GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC—Trinidad and Tobago has sought to reassure Guyanese exporters that their products would be welcomed into the twin island republic once they undergo a “risk analysis” before they are allowed to land in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon, who is attending the 58th meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), which ended Wednesday, told reporters that certain guidelines for entry into the Trinidad and Tobago market were in place.
“An import permit is required, but based on the fact that this is the first time that any item like milk has been coming in from Guyana, there is a requirement for what is called a risk analysis to be done, and we are prepared to work with the Guyana company to ensure that this is done expeditiously and that no such product, as far as is humanly possible, would ever be returned to or a decision would not be taken to return by the private sector,” she said.
On Tuesday, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) said that Port of Spain had placed its packaged milk and bottled flavored water under heavy scrutiny, a “grave concern” move.
Speaking at a news conference, DDL Chairman Komal Samaroo told reporters that these developments counter the region’s free trade agreements and diminish regional food security goals.
He said four 20-foot shipping containers with the products were shipped to Trinidad in March, given that DDL had opted to export these products after working alongside a Trinidadian partner to determine the demand for the product there.
He said the products are worth an estimated US$130,000.
But Gopee-Scoon said, “The milk being returned was the decision of the importer, a Trinidadian company. He made that decision.
“I guess that milk being a perishable item and therefore there would have been an expiry date attached to it, and I suppose in the meantime, he probably thought it would have taken too long to get the necessary permit, and he is the one who decided to return the item, not the government of Trinidad and Tobago.”
President Irfaan Ali said on Wednesday that Trinidad and Tobago’s decision to reject a shipment of milk and water from Guyana “does not help the agenda of all our regional leaders.”
Ali, who is also the chairman of the 15-member regional integration movement CARICOM, said, “We are now working in the region on dismantling trade barriers and dealing with these exact situations.
‘We are trying to integrate trade, expand our regional economies, and create more opportunities for regional businesses, and this is a prime example of a scenario that does not help the 25 by 25 plan,” he said, adding, “Also, it does not help the agenda of all our regional leaders.”
In a statement issued here on Tuesday night, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that, along with the Ministry of Agriculture, they have been aware of the incident as it relates to “the non-acceptance of dairy products produced by one of the country’s largest producers of dairy products which were destined for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
“It is noted that under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, implementing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) to which both Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana subscribe requires free movement of goods and services under the regional integration framework.
“The refusal of entry to the dairy products wholly produced in Guyana by CARICOM member state is an affront to the spirit of Caribbean integration agenda and must not be accepted,” the ministry said.
In a statement, the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Trinidad and Tobago said it had noted the situation “relating to the trade in Milk Products” between the two CARICOM countries.
It said, “based on a review of this matter,” it should be noted that “there is no prohibition on the importation of Animal Products into Trinidad and Tobago from any CARICOM Member State including Guyana.
“However, for these products to be exported to Trinidad and Tobago, counties must be approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries. This is a one-time approval associated with first-time exports,” Port of Spain said.
It said Trinidad and Tobago, like every country within CARICOM and the rest of the world, “follows the generally accepted international standards under the auspices of the World Trade Organization for Animal Health for the trade in Animal Products.”
Gopee-Scoon, who met with representatives of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), and DDL on Wednesday, did not rule out the possibility of the Trinidad and Tobago Chief Veterinary Officer coming to Guyana to inspect the milk plant.
“We are pleased, from what we hear today, is that this company is of a particular standard, and I would like to think that it’s almost world standard, and there is no reason why… but we have to go through the formalities. Let’s try to ensure we do this expeditiously,” Gopee-Scoon said.
She said the import permit is required for the importation of all animal products and animal-related products.
“The reason why it was not allowed in again – I think the importer neglected to ensure it had the right documents in place before the items entered Trinidad and Tobago,” the Trinidad and Tobago Trade and Industry Minister said, adding that Port of Spain welcomes all of DDL’s and other products once they meet the sanitary and phytosanitary standards.
DDL’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Vasudeo Singh, described Wednesday’s meeting as “very good” and allowed the parties to “ventilate the issues.
“We are delighted with the outcome of the meeting,” he said, while GMSA president Ramsay Ali described the talks as “positive.
“We believe that DDL has invested a significant amount of money into this dairy project, and most of their products that they are going to produce are for export, so they needed to clear the air on this,” he said.
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