The mandate of the FTAA is far broader than trade issues, said lawyer Reginald Lobosky yesterday in an interview on Island FM's talk show, Parliament Street.
Mr. Lobosky said the educational process on the FTAA has been lagging. It was necessary to bring Bahamians up to speed as soon as possible, he said.
The FTAA's present schedule calls for its rules to be enforced by 2005.
"If one looks at any declaration coming out of any of the three summit meetings that the FTAA has had since the first one in Miami in 1994, one can see that every conceivable type of social issue or concern is addressed. Trade is only one part of what the FTAA is all about," he said.
Mr. Lobosky outlined the broader issues that were generated in the declaration of Quebec City put out by the Summit of the Americas' 2001 meeting. The summit consists of more than 30 governments that make up the FTAA.
Among these issues were transparency and good governance and making democracies in countries better.
"Free trade will only work well if it is conducted by countries that rae democratic or working towards it," said Mr. Lobosky.
Other items include human rights, fundamental freedom, justice, rule of law and security of the individual.
