Gonsalves - File

'We are moving deliberately, carefully and within the interest of the people of the region.'

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders say the year-end deadline for completion of trade negotiations between the Caribbean and Europe was in jeopardy.

CARICOM chairman, Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur and St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that it was now very unlikely that the economic partnership agreement (EPA) would kick in at the beginning of next year as planned.

Speaking Friday at the end of a CARICOM bureau of heads meeting, which was also attended by Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, the two leaders said that with just over a month left for completion of negotiations, there were still major outstanding issues.

"It's not impossible but difficult," said Gonsalves, who added that the CARIFORUM (CARICOM and Dominican Republic) negotiators had now been given a new mandate.

"Some progress has been made on the development dimension of the economic partnership agreement, but much more work needs to be done there. And we are coming to conclusions on some other areas, but there is still a distance for us to go.

"There are some other matters, but the market-access issues are among the critical ones and there's going to be on November 30, another meeting, and we will see what happens then, but we are going to keep monitoring at a political level what is taking place," Gonsalves added.

Very careful

He also insisted that it was better for the region to take time in reaching an agreement that is in the best interest of the people, rather than merely seeking to meet the deadline.

"The governments of the region are taking into account, objectively, the needs of our Caribbean countries, of all the sectors, and we are being very careful.

"We are being very practical and understanding the circumstances where we are and what are the downsides for not concluding an agreement by the end of the year, but at the same time not rushing it for the sake of just having an agreement.

"We are moving deliberately, carefully and within the interest of the people of the region," Gonsalves added.