| EPA Consultations to Take Place in Guyana After CARIFESTA |
| SC Admin |
08/8/2008
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Economy, Trade & Investment
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Government more committed to consultations than signing deal
Georgetown -- August 8, 2008 -- Government’s consultations with citizens on the much-debated Economic
Partnership Agreement (EPA) will not be taking place until the
Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) has been concluded.
This is according to Head of the Presidential Secretariat
(HPS) and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon who made the disclosure
today during his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing at the Office of
the President.
The Cabinet Secretary had said previously that the consultations would have been held by the end of July.
Responding to queries today as to whether the consultations
at that latter stage would not be impeding on the deadline stipulated
for the signing of the Agreement, the Cabinet Secretary said this would
not matter, since Government is more committed to the consultations
with Guyanese on the trade deal which it considers to be flawed, rather
than on placing its signature on the agreement.
President Bharrat Jagdeo is the lone Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) Head that expressed reluctance to sign the deal (the EPA)
with the European Union and has long been highlighting his concerns
that the agreement is flawed and needs to be re-examined. The President
stated that the deal could be a detriment to CARIFORUM countries and
will allow for more benefits to go to Europe rather than to poor
developing countries.
He had stated that it seemed as though the EU was bullying
CARIFORUM countries to sign the agreement and he is against it since he
is not looking at the short term benefits which some are considering
losing, but rather at the long term repercussions the deal may have on
CARIFORUM States.
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