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Monday, October 2, 2006
Saint Lucia's External Affairs Minister Petrus Compton has criticised the international world for turning its back and allowing World Trade Organisation (WTO) rulings to destroy the economies of small island developing states.
The Minister made these cutting comments during the 61st Session of the United Nations General Assembly recently held in New York. He accused the International World of allowing the mass social dislocation which was caused by the WTO decision to stop preferential treatment to the farmers of the developing Caribbean nations. According to the Minister, for these independent farmers who were employers in their own right the repercussions of the WTO rulings were staggering. Compton pointed out that for every banana farmer in Saint Lucia who had lost their livelihood, at least four to five persons had also been cut-off from direct participation in the economic system. The WTO, he said, had become synonymous with pain and suffering for farmers because the implementation of WTO obligations created more hardship and poverty than had previously existed.
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