by RICKEY SINGH, Observer Caribbean correspondent

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Caricom chairman Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer has expressed hope that two important provisions put forward by Guyana as a condition to sign the full Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) will be accepted by both sides in time for the pact's signing next Wednesday in Barbados.

The provisions are outlined in a proposed "Draft Declaration" currently being considered and intended for release as part of the scheduled signing ceremony between representatives of CARIFORUM countries (Caricom plus the Dominican Republic) and the European Union (EU).
The preconditions signalled by Guyana are:
First, where a conflict arises in the implementation process of the EPA and the revised Caricom Treaty in relation to the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) that is central to realisation of regional economic integration, then the Caricom Treaty should take precedence.
Second, the proposed Joint Declaration should also reflect the need for "mandatory review" of the EPA every five years to determine the social and economic impact on CARIFORUM member states and not to leave such a crucial requirement in a "grey area of generalities".
The Dominican Republic, which is not a member of Caricom, and with which a free trade agreement remains in limbo, has been resisting the Caricom Treaty having precedence over the EPA in any emerging conflict over its implementation.
However, according to the secretary-general of Caricom, Edwin Carrington, who is also secretary-general of CARIFORUM, once there is a "commitment for compromise" a formula could be found. One suggestion is to restrict resolution of such a conflict applicable to the Caricom countries that are signatories to the revised treaty. This would exclude the Dominican Republic.
Guyana is reported to be disposed to such a compromise formula. And Prime Minister Spencer has said that once this "hurdle" is removed, he did not envisage "any serious objections" to Guyana's second proposal for a "mandatory review of the EPA every five years". This, he added, "would be in the general interest of all concerned - CARIFORUM and EU".
But another opinion that surfaced yesterday suggested it may be easier to work with a formulation on the question of a conflict by having the proposed Joint Declaration urge: "In the implementation of the EPA, the parties (CARIFORUM/EU) will make every effort to ensure compatibility between the provisions of the EPA and Caribbean integration processes". Or, "will pay due regard to the established integration processes within CARIFORUM".
Yesterday, Henry Gill, the director-general of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) remained engaged with, among others, officials from the Dominican Republic, Guyana and the European Commission (executive arm of the EU) to resolve differences over the proposed Joint Declaration that could enable all Caricom states (including Guyana and Haiti, which, also, is yet to commit to signing the EPA) to sign the full agreement next week.
Speaking from Brussels, following a meeting with officials of the European Commission yesterday, Guyana's ambassador, Patrick Gomes, confirmed being in communication with Gill, but declined to give details. He said, however, that officials of the EC and member states of the EU were "making serious efforts to deal with Guyana's expressed concerns consistent with a desire for all CARIFORUM countries to sign off on the EPA..."