Caribbean Report 14-05-1997

Abstract

Dominica’s Opposition Leader has made an outspoken attack on Caribbean Community leaders for what he says was their failure to sufficiently press the banana issue during the weekend Summit meeting with President Clinton. As a result of this outspoken attack, the question what benefits were derived from the Summit and where does the region go from here are addressed as well as the Windward Islands politicians disappointment on the banana issue. Still on the banana issue, the European Union has said it has good grounds to appeal a decision by the World Trade Organisation opposing Europe’s banana regime. Also a flurry of letters to newspaper editors appear in today’s British press following coverage in London of last week’s visit to the Caribbean banana producing countries by European MPs. Next, trade ministers from thirty four states in the hemisphere are meeting in Brazil to prepare for the second Summit of the Americas. American and Brazilian officials question the paste of negotiation to remove trade barriers. Trade groups are questioning of what interest is this to the Caribbean Community. Also, is it time for the Caribbean to be literary ganging up on Washington and mainland South America to get what it wants? Next, the new British government has been setting out its programmes in the first Queen’s Speech to be written by a Labour administration in eighteen years. The speech which is drafted by the prime minister outlines the objectives for the new parliament. There were predictions that the new bill outlawing racial harassment and racially motivated violence would be in those bills. Finally, Trinidad and Tobago and Britain have initiated an agreement to allow increase cooperation to fight drugs. Trinidad and Tobago’s Attorney General said the agreement is similar to the shiprider agreement with the United States which was signed in Port of Spain last year.