When reason is blind and selfishness prevails

Oct 03, 2008 Features / Columnists

Since yesterday, the representatives of the government began to continue to lobby the international community to help save the people of this country from certain colonialism and a future that could see generations casting the tenure of this government in a light that would be less than complimentary.

These representatives are in Ghana where they intend to have a voice at the meeting to discuss the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the African leg of the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. That meeting began yesterday.

Had the situation not been so serious the government would have used the various sums of money being spent to convince others and to lobby support against the Economic Partnership Agreement as it now stands for other important tasks such as making life for the people better.

The reasons for the opposition to the EPA have been stated before and while there is no hue and cry from the other corners of the region at this time, this may simply be a case of people ignoring the potential hazards or simply because they have precious little to lose.

Guyana is expected to sign the agreement as it now stands on 15th October with the rest of Caricom and the Dominican Republic (Cariforum) and as this date looms, so too does the threat of sanctions against this country which is prepared to sign a goods-only agreement.

The other members of Caricom are largely tourist-oriented countries and for them the arrival of a swarm of Europeans will be a good thing.

They can expect good hotel occupancy, expenditure from the tourists who will spend their money on things other than food and lodging, and of course a wash of foreign commodities at prices little or no different from what the people will pay in their country to satisfy the tastes of the visitors.

Guyana, on the other hand, is not a tourist destination so it will not be a major beneficiary of the tourism aspect of the EPA; it is also on a drive to produce goods and commodities to make itself self-sufficient and this has been the case for more than 30 years.

It is also the largest exporter of sugar to Europe and with the price cuts already biting deep, the EPA will only hurt the country more.

Sadly, enough, these are not the times when small, poor countries are truly sovereign states with the right to make their own decisions; when independence means something other than being dictated to; when trade is mutual and respect is the hallmark of relationships.

The country is being threatened to sign the EPA and while the threat is not explicit, it still looms that the penalties may be more than the country tolerate at this time.

Some say that Guyana should sign the agreement because it can always abrogate but they do not realize that some things are easier said than done. They are critical of the government’s position at this time because it suits them to criticize the government.

However, when one examines the agreement in totality, one sees the loss of revenue in the name of trade. Goods from Europe enter this country and pay a tariff that helps the national treasury.

It is the same with vehicles and certain foods, the importation of which helps the country, not that Guyana should be importing food in the first place.

Similarly, Guyana exports to Europe and at present, despite the trade imbalances, the Europeans have developed a taste for those things, not least among them some non-traditional foods and fish.

The country is saying that there should be a goods-only agreement where goods from the two countries could enter at preferential rates.

The Europeans are, however, threatening that if Guyana does not sign the EPA in its present form then the tariff on goods from Guyana would be such that they would become uncompetitive. Indeed, the country would suffer.

The voices in the region are silent because each country has its own peculiar economic pattern and it is for this reason that the Caricom founding fathers said that the region should be one large market, each country complementing the other.

The EPA is going to threaten even this but some of the people are refusing to see this at this time because they see the individual flags as the major priority at this time.

Therefore, when President Bharrat Jagdeo said that the EPA at this time would threaten the regional integration movement he knew what he was saying but sometimes, selfish reasons overshadow commonsense.

Latest News

When reason is blind and selfishness prevails

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 10th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Khalil, Pollard and Barker reign supreme as BCQS Int’l Masters...

Cricket West Indies passes historic governance...

Archery Guyana hosts thrilling 2024 National...

Prashad claims victory at the recently concluded...

West Indies & Sri Lanka top their respective...

Allicock, Amsterdam named in GBA training squad...

Features/Columnists

Are we better off today than we were before first oil?

OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus

Jagdeo on contract awards

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

When reason is blind and selfishness prevails

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 10th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]