Above: Serge Letchimy, president of Martinique’s Regional Council (Photo: RM)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Martinique Regional Council President Serge Letchimy will be on hand for this week’s 25th Intersessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community at the Buccament Bay resort in St Vincent, CARICOM announced.

It’s the latest sign of deepening ties between Martinique and the rest of its neighbours in the region.

Last month, Martinique, along with Guadeloupe and St Maarten, officially joined the Association of Caribbean States, and Martinique was among the quickest aid responders following the devastating December storms in nearby St Lucia, St Vincent and Dominica.

Martinique has also been stepping up its presence at regional conferences, particularly in the area of tourism, which has been a major priority for the administration. Indeed, the island played host to the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s State of the Industry conference in October 2013.

CARICOM said Letchimy would be holding meetings with the assembled regional leaders, although it’s not clear specifically what will be on their agenda.

Martinique’s ties with the rest of the region continue to be a matter of debate for the French department; last year, a report urged the island to integrate economically with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States sub-region.