By Tusika MartinAs the price of rice reduces on the international market, local millers are complaining that cheap rice is being imported into the region without any of the Common External Tariff being applied.During a meeting with Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, last week, millers complained about the issue of the CET not being applied to rice imports.According to millers, over the past couple of months rice is being imported from Brazil and USA.Persaud promised that he will be sending a letter to the Caricom Secretariat informing them about the farmers and millers’ concerns regarding the CET.“We need to examine that and we have no difficulty in writing the Caricom Secretariat stating that this has been brought to our attention,” Persaud told the millers.Last year there was much controversy between Guyana and Jamaica over the quota of rice being purchased since the CET was waived on two occasions allowing that country to import rice out of the region.Last October, Jamaica had announced that it will not be able to purchase its full 60,000 tonnes quota of rice from Guyana, pointing out that it will however take the full quota this year.Jamaica’s Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Karl Samuda, has said that the country’s inability to purchase the full quota was not because of any unwillingness to buy rice from Guyana but because Jamaica has already met its local need for the commodity.Subsequently, on November 10 last year, during a visit to Guyana, Samuda announced that Jamaica will increase importation of rice from Guyana this year.He said that Jamaica wants the relationship between the two countries to be further strengthened, and as such, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to ensure that commitment comes to fruition.According to the document, inked for the period of one year commencing from January 1,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, 2009, Guyana will make available to Jamaica 60,000 tonnes of rice at market prices, at an average of 5000 metric tonnes per month over a twelve-month period.Prices negotiated between exporters and importers at the commencement of the crop, or contract period, will be applicable to that crop or contract period.As of January 1, Guyana has not imposed the export commission on rice being sold to CARICOM member states.The MOU also stated that where a dispute arises between Guyana and Jamaica over the interpretation and/or application of the agreement, the countries will first seek to settle the dispute through consultations between the Guyana Rice Development Board and the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC) in Jamaica.Either country may thereafter have recourse to any of the other dispute settlement procedures set out in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas establishing the Caribbean Community, including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.
