Former Commonwealth Secretary General Sir Shridath Ramphal has congratulated President Bharrat Jagdeo on the stance he took in relation to the controversial Economic Partnership Agree-ment (EPA) with the Euro-pean Union (EU).
In a message to the President which was released by the Government Informa-tion Agency yesterday, Sir Shridath said “Your wise and courageous efforts over the EPA have been vindicated. The amendment of the EPA has come out well for the Caribbean and could have been even better had the rest of CARICOM shown some mettle. History will record, and the ACP will remember, that Guyana made a brave and noble stand when the Caribbean collapsed before a European negotiating offensive.
“You have prevented October 15 being remembered as a ‘day of shame’ in the Region. I am glad that your media statement today serves notice of struggles ahead; struggles in which I do not believe you will be as lonely as you have been so far.
“The silent majority in the Caribbean, who have been with you throughout, will become more assertive; and Europe will discover that this was not the ‘victory’ they believed it was. Well before the first ‘mandatory’ review, a new EPA will emerge in a new time. You will have helped to shape the new ‘partnership’, and the new time is surely already at hand.”
Guyana did not sign the EPA on October 15 as other Caricom states did but has indicated it will do so before the end of this month.
After failing to have a goods-only agreement signed with the EU and failing to get Caricom countries to delay signature of the deal, President Jagdeo had laid down two conditions that had to be met before Guyana signed on to the agreement. These were that the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas which underpins Caricom would have supremacy over the EPA should any conflicts arise and in relation to matters of regional integration and that the EPA would be reviewed every five years.
The former was altered but still provides a basis for signing of the agreement by Guyana.
We gonna see who is gonna get the biggest stance when you hear Guyana losing out on this EPA signing.Jagdeo need to notify this nation of whats going on before he start to make decisions that will jeopardise the public.
Where does Sir Ramphal reside? Does he or will he face the squeezes the failure to sign brings? Does he realise that our incompetent ‘president’ has the greatest fear of losing brains to greener pastures & a better life? If life in Guyana was as it is in the average CARICOM country he would’ve signed it already.
where do you live, at the end the president wins.
shame on the rest of the yo yo leaders.
that is very good mr prestdent
What was Jagdeo doing for four and a half years when the EPA was first presented to Cariforum …..”NOTHING”…..Even the skills of Ramphal were not utilized then because he (Jagdeo) is a one man show. Why is Ramphal living in Barbados and not Guyana. ……? I wonder if his comments were supposed to be realesed to the media .
You’ve got to love Sir Shridath. The man retires from active politics and chooses to live in Barbados rather than Guyana. Talk about being smart! But how can he praise Jagdeo for his stance, not realizing that Jagdeo has long been on the receiving end of foreign loans and grants? It is not like Jagdeo has an alternate economic plan or vision for Guyana that would off-set any negative impact of European sanctions. Take away those foreign loans and grants (as well as money laundering and foreign remittances) and Guyana sinks like the Titanic. Fortunately for Sir Shridath, he won’t be on this ship!
Andy, you seem to be hard on borrowing money to develop the country. Are you and those on this blogg willing to do whatever you can to help in the development of our country? No Jagdeo has not always made the correct decisions on appointing competent people, and he has done very little to ease the crime situation, he has, however moved the country out of the poverty which he inherited. Guyana’s prosperity depends on farming and developing industry around that. Are you willing to go back home tostart this? I am willing.
Let me be the first to add a comment here, cause I know there wouldn’t be much on this article, knowing the mindset of the majority of SN bolggers. At least Mr Jagdeo got it right for once. If its by his own judgement or was on someone’s advise. Lets give him some credit.
I agree!! This is the only time that I can say I am impressed with his performance as head of state,he showed some guts,I know that he can govern this country better than he does but he needs to be a bit more mature in his position and realise that he is not fighting a war,he has been elected to do a job and that is what he should focus on,move away from the old ppp mentality of being too preocupied with the opposition,and do his job!
What have we to say…..only time will tell if it has been a good decision or not. Some clause was changed or amended to Jagdeo’s liking ….great they/he are/is the guardians of the people and should negotiate for the benifit of us all. I am sure, like me, not many Guyanese understand the nuances of this EPA deal…thus the limited blogging.
Also what happened during the 4 yrs of negotiation, could not all of this be pointed out. Nevertheless I admire his decision to stand firm even without the backing of Caricom [no love lost]. Had it been Jamaica/Barbados or another nation, Caricom would have paid more attention…..Just the stepchild hollering …sooooo, the classic response; close ranks around the carribbean!
Why doesn’t Sir Shridath advise on how to truly run a democracy & show the difference between a DEMOCRACY & a DEM-MO-CRAZY
Sir Shridath is right to give credit where it is due. Jagdeo got it right this time so e deserves to b applauded for that. As regards d sanctions by the EU for not signing earlier, it id a baseless argument because d original deal was more beneficial to the EU than d Caribbean as is usually d case. He who pays the piper calls the tune. So give Jagdeo credit on this one.
A loud sounding nothing, a waste of words, a waste of time.