The Minister of Trade and Industry in Trinidad and Tobago, Paula Gopee-Scoon, has denied that Trinidadian authorities rejected a shipment of packaged milk from Guyana, instead indicating that the shipment was returned to Guyana by the Trinidadian distribution partner of Demerara Distillers Limited.

Two days ago, Demerara Distillers Limited called an emergency press conference to announce that its milk products had been rejected by the Trinidadian authorities and that it was seeking the intervention of the Guyana Government and CARICOM over the move, which it said threatened regional trade.

However, in a statement last evening, the Trinidad and Tobago Trade Minister stated that it was the importer that took the decision to return the milk products to the exporter in Guyana, as it did not possess the  requisite regulatory documentation for the importation of the product.

The Trade Minister insisted that there is no prohibition on the importation of Animal Products into  Trinidad and Tobago from any CARICOM Member State including  Guyana.

However, she noted that for those products to be exported to Trinidad and  Tobago, countries must be approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Land  and Fisheries (MALF) in Trinidad, and that approval is a one-time approval associated with first time exports.

She also stated that like every country within CARICOM and the rest of  the world, Trinidad and Tobago follows the generally accepted international standards under  the auspices of the World Organisation for Animal Health for the trade  in Animal Products.

According to the Trinidadian Official, the existing standard for the importation of milk into Trinidad and  Tobago (which is identical in Guyana) requires all importers to apply for  an import permit from the Animal Production and Health Division  (MALF). The application for that permit must be made in advance of the products  arriving in Trinidad and Tobago and even before items are purchased  from overseas exporters;

She said on the 22nd April, a shipment of Mineral water, flavoured water and milk arrived in Trinidad and Tobago from DDL. It was explained that the Mineral Water and the Flavoured water were cleared and sent to the premises of the importer. However, with regards to the milk, the importer decided to return that shipment to Guyana as the company was not in possession of the regulatory documentation.

DDL Chief Executive Officer, Komal Samaroo, had insisted that all of the requirements were met for the importation of the item, although he repeatedly refused to provide the name of the company’s import and distribution partner in Trinidad and Tobago.

Yesterday, the Trinidad and Tobago Trade Minister, who was in Guyana for a CARICOM Trade Meeting, met and held discussions with the Private Sector Commission of Guyana and Executives of Demerara Distillers Limited.

The Minister said after she explained the situation, all sides agreed that  the genesis of the matter arose out of a misunderstanding by the importer of  the specific regulatory requirements for the importation of the products into Trinidad and Tobago.

Minister Gopee-Scoon gave the commitment to DDL that upon receipt of the  relevant information, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago would  expeditiously process the regulatory requirements for DDL.

DDL’s Chairman and CEO expressed thanks to the Trinidad Trade Minister and said his company will work with the authorities in Trinidad and Tobago to resolve  the matter.

The Trade Minister also assured the representatives of the Guyana private sector that Trinidad and Tobago remains fully committed improved intra-regional trade.

Following the complaint by the DDL on Monday at the emergency press conference, the Guyana Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association, all joined in chorus in condemning Trinidad and Tobago, for what has now turned out to be a “misunderstanding” that did not involve the Trinidad and Tobago Government.

Related posts:

Guyana sees T&T’s rejection of milk shipment as an affront to Caribbean Integration Agenda DDL seeks CARICOM’s intervention over Trinidad and Tobago’s rejection of milk export Importation refused for Flavoured milk from Bahrain Analyst Food and Drug Dept. blocks importation of 4 containers of canned milk over standards