Sunday April 21, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 21
Trinidad manufacturers Jamaica has passed the worst, says Phillips deny breaching CARICOM trade rules PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association (TTMA) says it does not support the practice of companies engaging in activities that breach the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Rules of Origin. The TTMA was responding to allegations in Jamaica that exporters here were engaging in unfair trading practices. Jamaican manufacturers have said that Trinidad and Tobago exporters were violating trade rules by misrepresenting products as produced in CARICOM and thereby benefiting from lower customs duties and price advantages. CARICOM produced goods which meet the rules of origin are traded dutyfree while a Common External Tariff (CET) is applied on products originating from outside the 15-member grouping. But the TTMA said that it is “committed to fostering the process of free and fair trade as enshrined in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas” that governs the regional integration movement. “The association strongly condemns the practice of any company engaging in activities that are in breach of the CARICOM Rules of Origin. Such actions cause
problems for legitimate businesses, and portray Trinidad and Tobago in a negative light both to our CARICOM neighbours and internationally,” the TTMA said. The TTMA said that it found no evidence to support the statement by the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA) president Brian Pengelley that “in other words, you could bring in imported peanuts, but all you do is put the peanuts in a little bag”. “ We wish to categorically state that we have found no evidence to support Mr P e n g e l l y ’s s t a t e m e n t , ” TTMA said, adding “shelled peanuts are imported into Trinidad a n d Tobago under tariff heading 1202.20.90 (Shelled Peanuts) then processed (roasted, blanched (removal of skins), fried, seasoned and packaged] and exported under tariff heading 2008.11.00 (Prepared Peanuts), thereby meeting the criteria of substantial transformation qualifying for CARICOM originating status”. The TTMA said that together with the national export facilitation organisation in Trinidad, ExporTT, it is prepared to assist with investigating the claims of trade rules violations by Trinidad and Tobago exporters.
Haiti PM has high hopes for Canada aid
Haiti’s Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe
Jamaica Gleaner - Haiti’s Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe has expressed optimism that the Canadian Government will review its decision halt new aid projects in his country. Lamothe comments came
after he held talks with Canada’s International Cooperation Minister Julian Fantino Friday. In January, Fantino announced that Canada would discontinue new aid projects in Haiti while it conducted a review of the programme. The announcement came two months after Fantino visited the earthquakeravaged country and revealed that he was disappointed with the lack of progress. However, as he emerged from yesterday’s meeting, which was also attended by representatives of various international donor agencies, Prime Minister Lamothe says no formal agreements have been reached. However, he says he remains hopeful that some decisions will be taken at next month’s donor-coordination conference in Port-au-Prince.
KINGSTON, Jamaica Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr Peter Phillips, suggested Friday that Jamaica has “passed the worst” in negotiating a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “Certainly, from my point of view,” Dr Phillips responded to the question from the press, at his post budget debate presentation press briefing at his Heroes Circle ministry.
Phillips said that the most difficult part of the process was in meeting the prior conditions, and completing the negotiations on terms considered acceptable for Jamaica. “But, if there is one thing that I have learnt here, is that the solution to every problem only exposes the other challenges which we face,” he admitted. The Minister said that Jamaica’s challenge will now
be to maintain the 2013/14 budget within the agreed targets. “It’s not going to be easy to ensure that we meet the programme targets in the Extended Fund Facility agreement,” he stated. Dr Phillips left shortly after the press briefing for Washington DC, as head of the delegation to hold, what could be the final phase of discussions with IMF and the World Bank Group on the agreement,
which is expected by May 1. The talks are to focus on the Government’s plans for macroeconomic s t a b i l i t y, g r o w t h , a n d development. The delegation includes the Governor of the Bank of Jamaica, Brian Wynter; Technical Adviser to the finance minister, Helen McIntosh; and Deputy Financial Secretary, Darlene Morrison. They are expected to return on Monday.