FRUSTRATING!
This is how British Secretary of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Jack Straw, has described efforts to get Europe to pump several million dollars more into economic development in Barbados and other Caribbean countries.

"We continue to argue with our European colleagues about the importance of fairness when it comes to compensation and transitional regimes for sugar and for bananas and for other commodities . . . ," Straw said yesterday.

Straw reported that Britain had been lobbying for close to 200 million euros (about BDS$500 million) to be given to Caribbean and other developing nations as "compensatory transitional payments", but the European offer was under 50 million euros (about BDS$125 million).

Europe is committed to providing aid to its traditional suppliers of commodities in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of nations to reshape their economies against the backdrop of loss of the preferential trade terms.

European developmental aid was among the matters Straw and other members of a British government delegation discussed with Caribbean foreign ministers during the just-ended meeting of the Fifth United Kingdom/ Caribbean Forum at the Hilton Barbados.

The UK delegation gave ten commitments on matters ranging from trade and development to security, scholarships and tourism. The Caribbean delegations made nine commitments on the same matters.

Agreement between the two sides was announced during a news conference shared by Straw; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dame Billie Miller; and the CARICOM Secretary General Dr Edwin Carrington.

A communique released after the discussions said the UK had given a commitment "to continue to lobby the European Commission, European Parliament and other member states for adequate and front-loaded and promptly disbursed transitional assistance for Caribbean Sugar Protocol countries".

The UK also gave a commitment "to collaborate with the region in representations to the EC for the accelerated release of European funds committed to support the management of the EU banana market preference erosion".

The British delegation agreed to continue supporting "the Caribbean's efforts at reducing poverty and vulnerability to shocks and natural disasters".

Dame Billie said the meeting was not about rhetoric, but reaching agreement on issues.

Hi Miss Nelia

Studyhard right now,the coarse is alot harder than I thought and exams are very near, so I only come on hear when I need a break from the routine, lol.

I agree with what you are saying, from what i've seen lately of English Polititions you can not trust a single word they say ( they can't even be honest to there own familys!!! ), I just thought it was very interesting the way J Straw blamed the rest of Europe and tried to make out that England was struggling on behalf of Barbados and the rest of the Caribbean, its a good way to take the heat off of himself. Typical of our government to swallow publicly what he said though, they just end up making themselves look stupid!!!

Respect

Maybe they are nervous that Barbados and some of the other islands are planning on becoming republics, if this happens then they will lose their control. No doubt the Bajan government will fall for this.

(study hard now!!! you will enjoy the fruits of your hard labour in the long run).