by RICKEY SINGH

CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM) heads of government have decided on immediate action on two important fronts – the rising cost of living and new trade and economic relations with the European Union (EU).

The decisions resulted from tense working sessions at which tempers flared, at both plenary and caucus levels, during last Friday's day-long 12th special meeting of CARICOM heads of government at the National Conference Centre in Guyana.

On cost of living – a problem currently affecting member states, the leaders decided on a work plan that included creation of a team of technocrats to consider relevant changes in the community's Common External Tariff (CET) for determing a "basket of consumer goods" common to households across the region.

The team's report would be submitted to the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in time for the scheduled January
21-26 meeting.

At the same time, another group of experts would be mobilised to undertake a "rapid assessment" of the state of readiness by "selected" community partner states to export "selected food items" and the ability of other member states to import such consumer commodities.

On wider initiatives to stimulate agriculural expansion and diversification with food security as a primary focus, Friday's meeting expressed appreciation for the Guyana Government's "generous offer" on making lands available to CARICOM nationals on long-term renewable leases for agricultural production and food processing.

On the issue of trade and economic relations with the EU, emphasis was focused on completion of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) as expeditiously as possible, but without "sacrificing vital interests" of the Caribbean region.

The leaders signalled their preference for completing negotiations on the total EPA package, instead of rushing to meet a year-end deadline on market access of goods, as being stressed by the EU's representatives.

They, however, made clear their determination against offering Europe reciprocity in areas of either trade and services that could eventually prove injurious to economies of the CARIFORUM group of countries (comprising CARICOM and the Dominican Republic).

Informed conference sources, told the DAILY NATION that one area in the services category on which the leaders "drew a clear line" for the guidance of Caribbean negotiators, related to the cultural industries that's now expanding across the region.