The Government is pressing for the signing of the Cariforum-European Union Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), despite a warning from Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller to think carefully before inking the deal.

Kenneth Baugh, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, told Parliament yesterday that it was important for Jamaica to sign the EPA, even though there were concerns regarding the agreement.

"There is a need to depoliticise the issue. We are not in the business of ascribing blame, we are here for continuation," said Baugh.

In her contribution to the debate, Simpson Miller said negotiations were not concluded by her government because there were deficiencies with the EPA. She noted that, the PNP did not agree with the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) clause, which obliges African Caribbean and Pacific countries to extend to the European Commission on a line by line basis, any treatment they might negotiate with third parties.