Trade unionists, PSC to join President in Barbados in lobby against current EPA

Sep 10, 2008 News

As President Bharrat Jagdeo prepares for his visit to Barbados to join other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Leaders for the 14th Special Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM and the 3rd Special Meeting of the Heads of State and Governments of the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM), eleven Guyanese trade unionists and representatives from the Private Sector are expected to join him there.

The team will be meeting with their counterparts gathered on the island to urge their governments not to sign on to the current Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union (EU) and CARIFORUM, as the Guyanese Leader is of the view that the deal is flawed. The President aims to urge other Leaders to agree to only signing a ‘goods only’ agreement.

The EPA was initialed by the CARIFORUM countries in December, 2007 and aims toward a new trading agreement between the two parties.

However, there have been several concerns expressed by international experts that the benefits for CARIFORUM States are not much along with a number of other concerns.

President Jagdeo was the only CARICOM Leader who continuously opposed the Agreement with the support of international experts on trade deals.

Last week, the Government of Guyana, led by President Jagdeo, conducted a national consultation at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, where local stakeholders, including the Opposition Party, trade unionists, the Private Sector and international experts again expressed their concerns that the deal was not good for the Region and some provisions needed to be re-examined.

Following the consultation, the Guyanese Leader stated firmly that Guyana would not sign on to the deal, and would only settle on signing on to a ‘goods only’ agreement. (GINA)