Jamaican PM defends stance on EPA

Jamaican PM defends stance on EPA

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - Prime Minister Bruce Golding has scoffed at Caribbean academics who have criticised his stance on the new Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which will govern trade relations between the region and the European Union (EU).

Golding has long maintained that the preferential arrangements with Europe once enjoyed by countries in the region could not continue forever.

Speaking at a function in the corporate area on Wednesday, he called on his critics to get over the sense of entitlement where trade with Europe is concerned.

"Europe has been giving us preferential treatment for a long time.even when Europe could buy sugar on the world market for maybe 10 or 12 or 13 cents a pound, Europe was paying us 23 cents a pound.

"They have been doing this for a long time. Europe has said to us that look this free ride is over, we are prepared to sit down with you and negotiate some stuff, but understand we have no obligation to carry you any further.

"I get into an argument with some people in the region because they believe that 'yes they must carry us because remember it was some of your people who came and enslaved our people out here'. But I say (to them) cut out this foolishness and let us wake up and get real," Golding said.

Golding, who has lead responsibility for external trade negotiations in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) said those preferential arrangements might have hindered development in CARICOM countries, by creating a culture of dependence as they prevented countries from becoming efficient producers.

He pointed out that the time has now come to take action to establish free trade arrangements that are beneficial to the region.

The agreement between CARIFORUM (CARICOM and the Dominican Republic) and the EU is scheduled to be signed sometime before the end of June.

CMC/kb/bm/08