Guyana, Trinidad set up high level Bilateral Commission - balanced trade, hassle-free travel envisaged By William Walker Stabroek News January 27, 2000 Guyana and Trinidad yesterday consecrated a high level Bilateral Commission, which is expected to yield balanced and increased trade, equal access to markets, hassle-free travel and business cooperation. Speaking after the signing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday, Guyana's Foreign Minister, Clement Rohee, noted that the two countries had complementary economies in terms of resources and economic orientation; Guyana with mineral and agricultural resources and Trinidad with oil, financial and manufacturing capabilities. Rohee predicted that the harnessing of this synergy would enhance the development of both countries. He said that the possibilities of sharing overseas missions in China and India would be discussed. "It is self evident that there are endless possibilities for cooperation." The signing, described by Foreign Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Ralph Maraj, as: "Two friendly nations coming together in a marriage of greater creativity and productivity," kicked off two days of negotiations on a number of trade issues including rice exports to Trinidad. These will focus on removing the "irritants" that impede free trade. Maraj, a former actor, who has been accompanied to the meetings by a group of private sector officials from the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association and various chambers of commerce, said that his country was taking these negotiations very seriously with many preparatory meetings between the public and private sectors. The issue of rice was touched on at a working lunch in an effort to remove the obstacles to Guyana exporting more rice to Trinidad and the implementation of the CARICOM standard. Sources close to the negotiations said that the issue of the CARICOM standard, which is deemed to be more a matter of clarification, will go back to the CARICOM Council on Trade and Economic Development (COTED) at its meeting next week. The rice issue, however, already has a mechanism in place for a hoped-for resolution in mid February following a January 10, visit to Guyana by a Trinidad and Tobago delegation headed by Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Lindsay Gillette. Both sides at yesterday's lunch were reported to be committed to a resolution of the matter. Also raised at the lunch was the application of the Common External Tariff (CET) on imports of edible oil and stockfeed. The source noted that these two matters would have to be investigated before any decision could be made. The conclusion of a fishing agreement between the two countries will also likely be discussed with reference to licensing for Trinidadian boats and the landing of catches. A final agreement is hoped to be concluded by April of this year. Other obstacles to trade include Trinidadian customs regulations, which it is understood classify creme liqueurs, such as those produced by Banks DIH, under a higher tariff than alcoholic products. Non traditional exports are also on the agenda of the Ministry of Agriculture because of Trinidad and Tobago's non acceptance of all but two products--pineapples and plantains--on the basis of that country's plant quarantine regulations. Guyana is claiming that this is unnecessarily restrictive. Areas for cooperation in the rice sector include proposals to the T&T private sector to invest in bulk loading facilities for rice. Joint ventures in rice milling will also be discussed. Other areas include agro processing with proposals for Trinidadian manufacturers to take advantage of Guyana's large expanses of land and enter into joint ventures in the production of raw materials and semi processed products for final processing in Trinidad and Tobago. Talks between Trinidad's private sector delegation and the New Guyana Marketing Corporation will also be held. Other areas of cooperation include vegetable and coconut production and supplies to the meat processing industry in Trinidad and Tobago. The delegates will visit Baracara Island Resort before the signing of agreed minutes from their meetings this afternoon. The Guyana delegation comprises Rohee; Minister of Agriculture, Reepu Daman Persaud; Minister of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock, Satyadeow Sawh; Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Gail Teixeira; Minister of Trade, Tourism and Industry, Geoffrey Da Silva; Minister with responsibility for Finance, Saisnarine Kowlessar; Adviser to the President on Science and Technology and the Environment, Navin Chandarpal; Chairman of Go-Invest, Kellawan Lall; Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), George Jardim; Director PSC, David Yankana; Chairman of the Institute of Private Enterprise Development, Yesu Persaud; General Manager, Guyana Rice Development Board, Jagnarine Singh; Director, Economic Affairs Dept Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Donald Abrams; and Foreign Service Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Marsha Caddett. The Trinidad and Tobago delegation is composed of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ralph Maraj; Trinidad's Ambassador to CARICOM, Kamaluddin Mohammed; President of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers' Association, Stanley St Omer; Joe Pires of The T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce; Sasenarayan Bisnauth of the South Trinidad Chamber of Commerce; Gabriel Faria, CEO of SM Jaleel Company Ltd; General Manager, National Flour Mills, Maurice Moniquette; Govind Seepersaud CEO of National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation; Senior Energy Analyst, Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, Ansil Gellineau; Director of Planning, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources, Alvin Seereeram; Economist at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Susan Singh-Seerattan; Assistant Manager, Trade Certification, Tourism and Industrial Development Company, Hayden Straker; and Protocol Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ramona Shah. A © page from: Guyana: Land of Six Peoples