Schisms have begun to show in the united front CARIFORUM leaders showed after signing the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe before the December 31 deadline last year.
The Bahamas stands to lose just under ten percent of tariff revenue as a result of the complete trade liberalization with the hemisphere and the United States, according to a report on Caribbean development in the 21st century compiled by the Caribbean Country Management Unit of the World Bank.
Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce President Christopher Lowe is calling on the Government to seriously consider signing on to the CARIFORUM-EPA -EU trade agreement, claiming that failure to do so could result in the loss of jobs for two major industries on Grand Bahama.