Belize & Trinidad will Go To Court Over Sugar Importation
Back in April of 2021 the first in-depth news article on ‘The Big Business Of Sugar’ Segment #1 was read by many business interests here in Belize and around the Caribbean.
This week we feature ‘Segment #2 on ‘The Big Business Of Sugar’ and the production of that natural sweetener, here in the Caribbean.
There are 4 primary sugar producing countries in the CARICOM Union,
Belize, Guyana, Jamaica and Barbados:
Other producers in the region are Honduras, Guatemala, Cuba and Dominican Republic.
In the CARICOM Union there are ‘Treaties’ that govern the importation of products that are produced within the Union of 15 Countries;
( There are also 5 Associate Member States ).
One of the primary products that has had disputes has been sugar: wherein, another CARICOM member state may import (eg: sugar) from a non-CARICOM state, but a 40% Tariff or Tax should be charged by that state’s government to the distributer / importer, because that product is produced in CARICOM.
This enables CARICOM member states to benefit form the lower cost of a regional producers and also protects farmers in those countries from the harsh market pressures of that global commodity.
The Belize Government has lodged its claim to the Caribbean Court Of Justice. Belize has claimed that the island Nation of Trinidad & Tobago has imported ‘brown sugar’ from Honduras and or Guatemala without placing the required 40% Tariff on the sugar that was imported from a non-CARICOM member.
“Trinidad and Tobago denied that it has permitted the importation of sugar from any territory without the imposition of the 40% CET.”
“The Caribbean Court Of Justice, (CCJ) will hear arguments from both sides later today (Nov. 2nd, 2021) . The case will be presided over by a seven member panel, headed by its President, Justice Adrian Saunders.”
Written & Compiled by: channel1Belize.com / https://digitalBelize,LIVE Staff writer – Tuesday, Nov 2nd. 2021 – digitalbelize@gmail.com
See Also: The Big Business of Sugar: Segment 1
Editors Notes: https://www.caribbean-sugar.org/projects
“There are 11 active plantations and mills in the CARICOM / Caribbean:
“Belize: Tower Hill, Orange Walk (Belize Sugar Industries), Santander Factory, Belmopan (Santander Sugar Group)
Guyana: Albion-Rose Hall, Blairmont, Uitvlugt-Wales (Guysuco)
Jamaica: Appleton (Gruppo Campari), Frome (Pan Caribbean Sugar Co), Monymusk (Pan Caribbean Sugar Company), Golden Grove (Seprod), Worthy Park (Clarke Family)
Barbados: Portvale (Barbados Agricultural Management Company Limited)“