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The Need To Have Bahamians Informed About The Economic Partnership Agreement [EPA] Between Caribbean and European Countries
Related to country: Bahamas

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Laing rejects EPA criticism:
By JASMIN BONIMY, Guardian Staff Reporter -
Nassau, Bahamas:



The minister of state in the Ministry of Finance has shot down claims that the economic partnership agreement (EPA) will shrink the local job market if The Bahamas becomes a signatory.

The EPA is designed to open up trade between Caribbean and European countries. The Bahamas has not signed any part of the EPA agreement to date.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, State Minister for Finance Zhivargo Laing denied claims that the EPA would allow foreign workers to easily enter the Bahamian job market.

"I absolutely refute it," said Laing. " I mean there are a large number of areas which we reserve in this economy now for Bahamian participation and those are areas for the most part will be reserved for Bahamian participation. It is absolutely untrue that any straw vendor, retailer, or wholesaler has to be concerned about an economic partnership agreement allowing any foreign participation in those areas. It's just absolutely untrue."

For this reason, Minister Laing insisted that it is important for his government to educate the public on the trade agreement.

"The need to have people informed about it [EPA], this is what we have to continue to try and do," insisted Laing.

The public comment came on the heels of a peaceful protest on Wednesday morning. Dozens of Bahamians gathered in Rawson Square to demonstrate over the government's proposed signing of the EPA with the European Union. The irate group of protesters, consisting of straw vendors, construction workers, and members of Bahamians Agitating for a Referendum on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (BARF), assembled in Rawson Square with placards, as members of Parliament met in the nearby House of Assembly to hear the government's plans for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.

During the protest, angry workers expressed fear over having their jobs taken by foreigners.

"What will happen to the guys Over-the-Hill and in the ghetto areas, because a regular carpenter or mason works for $15 to $20 per hour", said Kenree Johnson. "But with the EPA, they will be able to bring in Guatemalans, Dominicans and different people who are willing to work for $6 to $7 an hour. So what are they trying to do to us? They would be killing the work market with cheap labor."

While the group called on the government to better inform the public about the EPA, Minister Laing said the government has been and will continue to be forthcoming with information.

"We have engaged in a considerable amount of consultancy over the past several months," said Laing, "meeting with industry representatives of all walks of life. We tried to have a number of town meetings. There is an additional need for educating the public on these matters and we are going to do our very best. The prime minister [Hubert Ingraham] has already said that no decision will be taken without trying to provide the maximum education to the public, as we are trying to provide and that is essentially what we are trying to do.

Meanwhile, the demonstrators also renewed their call for a referendum to be held on the European-backed trade agreement.

Still, Minister Laing said he could not see a referendum being called on the matter.

"As for a referendum, there is more than one way to develop consensus on an issue and we are pursuing that avenue," said Minister Laing. "I don't think a referendum will take place, but the idea of ensuring that as many people as possible are informed about what is happening and are able to make an input, is desirable. I believe that the government supports that."

May 31, 2008 | 6:25 PM Comments  0 comments

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