The CAFTA agreement would hurt Central America, critics contend.

As U.S. Representative Jay Inslee considers whether to lend his vote to a new trade agreement with Central America, islanders took to Winslow’s streets Saturday with a little advice.

“Don’t vote for this, Jay,” said Viki Sontag, as she and other fair trade activists gathered at the Farmers Market. “This is a trade agreement that only favors a small minority who will profit from it. The rest, most of whom are in Central America, won’t profit at all.”

The proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement would knock down trade barriers between the United States and six Latin American countries – the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

CAFTA would suspend U.S. tariffs affecting the six nations in return for their reduction or elimination of tariffs on most imports – the same deal that characterizes the North American Free Trade Agreement among the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The pact would also introduce foreign competition to state-run enterprises and remove legal barriers to foreign investment.

While the Bainbridge Island Congressman did not attend the demonstrations, which included small groups at the market, busy intersections and outside popular businesses, the activists said Inslee will get the message. They asked passersby with cell phones to give Inslee a call and circulated a letter for residents to sign. More than 700 signatures were gathered during ferry runs last week and at Saturday’s demonstration, according to organizers.

Wendi Dyson, who recently returned to the island after a stint teaching English in Nicaragua, said Central Americans are strongly opposed to the treaty. Large protests against the proposed treaty have been reported throughout Central America in the last few months.

“Most farmers in Central America are small scale, but when our subsidized farms pour into their market, they’ll start going out of business and moving to the cities where there are no jobs,” the Community Alliance for Global Justice member said. “When I was in Nicaraguan cities, I saw many people living in cardboard shacks. That is going to increase exponentially if this passes.”

Inslee on Monday said he still has not decided what course he’ll take with the treaty.

“I’m examining the very intricate details,” he said by phone from Washington, D.C. “And I’m still listening to my constituents.”

Inslee said his office had received only “a handful” of calls Saturday.

“It was nothing overwhelming – maybe a dozen and a half,” he said.

Inlsee is one of the last remaining House Democrats to take a side on the proposed treaty. Only four Democrats have announced support for the agreement, while the party’s opposition list grows daily. This makes Inslee’s vote all the more pivotal to the Bush Administration, which is scrambling to gather enough support to pass the agreement by August.

Inslee said the treaty could help protect the intellectual property rights of Puget Sound software and biotech companies.

“This hits close to home,” he said. “When I’m on the (ferry) boat in the morning, I might be sitting next to someone from Amgen or Microsoft who produces intellectual property. We have a very gifted population and this benefits our neighbors by preventing piracy.”

At the same time, Inslee said he is concerned about negative impacts on Central America’s working poor.

“I’m disappointed that the Bush Administration hasn’t provided some tools in CAFTA to move forward to help the workers” in Central America, he said. “There are pluses and minuses in this agreement, and I have to weigh them.”