ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC -Grenada has signed the Samoa Agreement on the very day that the Dickon Mitchell administration said publicly that its technocrats and bureaucrats would go through the accord “and be in the best position to tell us exactly what the agreement states.”
A statement posted on the Facebook page of the Office of the Prime Minister on Thursday said that the island’s Ambassador to Belgium, Raphael Joseph, “on Wednesday 22 November 2023, signed the Samoa Agreement on behalf of the State of Grenada”.
It noted that the heads of mission of four other countries, Burundi, Central African Republic, Niger, and St. Kitts and Nevis, also signed the agreement at the Headquarters of the Organization of African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).
On Wednesday, both Prime Minister Mitchell and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Export Development Joseph Andall told reporters that St. George’s would not be rushed into signing any agreements containing morality issues.
The agreement signed last Wednesday in Apai will serve as an overarching legal framework for the relationship between the European Union (EU) and the OACPS for the next 20 years. It follows the Cotonou Agreement and covers sustainable development, growth, human rights, and peace and security.
The provisional application of the agreement will start on 1 January 2024. It will enter into force upon consent by the European Parliament and ratification by all EU member states and at least two-thirds of the 79 OACPS members.
Dominica and Jamaica have since indicated that they would be signing the accord that has raised concerns in several quarters, including the Roman Catholic Church, amid fears that it will impose laws on Caribbean people that are not in keeping with the culture and values.
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 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 added.
On Wednesday, Andall said that “there is a window for countries to sign” after indicating that some Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have not affixed their signature to the accord.
“Grenada, for sure, we are not willing to surrender our sovereignty to any international organization, and if there is any part and proposed agreement inconsistent with our constitution and with our values, we will think very long and hard before entering into any such agreement,” Andall told reporters.
Prime Minister Mitchell said the culture of any particular country or region primarily designs international agreements or not, morality, and values.
“So questions raised by the comments of the Archbishop, I think, are always questions for debate,” said Mitchell, an attorney, adding,” I want to say morality is a private issue…we have to bear that in mind.
“Certainly, in the region context, we have separated church and state a long time ago… from a public perspective, the government deals with law and what’s legal and not legal.
Mitchell said the Archbishop’s views are “obviously his …I have not yet read the agreement, so I can’t tell you whether the agreement says what people say.
“I suspect at the end of the day our technocrats and bureaucrats will go through the agreement and be in the best position to tell us exactly what the agreements state,” Mitchell added.
According to the statement posted on the Facebook page of the Office of the Prime Minister,
“the EU would provide the funding to the tune of billions of euros(One Euro=US$1.29 cents) for all programs and projects relative to the agreement.
“Indeed, over the last 50 years, Europe and in particular the European Union has been the most consistent and productive development partner of the countries in the ACP grouping,” the statement added.
and then 