Mitchell Addresses the EU/EPA and takes on 'Cry Baby' Laing

<<< Fred Mitchell M.P. For Fox Hill. Below a photo of Zhivargo Laing M.P for Marco City.

FRED MITCHELL MP
OPPOSITION SPOKESMAN ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
6th April 2009

“In an interview with The Nassau Guardian, Laing denied that the European Commission rejected the offer, but admitted that it also did not accept it.

“He explained: ‘What we did was we made the services offer through the [Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery] which was put to the European Commission and they came back with some questions about our offers in various areas and we, as these are negotiations, responded to them and they have since asked if we could have a meeting with them to discuss and clarify some of the issues for them and that is what we’re going to do.’

“There is a need for full and frank disclosure on what is happening with the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).  This morning’s comments by the Minister are a masterful obfuscation or an attempt to confuse.

“If an offer is not accepted, then it is rejected, in plain English.

“What we are told is that the government made mistakes in their offer and the offer is unacceptable to the EU.

“We do not know if the offer they last provided to us; if what they forwarded to us is in fact the offer made, because they have not kept us informed as they should.

“They have not kept the public fully informed as they should.

“What are the terms of the offer?  Will our failure to meet the deadline of 15th April jeopardize the entire agreement and put our fishing industry at risk?

When there be an implementation unit for the EPA?  The public is still concerned about what this means for The Bahamas.  Will there be actual benefits for the Bahamian people in the EPA and what are those benefits?”