UK/Caribbean forum to discuss EPA

The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) among the Caribbean, the European Union and the African Caribbean Pacific group of developing countries is likely to be discussed when the UK/Caribbean Forum is held in London next week.



CARICOM countries and the Dominican Republic, which initialed the EPA last December, are expected to sign the agreement in Barbados later this month.



Guyana has reservations and said it is not keen to rush into signing the arrangement.



Guyana is about to launch a process of national consultation on the EPA issue.



This is in keeping with an earlier announcement by President Bharrat Jagdeo, that Georgetown would not sign on to the EPA until such an exercise is undertaken.



The consultation is scheduled to begin at the end of the month.