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The National Congress of Trade Unions of The Bahamas (NCTUB) Supports The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) - Designed to Open Up Trade Between ACP Countries (Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific) and The European Union
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Major labor union supports EPA:
By JASMIN BONIMY, Guardian Staff Reporter -
Nassau, Bahamas:



One of the nation's top umbrella trade unions has thrown its support behind the economic partnership agreement (EPA) while simultaneously calling for 17 recommendations in preparation for the signing.

In a document exclusively obtained by The Nassau Guardian, The National Congress of Trade Unions of the Bahamas (NCTUB) outlined their stance in a Position Paper on the controversial agreement that is designed to open up trade between ACP countries (Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific) with European Union countries.

"The NCTUB recognizes that within the global developmental context, that the Caribbean region is economically fragile and vulnerable requiring the creation of the necessary synergies among governments, state and non-state institutions aimed at accelerating the establishment and implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy," stated the five-page document signed by NCTUB General Secretary Robert Farquharson.

For this reason, the union boss added that NCTUB's research has brought them to the conclusion that signing onto the EPA would be a step in the right direction for the country.

"The NCTUB believes that the EPA is a collaborative partnership approach to bring about a reduction in poverty in the region and eventually its elimination," it added. "It is designed to promote social development including employment policies, improve trading opportunities and trading arrangements, improve human resources capacity, promote human rights, and enhance democracy and governance, and further Caribbean integration."

The union's comments come nearly two weeks after it was revealed that the proposed signing date of the EPA was pushed back from its July 23 deadline. CARIFORUM leaders now propose that the new signing date be July 30, or even as late as August 30.

The Bahamas government initialed the trade agreement on December 16 and has indicated its intention of signing onto the EPA. Since then, the government has had six months to formulate and finalize its services offer.

Concerns have arisen over provisions under the services portion of the EPA that appear to guarantee European workers access to this jurisdiction's market.

Despite its obvious support for the trade agreement, union officials have suggested more than half a dozen proposals in preparation for the EPA.

"We are of the opinion that once these recommendations are considered and implemented, then the EPA could prove beneficial to improve the quality of life for all Bahamians and increase the standard of living for our people," stated the document.

Among some of the recommendations was a call for the government of The Bahamas and all CARICOM leaders to strengthen educational programs in order for locals to complete in the expanding job market.

"Ensure that nationals enjoy the same treatment irrespective of their country of origin and to conclude the establishment of the Regional Accreditation Body for Education and Training," the document stated.

Furthermore, the group asked that a legally binding development benchmark that is designed to measure the socio-economic impact of the EPA on key sectors of the economy and society.

"There needs to be the establishment of tripartite national and regional committees to monitor the impact of the EPA and all other external trade agreements," the Position Paper read.

But perhaps the most commonly touted suggestion by EPA supporters and objectors is the NCTUB's call for increased social dialogue about the controversial trade agreement for all sectors of the Bahamian community.

"Knowledge is power and information is knowledge," said the statement. "The increase of information distribution relating to the EPA and the impact it will have on the growth and development of The Bahamas and the working people of The Bahamas will be critical to smooth implementation of the EPA in the Bahamian society.

"Any delay, on the part of the government, to begin the process of information distribution will only increase the uneasiness within the labor market, which may result in the level of opposition to the EPA significantly increasing," it added.

In the past two months, opposition to the EPA has continued to surface. In early June, Bahamians Agitating for a Referendum on Free Trade (BARF) led a protest in front of the House of Assembly as parliamentarians met.

An international petition that has been supported by locals also received nearly 200 votes calling for the EPA to be renegotiated.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing has insisted that the government will use the extra time allotted due to the signing date being pushed back, to continue to inform the public on the EPA.

July 23, 2008 | 2:21 PM Comments  0 comments

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