LOCAL PUNDIT'S CRITICISM OF FTAA GETS BIG MEDIA

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000126

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - MSEIBEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL EMIN ETRD NS
SUBJECT: LOCAL PUNDIT'S CRITICISM OF FTAA GETS BIG MEDIA
ATTENTION IN SURINAME

REF: 03 PARAMARIBO 796


1. SUMMARY: A JANUARY 19 EDITORIAL BY LOCAL PUNDIT NICO
WAAGMEESTER CRITICIZED THE FREE TRADE AREA OF THE AMERICAS
(FTAA) PROCESS FOR STRAYING FROM THE ORIGINAL IDEALS OF
DEVELOPMENT, DEMOCRACY, FREE TRADE, AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT. WAAGMEESTER, A MEMBER OF THE CONSERVATIVE
EMPLOYERS' UNION (VSB),LAMENTED THE SHIFT FROM A FOCUS ON
POVERTY REDUCTION TO ONE OF MARKET ACCESS. DESPITE
PRESIDENT RONALD VENETIAAN'S ATTEMPT TO GARNER SUPPORT FOR
FTAA IN HIS NOVEMBER 25 INDEPENDENCE SPEECH IN WHICH HE
CALLED ON SURINAMERS TO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE
FTAA AND THE CARIBBEAN SINGLE MARKET ECONOMY (CSME) PRESENT,
ANTI-FTAA RHETORIC CONTINUES TO GET GREAT PLAY IN THE LOCAL
MEDIA. (SEE REFTEL.) END SUMMARY.

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FTAA NO LONGER FOCUSED ON POVERTY REDUCTION
OR DEVELOPMENT, SAYS LOCAL PUNDIT
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2. IN A JANUARY 19 EDITION OF LOCAL DAILY DE WARE TIJD, NICO
WAAGMEESTER, A MEMBER OF THE CONSERVATIVE EMPLOYERS' UNION
(VSB),PUBLISHED AN EDITORIAL CRITICAL OF THE FREE TRADE OF
AREA OF THE AMERICAS (FTAA) NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS AND ITS
"VISION." EXTENSIVELY CITING SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE
CARICOM BYRON BLAKE AT THE NOVEMBER 8-10, 2003, CARIBBEAN
CENTRAL AMERICAN ACTION (CCAA) HELD IN MIAMI, WAAGMEESTER
PAINTED THE FTAA NEGOTIATION'S PROCESS AS ONE THAT HAD BEEN
HIJACKED FROM ITS 1993 VISION FOCUSED ON PARTNERSHIP FOR
DEVELOPMENT, DEMOCRACY, FREE TRADE, AND ENVIRONMENT TO ONE
THAT FOCUSED ON COOPERATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF A FEW
COUNTRIES. THE 2003 VISION, HE SAID, HAS BECOME A UNION IN
WHICH RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS ARE BASED ON THE INTERESTS OF
INDIVIDUAL MEMBER STATES, MARKET ACCESS, AND MONEY
LAUNDERING. THE FINAL AGREEMENT, WAAGMEESTER WROTE, WILL BE
FORGED DESPITE THE ABILITY OF INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES TO
NEGOTIATE ON AN EVEN FOOTING WITH LARGER COUNTRIES AND
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER MEMBER STATES CAN FULFILL ITS
OBLIGATIONS. WITH SMALL ECONOMIES, LIKE SURINAME'S, NOT
READY TO OPEN THEIR MARKETS TO STIFF FOREIGN COMPETITION,
FTAA'S WINNERS WILL BE BIG ECONOMIES, WAAGMEESTER CONCLUDED,
AT THE EXPENSE OF SMALL, UNDERDEVELOPED ECONOMIES.

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COMMENT
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3. IN HIS NOVEMBER 25, 2003, INDEPENDENCE-DAY SPEECH,
PRESIDENT RONALD VENETIAAN PRONOUNCED HIS SUPPORT FOR FTAA
AND CALLED ON SURINAMERS TO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES
PRESENTED BY FTAA AND THE CARIBBEAN SINGLE MARKET ECONOMY
(CSME). LOCAL PUNDITS LIKE WAAGMEESTER, HOWEVER, CONTINUE
TO GET GREAT PRESS COVERAGE FOR ANTI-FTAA RHETORIC,
REFLECTING THE GENERAL ANXIETY AMONG SURINAMERS OVER HOW
THEY WILL FARE WHEN FTAA IS IMPLEMENTED. (SEE REFTEL.)
SURINAMERS CONTINUE TO EXPRESS THE FEAR THAT SURINAMESE
BUSINESSES WILL BE WIPED OUT BY AGGRESSIVE FOREIGN
COMPETITION -- AND FOR GOOD REASONS. MANY SURINAMESE
BUSINESSES LACK BASIC SKILLS TO COMPETE GLOBALLY, SUCH AS
MARKETING SAVVY, MANAGERIAL SKILLS, OR KNOWLEDGE OF THE
STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS. AS LONG AS SURINAMERS SEE
LITTLE GAIN FROM FTAA, WAAGMEESTER'S VIEW WILL PERSIST THAT
FTAA'S WINNERS WILL BE LARGE ECONOMIES AT THE EXPENSE OF
SMALL ECONOMIES. END COMMENT.

BARNES

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2004PARAMA00126 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED



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