Results for free trade

A network of civil groups in the Pacific has made a plea for Pacific Island Governments to end current free trade negotiations, ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum dialogue on PACER-Plus in Nadi today.

The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group has responded in solidarity to the concern and frustration voiced by its Pacific member states over an apparent lack of commitment from the European Union to conclude comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements. By Linny Folau in Port Vila.

Free trade negotiations come with the usual rhetoric about how it will bring development to the Pacific, a type of 'development' that is being painfully felt right now in Tonga. Tonga became a member of the World Trade Organization under what has been described as the "worst" terms of any country. So confident in the benefits that would come with liberalisation and lowering of tariffs the government argued that no future government would question WTO membership since the benefits would be "manifestly obvious for all". Sadly Tonga's current crisis is what is has become obvious for all.

Although the Free Trade area for the Pacific has started to take shape Tonga is not ready to take advantage of it. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 18, no. 2, August 2003.

Tonga’s membership with the WTO is seen as a bench-mark for the success of the government’s Economic Reform Program, that was officially launched in April this year. This economic reform is aimed at energising Tongan industries, offering more employment opportunities, and producing quality products to compete in the world market. Paula Kautoke said that the principle of WTO is for countries to exploit their advantages. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 3, November 2002.

The concept of Free Trade according to ‘Aisake Eke, Tonga’s Chief Accountant and the Secretary for Finance, is based on a belief, “that Free Trade will bring about economic growth, because of a bigger market”.

A Free Trade Area agreement among South Pacific Forum countries is expected to come into force by October next year. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 14, no. 3, July 1999.

Free Trade, says Sioeli Matoto, the Deputy Secretary for the Ministry of Labour, Commerce, Trade and Industry, “sounds appealing, and sounds like a very good idea, but it is difficult to put into practice, because every country wants to protect their own interest.”