SWEET BENEFIT

It is high time that the Caribbean region benefits from producing sugar.

Speaking during a recent press conference, Chairman of the Sugar Association of the Caribbean, Dr. Karl James, revealed that they had made an appeal to the CARICOM Secretariat, asking for the protection for local production as outlined in the Treaty of Chaguaramas to be honoured.

“This is an important asset for the sugar industry of the Caribbean; for the last couple of months you perhaps have been reading about the approach of the Sugar Association of the Caribbean to the CARICOM Secretariat, directed now to the COTED, where we have been saying to CARICOM that the single market that is suppose to support the disposal of the locally produced material products like sugar, which is one of the oldest industries in the region, is not benefiting from it, why? Because although we produce twice the amount of sugar used by the Caribbean, two thirds of that requirement is imported from outside the region and it is not paying any duty,” he said.

“So we are undermining the local sugar industry and we are saying that the Treaty of Chaguaramas provides for protection for local production but all sorts of reasons have been given as to why they can’t use sugar produced in the region.”

As a result, he noted that they were on a “crusade” to get CARICOM to first of all make sure that the treaty that provided for the 40 per cent tariff on brown sugar tax is added.

“We produce all the brown sugar that is required however we have found out in recent times that a good quantity of brown sugar is coming in from Colombia, Guatemala, Brazil and other countries which is not right, since we can produce all of it,” he said.

He revealed that the CARICOM Secretariat had since agreed to that added 40 per cent, adding that they have also asked that any amount of sugar produced in the region that can be used in the manufacturing sector, like liquid sugar has priority of use and protection in the region, and thirdly to have a monetary mechanism that will say how much sugar is being imported, where is it being imported from, alongside with what is produced by CARICOM and therefore available to the market.

Director of the Sugar Association of the Caribbean, Mac McLachlan revealed that they are accelerating their investments across the region in order to meet regional demand, adding that they are very keen to move ahead following the COTED decision to ensure that in a short amount of time, they would be meeting all demand for sugar. Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Sugar Corporation at yesterday’s press conference.