories were Founder and Chairman of Sunrise Airways Philippe Bayard and Director General of the OECS Commission Dr. Didacus Jules.
Speaking at the public signing ceremony celebrating the pact, Bayard remarked: “For too long, our greatest challenge has not been geography. It has been fragmentation and disconnection. It is still easier to fly from many Caribbean islands to North America or Europe than to reach a neighbouring island just minutes away. That reality has limited trade, weakened tourism, divided families, and held back opportunity. This Memorandum of Understanding forms part of our joint response to that challenge.”
Under terms of the MOU, Sunrise Airways and the OECS Commission have pledged to work closely together to alleviate obstacles to growth and sustainability in the Caribbean aviation sector, the release states. Specifically, Sunrise Airways and the OECS Commission will seek to: improve regional mobility and intra-OECS travel; Support economic growth through enhanced trade, tourism, and education; Foster aviation sustainability and resilience; and enable technical cooperation, policy development, and innovation in air transport.
As Bayard noted: “These are not only aviation goals. They are development goals. Every step we take toward seamless movement – for people, goods, and ideas – expands opportunity, strengthens regional identity, and builds a foundation for shared prosperity.”
Dr. Jules reiterated Bayard’s remarks, stating: “Ladies and gentlemen, let us be clear – this partnership is not just about aircraft and runways. It is about building bridges in a fragmented region. It is about ensuring that our citizens can seize the opportunities that regional integration affords. And it is about making Caribbean unity something that is experienced not only in treaties and communiqués, but in everyday life.”
News of the MOU between Sunrise Airways and the OECS Commission follows closely on the heals of the strategic pact signed in May 2025 between Sunrise and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to provide humanitarian assistance in the wake of natural disasters affecting CDEMA Participating States.
“As with our recent partnership with CDEMA, this MOU with the OECS shows that regional integration is not a distant ideal. It is a practical mission. One that requires bold policy choices, regional thinking, and cooperation with those committed to building bridges, not walls,” noted Bayard. “Let us lift barriers and build bridges, not only in the sky, but in our institutions, policies, and mindsets. Let us be, together, as One Caribbean.”
Sunrise Airways Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gary Stone echoed Bayard’s call for unity, saying: “I firmly believe that the region possesses the potential to achieve remarkable heights in the foreseeable future, catalysing economic growth, facilitating trade, and fostering enhanced self-reliance. We eagerly anticipate collaborating as full partners in this visionary framework for a more robust, cohesive, and prosperous Eastern Caribbean.”
