St. Lucia challenging criteria for disbursement of banana funds

St. Lucia is challenging the criteria for disbursement of some 200 million Euros, intended to help banana dependent economies in the African Caribbean and Pacific States, deal reduced European tariffs for imports.



Foreign Minister, Rufus Bousquet said the banana issue will be the number one foreign policy issue for the island in 2010.



Mr. Bousquet said the matter is an important one because the reduced tariffs will compromise the ability of regional banana producers to be competitive in Europe.



He said St Lucia has a tremendous difficulty with the criteria of per capita income that is being used to determine disbursement of the funds.