Grenada will join the rest of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in the reformation and harmonisation of its Family and Domestic Violence Legislation as mandated by Heads of State of the different territories.

To this end, the Ministry of Social Development has planned a one-day National Consultation on February 17 aimed at providing an opportunity for the public to contribute to the consultative process.

Issues to be covered include Marriages, Divorce, Spousal Support, Prenupital and Post Nupital agreements, Unions other than Marriage, Child Support, Guardianship, Custody Access, Domestic Violence, Social Service Implications, Juvenile Justice among other issues.

Minister for Social Development Yolande Bain-Joseph launched the consultation exercise Tuesday during a press conference held at the Ministerial Complex building in the Botanical Gardens.

Also in attendance were Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Eunice Sandy-David, Solicitor General, Nicholas Barnes and Project Consultant, Marion Suite.

Minister Joseph disclosed that the parish consultations will be guided by a "Green Paper" developed from a synthesis of Research Reports that were conducted during the first phase of the project.

She is encouraging all stake holders including the social partners to participate in those events as well as the national consultation on February 17 at the Grenada Trade Center.

The objectives of the parish consultations are to heighten public awareness and to encourage the public to raise questions and issues on matters that affect them and to generate public support and a better appreciation for the proposed reform.

The panel discussion will be held in the parish of St. John's on Thursday at the St. John's Anglican School then move the following day (Friday) to the Grenville Secondary School (GSS).

On February 3, a session is planned for the sister isle of Carriacou at the Hillsborough Community Center, while another is due to be held on February 5 at the Tivoli R.C School on Mainland Grenada.

The team will visit the parish of St. David's on February 10 for a session at the Belle Vue Community Center and on February 11 at the T.A. Marryshow Community College (TAMCC) for residents in St. George's.

The parish consultation moves to the St. Patrick's Anglican School on February 12 and climaxes on February 16 at the Happy Hill Community Center.

According to Project Consultant Marion Suite, it was the intention of the different OECS countries to have the consultations completed last December.

However, she said that due to several inhibiting factors including last November's general elections Grenada, the organisers were unable to meet the deadline.

Suite is confident that the national consultation can provide a true account of the views of Grenadians on those issues since ongoing field work were undertaken on the island over the past five years.

Following national consultations across the entire OECS, a report will be presented to OECS Heads, to be followed by a regional consultation.

That exercise is expected to result in the drafting of legislation which will be presented to the entire sub-region and then tabled at the different Parliaments of members of the sub-regional grouping.

The initiative is being implemented by the OECS Secretariat in collaboration with the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, as well as Legal and Social Affairs Ministries in the OECS Member States and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Technical Assistance is provided by the Canada International Development Agency (CIDA) Gender Equity Fund, UNICEF, NCH Legal Reform Project and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.