Caribbean-EU Economic Partnership Agreement dubious
[PHOTO: Building of the European Union by @t.]
The imminent signing of an Economic Partnnership Agreement between the Caribbean and Europe should be postponed due to unclarity among other reasons, Trinidad and Tobago's Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday said today in a letter. Addressed to Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning, the letter calls for greater consultation with the business community. The verbatim letter below was released to the media today.
"During the period July 22 to 24, 2008, members of the Parliamentary Arm of the United National Congress (UNC) met and held consultation with members of the various business Chambers and Associations throughout the country including large, medium and small businesses, trade unions and non-governmental organizations, to determine their respective positions and concerns regarding the recently initiated Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the CARIFORUM and the European Union which the government of Trinidad and Tobago is scheduled to sign in Barbados on September 2, 2008.
Subsequently, the UNC at its Parliamentary Caucus meeting held on Wednesday, August 6, 2008, discussed the subject of the EPA and feedback generated by our consultations with the national stakeholders on the matter, and directed that measures be taken to have this entire Agreement reviewed, if not completely renegotiated.
Segments of the business community, particularly small and medium sized businesses, and the trade union movement expressed the following concerns during our round of consultations:
1. the round of consultation by the government on the EPA was not sufficiently publicized and as such many concerned parties did not find out about it until it was too late to attend or contribute;
2. the government's consultation was rushed through and did not cater sufficient time for those parties to conduct proper research;
3. most businesses did not have sufficient information on the subject of the EPA and were not informed on the contents of the Agreement;
4. most business operators were not clear on what products and services would be affected by the EPA and therefore were unclear whether their operations would be affected;
5. most parties were unclear how the nation as a whole would benefit or suffer by the implementation of the EPA; and
6. regional trade unions belonging to the Caribbean Congress of Labour have taken the position to call for a mandatory review of the EPA and renegotiation of several provisions.
Based on these and other considerations, the Members of the UNC are of the unanimous view that:
1. the draft EPA does not contain adequate provisions to safeguard and protect the country's productive sector,
2. the region and its productive sector will be very vulnerable to the inevitable inflow of European imports,
3. there appears to be an absence of any food security guarantees for the nation and the region,
4. there appears to be serious implications for policy space in the spheres of agriculture, industry, the provision of social services at affordable cost, the promotion of local entrepreneurship, the development and growth of the cultural product as well as research and development,
5. the socio-economic impact of the Agreement on critical sectors in our economy is yet to be fully assessed, evaluated and objectively determined,
6. there is a greater need for public education on the subject of the EPA,
7. government's so-called consultation sessions on the EPA were flawed and must be properly re-done,
8. the views, concerns and fears of the national citizenry, particularly those with a direct interest at stake, should be settled before the government proceeds to sign this agreement, and
9. the views, concerns and fears of our CARICOM partners should be settled before the government proceeds to sign this agreement.
It is the view of the Official Parliamentary Opposition that the growing and intense reservation to the EPA which is currently sweeping the region should not be simply ignored or hidden under the carpet. Indeed the long term rights and interests of the people of this country and the region are at stake, if not at risk. It is in this context that there have been strident calls for a mandatory review of the EPA provisions.
The country needs time for further review and nationwide consultation at home, in the region and with our international partners comprising the ACP group.
Having regard to the far-reaching nature of the provisions contained in the draft EPA and the impact on meaningful and substantial development in the nation and the region, the Opposition UNC wishes to advance the following proposals for your government's consideration and urgent action:
1. the postponement of the signing of the Agreement scheduled for September 2, 2008 in Barbados by the government of Trinidad and Tobago;
2. the hosting of nationwide consultations with the critical stakeholders inclusive of large, medium and small businesses, trade unions, farmers' organizations, consumer groupings, NGO's as well as civil society to determine the real implications of the EPA; and
3. the urgent tabling and full debate of the draft EPA in both Houses of Parliament at the earliest opportunity;
4. proper discussions with our CARICOM partners to protect the relationship with our regional neighbours.
In light of the urgency of the moment and the impending signing of the Agreement, it is imperative that we record our position. We anticipate a positive and mature response to our aforementioned proposals.
Yours in Struggle,
……….……………………… .
Hon Basdeo Panday
Leader of the Opposition
MP, Couva North
Chairman & Political Leader, UNC"
----------------------------------------
Leader of the Opposition
Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Statement
People must consent to Integration
Brothers and Sisters of Trinidad and Tobago, the welfare and future of our country is everybody's business. Actions and decisions by public officials have a direct impact on the quality of life of every citizen and the generations to come.
Good governance and common courtesy requires that where serious and far-reaching decisions are to be made the People must be consulted and must give their approval to the relevant course of action. Public consultation is especially critical when dealing with major expenditure of public monies and foreign agreements that undermine the freedom, sovereignty and mobility of citizens, and which are binding on future generations.
In the first instance I wish to condemn the actions of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago for having committed this country to certain agreements with three of our CARICOM neighbours without having first consulted the people of Trinidad and Tobago and received their agreement and consent. In fact, such a serious matter as "political integration" should have been the subject of a referendum.
The Prime Minister has demonstrated further contempt for the people of Trinidad and Tobago by his slipshod approach to such a serious matter. Not only was there no consultation on the matter, investigations by the Office of the Leader of the Opposition revealed:
1. the Prime Minister's disclosure that he signed the Joint Declaration was not by a scripted statement but an off-the-cuff announcement;
2. Officials at the Office of the Prime Minister, the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had no idea of the specific contents of the Joint Declaration; and
3. the Office of the Prime Minister, the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could not locate copies of the Joint Declaration signed by the Heads of Government, far less could they provide the Office of the Leader of the Opposition with a copy of the document.
In these circumstances, there remains a black-out of the particulars of what the Prime Minister has committed this country to in this clandestine agreement for "Economic Integration" and "Political Integration". In the absence of Agreement documents, these terms remain just a corollary of fancy words whose meanings lack tangibility just as the catch-phrase "Vision 2020".
I say this because "Political Integration" is a very broad term. There are several forms that political integration can take and each has its own merits and demerits. It is in that context that the Prime Minister has an obligation to swiftly provide information to the public on his proposal and engage the population in meaningful dialogue on the matter – particularly where the Prime Minister, portraying the feudal over-lord that he wishes himself to be, has said that the arrangement he is pursuing will require countries to give up some of their sovereignty.
Trinidad and Tobago's political independence and the ownership of its resources and assets is a matter that must be determined by the people of Trinidad and Tobago and no other individual.
Citizens have taken stock of Mr Manning's romance with painting himself as a Godfather to the region and a "show off", shelling out money in every direction; building airports for other countries, wining and dining his friends from other countries and jetting them and himself around while in Trinidad and Tobago children are dying from mosquito bites, women are being killed in our Capital City by stray bullets from gang battles, inflation slips on the double-digit slope, food prices sky-rocket, oppressed farmers lose their agricultural produce to flood waters and millions of dollars in man-hours are lost to traffic daily.
Mr Manning's actions yesterday appear to be yet another red herring. In fact, it appears to be a recycled distraction because Mr Manning has been talking of political integration since 2004 when there was an upsurge in kidnapping. Nothing came of that threat except a temporary distraction of public attention from the pressing issue of that day.
Four years later, the government is under pressure owing to spiraling food prices, rampaging crime, serious allegations of corruption at UdeCOTT, among other issues. Since the promise of an Inquiry into UdeCOTT, Mr Manning has engaged in several distractions such as his "ghost" constitution.
In any event, I wish to assure the national community that any action that would give political rights to the land-, maritime- and air-space and the resources and assets of Trinidad and Tobago, and impinge the constitutional rights of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago must obtain the approval of Parliament.
The Opposition United National Congress renews its pledge to protect the Rights of all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.
Hon Basdeo Panday
Leader of the Opposition
MP, Couva
Chairman & Political Leader, UNC
