GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Guyana has hinted at the possibility of imposing restrictions on Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries if they continue to impose barriers that hinder the export of Guyanese products within the 15-member regional integration grouping.
“It’s time for reciprocity in many areas. If you don’t take our stuff, we’re not going to allow free access to your products,” Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo told the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) Presentation Awards Dinner on Thursday night.
His statement was made in response to a concern raised by Lesley Ramlall, a local manufacturer behind the ‘Only Coconuts’ brand.
Ramlall told Jagdeo that the company could not export even a single bottle of coconut oil to Trinidad and Tobago, even as its products were being accepted in other CARICOM countries and further afield.
In acknowledging the concern, Jagdeo noted it is a longstanding issue and that such matters must be raised in the public domain to pressure countries acting against the cooperative spirit of CARICOM.
Speaking directly to GMSA President Ramsay Ali, Jagdeo said, “You have to raise it… raise the issues. That’s how we have to work. We’re not going to take this nonsense. They do this a lot. They use phytosanitary restrictions as a trade barrier.”
Phytosanitary restrictions are quarantine and biosecurity measures implemented by countries to help safeguard against the spread of pests or diseases that may be in agricultural products.
Meanwhile, Jagdeo has said the government is open to suggestions on helping the local private sector transport goods from ports in Trinidad and Tobago, where an industrial dispute has delayed shipments to Guyana.
“We are open to ideas, working with the private sector to get their goods out of Trinidad and Tobago,” Jagdeo told his weekly news conference earlier Thursday.
Earlier this week, the GMSA expressed concern regarding the ongoing industrial action at the port of Port-of-Spain in Trinidad and Tobago, saying it has severely disrupted regional trade and impacted businesses in Guyana.
In a statement, the GMSA said that the industrial action over salary increases has been persisting for over two months, causing significant delays in the clearance of containers carrying raw materials and time-sensitive goods.
“As a result, manufacturers and businesses in Guyana incur substantial financial losses, particularly during this critical Christmas season when import volumes are significantly higher.
“These delays have also contributed to price increases for consumer goods, including necessities, as businesses are forced to navigate higher costs associated with supply chain disruptions,” the GMSA said.
Last month, the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT) said it never wanted to “take this action” as the Industrial Court ordered port workers, who had been protesting the payment of a 12 percent wage hike agreed upon in 2015, back to their jobs.
Jagdeo said that while there is “very little” the Irfaan Ali government can do to intervene in an industrial dispute in another country, the Vreed en Hoop Shorebase facility should soon provide some relief by allowing for greater movement of containers in and out of the country.
Jagdeo said that when the new Demerara River Bridge is opened, containers can land on the west side and be easily transported to Georgetown and other areas.
However, he said the ultimate goal is a deep-water harbor.
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