We initially welcomed the historic Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and CARIFORUM (Caricom and the Dominican Republic). Since then we have increased our understanding of the true value of the pact.

We are especially pleased to note that the agreement has a plethora of opportunities for exporting goods and services to the 450 million European market. It is also replete with measures to strengthen regional integration and is accompanied by development assistance to facilitate adjustment and meet the costs of implementation.

Of course, the EPA does not guarantee economic development, but we believe it can promote sustainable growth and export diversification if our region converts opportunities into actual investment, production, employment and foreign exchange earnings.

To do that, the region needs to prepare a strategy and schedule of implementation and projects at the regional and national levels to draw down EU development assistance. This exercise should be the responsibility of the Caricom Secretariat, drawing on the technical expertise of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) so ably led by Ambassador Richard Bernal, and the financial resources of the Caribbean Development Bank.

While implementation must ultimately be executed at the national level, there are aspects which are regional in character, and there must be conformity throughout the member states. It is obvious that implementation can be made more cost-effective by regional functional co-operation and co-ordination.

The experience of the repeated delays in the implementation of the Caricom Single Market and Economy suggested that the Caricom Secretariat needs to immediately commence the technical work and the consultative process to produce a plan and schedule for implementation of the EPA.

Moreover, the secretary-general should present to the next Heads of Government meeting the outline of such a plan and schedule, identifying what needs to be done and by which regional or national institutions. This should be followed in short order by quantifying the resource requirements and the design of projects for which the EU development assistance and aid for trade funds can be utilised.

There is no time to lose in improving the international competitiveness of firms operating in the CARIFORUM economic space. The potential opportunities to be seized must be identified so that the necessary policy measures can be instituted and infrastructure can be established. In particular, the three-year period of moratorium before tariff reductions begin to be phased in must be used to prepare for exposure to imports from the EU and simultaneously capitalise on the new opportunities, which are available.

We need not stress that the preparation of an implementation plan must involve the participation of the business community and trade unions. Governments cannot pick "winners", but if they work in tandem with entrepreneurs and investors they can facilitate the enhancement of international competitiveness and the emergence of new export sectors.

With the CRNM having received its well-deserved kudos, we must now get on with the next set of negotiations so that the region will not be outmanoeuvred by other developing countries seeking the same markets and export opportunities.

The importance of all this cannot be lost on the Jamaican Government.

Heritage Week or Halloween?

Alton Ellis a true gentleman — Roger Steffens

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