TTMA silent on Barbados’ licensing of some TT goods

The Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturer’s Association (TTMA) is remaining silent on the continuing dispute between the Governments of Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. This comes in the wake of information that the Barbados government had introduced a system of monitoring licences on a range of manufactured goods from Trinidad and Tobago. When contacted yesterday, a representative of the association stated that they were presently in talks with local manufacturers and once the respective parties had established a stance on the matter, a release would be issued to the media. However, one local businessman expressed his belief that the situation had been allowed to escalate and that the TT Government needed to be more proactive in their handling of the dispute.

George Elias, marketing manager of Abel/Bestcrete, which exports clay floor and ceiling tiles to Barbados, criticised Government’s plan to use “quiet diplomacy” to resolve the issue. “If continued,” he said, “this will jeopardise the state of commerce between the two islands. We are talking about millions of dollars in trade here. “To adopt quiet diplomacy at this point is ridiculous. The Government may even need to call in an arbitrator at this time, but something needs to be done,” Elias continued. Another manufacturer who preferred to remain unnamed noted that while the business community had been “hearing talks” about the situation, it had yet to encounter any duties imposed on locally manufactured goods. “We are not sure of anything right now,” he maintained. “But we will take it as a group when it comes, together with the TTMA.”

He further noted that his company’s sales were presently thriving on the Barbadian market. “At least 90 percent of the goods on the Bajan shelves are Trinidadian,” he said. “This shows that Bajans want TT products.“If the Bajan government continues in this way then they will just make these products more expensive for the Barbadian market.” Wilbur Balgobin, CEO of Willies Ice Cream, another exporter to Barbados, had no comment on the matter, noting that he too had to examine the issue further. Among TT items expected to be affected are fresh or chilled fish meat, including flying fish, fillets and shark; biscuits; a range of fresh and frozen vegetables; ice cream, ketchup, aerated beverages, beer and stout; doors and frames; paper or paper board labels; bars and rods of non-alloyed iron and steel and tee-shirts. When questioned about the impact the dispute could have on the local agriculture industry since a number of vegetable products were listed, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources, Jarette Narine could only say that he had no views at present since he was still awaiting a number of reports on the situation. “It is only the first day,” he said, “so I cannot respond right now.”