One of the Caribbean Community nations, which had vowed not to sign a controversial trade and aid pact between the European Union (EU) and its former colonies in Africa, The Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) has made an abrupt about face in a clear sign that most if not all regional member states will eventually cotton on to the new Samoa Agreement.
The Grenada government this week said it had signed the agreement, days after Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell had expressed concerns about some clauses in the deal that would have required regional governments to make concessions to same sex marriages, gay rights and related issues according to some civil society groups.
A week ago, Jamaica, Trinidad, Antigua, Grenada and others had said they would not sign, but Vincentian Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves appeared to have spoken for those who have not signed or plan to do so shortly by arguing that there is nothing in the new agreement that prevents the Eastern Caribbean nation from signing on. The agreement was signed by more than 100 nations in Samoa on Nov. 15. It replaces the Cotonou Agreement that was signed in Benin back in 2000 and will similarly run for 20 years.
The Catholic Church and advocacy groups in the region had pointed to texts in the deal referring to no discrimination against any group based on sexual orientation as proof that the EU was committing the ACP to bending to their acceptance on same sex marriages among other issues.
Gonsalves said that “St Vincent has not signed onto any matter which demands of us that we alter our legislative provisions related to issues such as same-sex marriages regarding transgender. There is no commitment for us to change our laws in relation to any of these matters.” He also pointed out that only parliament can change laws to accommodate same sex marriages as an example.
The known hold outs are Jamaica, Trinidad and Antigua with Jamaican authorities saying that they need greater consultation within” the domestic space” before signing on to the pact. Dominica, St. Kitts, Suriname, Guyana have already done so. The Keith Rowley administration in Trinidad has not said much but Catholic Bishop Jason Gordon has railed against the twin island republic with Tobago signing the pact as he thinks it links aid to acceptance of LGBTQ-Plus issues.
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. 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.
But from all appearances, the interpretation of the pact by PM Gonsalves will likely sway most if not all to sign before the six-month window closes. He said that Section 9 in the agreement speaks to no discrimination against minority groups like the disabled and “others, noting that sexual orientation is not specifically mentioned. “This paragraph doesn’t mention sexual orientation. They may think that’s what’s included, but it is not there because there would have been objections to putting it explicitly and they will try to push their values which are not ours.”
