Others have signed the EPA

Oct 17, 2008 Features / Columnists

Guyana did not sign the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union on Wednesday but this country has given all assurances that it will sign before the end of the month.
It is not that Guyana is happy, given that the agreement threatens regional unity but for this country that unity takes precedence over many things. For that reason Guyana will sign.
In the aftermath of the brouhaha leading up to whether Guyana would sign the agreement, there were statements from critics that Guyana, being one of two objectors to the agreement as it stood up to the time, was being stupid. The fact is that the Europeans took Guyana’s concerns aboard and made the amendments.
All too often it takes one objector to take a stand and when that objector gains his demands, then everyone jumps on the bandwagon and some even seek to take credit for what finally accrues. This time around, even the regional leaders who were prepared to sign the initial agreement are basking in the glory of the amendments and some are bold enough to take credit.
However, it has not escaped the notice of this country that there were thousands in the countries whose leaders kept their mouth shut, who sided with Guyana and this country is grateful. Future governments have not been locked into an agreement that would have had them working within a system that offered no change.
The agreement was crafted to read that whatever was signed was to remain in force forever and ever. Future governments would have had to accept what was there and even when things were against them, they would have had no recourse to get themselves out of a bind.
The Europeans, on the other hand, given their economic power, can breach any agreement because there is no one who can make them do what they do not want to do. The other signatories to the EPA would be left with no recourse but to abrogate the agreement. But that would be done at a cost.
Countries like Guyana which exports a large section of its produce to Europe would be penalized anyhow; its goods subjected to high tariffs that would make them uncompetitive on the European market.
It is the view that even this EPA is no guarantee that things would be rosy as promised because in the agreement there is no commitment from the Europeans. The critics have not noticed this. Instead, they are blaming the government because that is the fashionable thing to do.
They are going to blame the government again because there will be problems in the wake of the signing of the EPA. A few decades ago the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries had an agreement with the European Union over the trade in sugar. That commitment, given with the sweat of the people of the ACP, stipulated that although they could get more money by selling sugar on the world market, they would make sugar available to the Europeans much cheaper.
All went well until the price began to fall on the world market and the Europeans found that they were paying more for sugar than the rest of the world. Commitment was tossed aside and in the end the Europeans slashed the sugar prices without any consideration to the agreement between the European Union and the ACP.
Of course, the World Trade Organisation was critical of the price paid to the ACP by the Europeans. Australia and Brazil complained and in the end the EU ignored that commitment given to the ACP.
Guyana is aware of the history and for this reason President Bharrat Jagdeo insisted on a clause in the EPA that there be a review of the very EPA every five years. This review, while not offering any commitment to change whatever, if found to be wrong, will at least serve to highlight the problems.
However, many things are done in good faith and sometimes they work. Guyana firmly believes that there was no need to sign the EPA on October 15 because the ACP leaders had been able to force a further round of talks with the Europeans because they are not happy with some clauses.
Guyana is certain that the ACP will get concessions that could have served the region but the others did not listen. When the ACP agreement with the EU is released, rest assured there will be criticisms of the one signed by Cariforum and the critics would have a field day blaming the government.
People will not remember that Guyana voiced objections because they would be too bent on criticizing. Those who understood Guyana’s position would understand and would say, “I told you so.”

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Others have signed the EPA

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