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Bahamians and Other Caribbean Citizens Want More Information on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with European Union Countries
Related to country: Bahamas

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More information needed on EPA:
Nassau Guardian Editorial -
Nassau, Bahamas:



A number of concerned citizens have been expressing their opinions on the intriguing yet controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). While those who have some idea of what it entails, there are others who state they do not understand and are requiring that the government and business leaders explain what will happen if The Bahamas signs on to such a treaty.

Just recently, a local economic activist was publicly stating his support of a petition which calls for the EPA to be renegotiated. Paul Moss, chairman of Bahamians Agitating for a Referendum on Free Trade (BARF), revealed that he and other members of his organization have signed the online petition which questions the trade agreement.

The petition, which can be found at ipetitions.com, is sponsored by regional civil organizations in the Caribbean that are deeply concerned about the EPA.

Supporters of the petition include members of CARIFORUM states (CARICOM and the Dominican Republic). Since the petition began on July 1, more than 270 people have signed on, demanding their governments take a closer look at the EPA.

The petition specifically calls for regional governments to limit the EPA only to what is required to make it World Trade Organization (WTO) compatible; make specific legally-binding provisions in the EPA for financial and technical assistance from the European Commission, to be used in the development of industries such as agriculture and services; insert legally binding criteria designed to measure the socio-economic impacts of the EPA on key segments of society – women, youth children, farmers, workers and fisher-folk; and a mandatory review of the EPA provisions that allow for the possibility of renegotiation; within three years of signature of the agreement.

In May of this year, a number of Bahamians assembled in Rawson Square for a peaceful protest against the government in which several of them were under the impression that our nation's leaders had already signed the agreement.

They contend that they wanted to know what the government was doing about EPA and that once they knew, they would then know how to proceed with their lives, especially those who expressed fear over the nation's job market being overrun by foreign workers.

Some felt that even though one can understand some of their concerns, the fact that they were speaking out on an issue in which they were 'misinformed' needed to be addressed, proving that the Bahamian public must be further educated on what the EPA is all about and the government must stress, on a more national level, what plans they have for the future regarding this controversial trade agreement.

Responding to the public's concerns about EPA, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham noted in the House of Assembly that the government wants the Bahamian public to be fully informed on the context of this crucial decision which will have to be made shortly and that they (government) has committed themselves to 'diligently' provide the Bahamian public with a comprehensive briefing.

"It is an issue on which we, as a democracy, shall take an informed decision and not one based on poor and misleading information. My government and its agencies will continue to work very hard to fully inform the Bahamian public and their parliamentary representatives before any final decisions are taken."

However, Moss says that BARF signed the petition because they felt that the EPA is not in the best interest of The Bahamas and needs to be renegotiated, or that The Bahamas needs to take a different route of negotiation.

The EPA is designed to open up trade between ACP countries (Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific) with European Union countries. The Bahamas government initialed the trade agreement on December 16, 2007. The government has yet to strategize and finalize its service offer. And, now it seems as if there are some who feel that they should not continue with it all.

July 29, 2008 | 11:44 AM Comments  0 comments

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