Hinkson: Samoa Agreement a win-win

Barbados’ Representative to the African Caribbean Pacific (ACP)-European Union (EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly has sought to “clear up some misconceptions” about the recently signed Samoa Agreement amid concerns that the deal will impose laws that are not in keeping with the Caribbean culture and values.

In fact, Member of Parliament for St James North Edmund Hinkson SC described the deal, which Barbados recently inked as a “win-win” for participating countries.

Signed earlier this month in Apai, the Samoa Agreement serves as an overarching legal framework for the relationship between the EU and the 79-member Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS). It succeeds the Cotonou Agreement and covers subjects such as sustainable development and growth, human rights and peace and security.

However, several organisations around the region have raised concerns about the agreement, including the Roman Catholic Church in Trinidad and Tobago.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Jason Gordon said that while the agreement is “written as a trade agreement and an agreement of support, financially etc. for the African Caribbean and Pacific nations, embedded in that agreement – and when it is signed it is for 20 years and cannot be revoked – …is that anyone who signs that agreement will have abortion legislation in their countries”.

“They will have to impose abortion legislation, transgender, LBGTQ, comprehensive sex education, a whole range of values will be imposed because of the signing of that document,” he argued.

However, Hinkson insisted: “This agreement does not add anything . . . or derogate anything in terms of our human rights. All of our CARICOM countries are signatories to the Charter of the UN, are signatories to the Declaration of Human Rights, [and] are signatories to UN Programmes of Action. All we have done is sign an agreement . . . [that] is wider than trade . . . .” 

He contended that some organisations were “creating hysteria at every turn”. 

“I am not going to get into any argument with [any] religious organisation. The Samoa Agreement didn’t just appear and arise one day as say, ‘Come sign me’. This agreement constitutes a win-win situation for the ACP and EU…. This agreement is wider than a trade agreement. It addresses global needs and challenges such as environmental sustainability and climate change . . . . It speaks to ocean governance, migration, health, peace and security, democracy, sustainable development and economic growth, human rights and human and social development – that’s what this agreement is about,” Hinkson told those attending the joint Barbados Labour Party St James Central and St James North branch meeting at the St James Central constituency office on Sunday.

He questioned whether people speaking on the agreement had actually read it. 

“It is a long document, and it has three protocols — protocols relating to African countries, one relating to Caribbean countries, and one relating to the Pacific. And I swear blind that a lot of people who are speaking against it have not read that document,” he said.

Hinkson argued that while he could not speak about other Caribbean countries, the Government of Barbados had a duty to look out for its national and geopolitical interests.

“This agreement revolves around shared priorities and interests. It represents a paradigm shift in our external relations with Europe to a win-win partnership that fits our current world order. It reflects a triumph for the principles of multilateralism in an era where some countries in the world: some super powers in the world, would wish to deal with all developing countries on a bilateral basis. 

“This agreement, for example, ensures that the Europen Union will help us with disaster risk management; they are helping us with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital digitalising it,” he stated. (FW)