HOTELS IN BARBADOS now have access to the same duty-free concessions for imported food given to the Sandals group.
However, they have agreed to give local food and manufacturing products first priority before seeking imported products.
These were some of the points contained in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed yesterday by Minister of Commerce Donville Inniss at his Reef Road, Harbour Road, St Michael office, as well as by representatives of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association; the Intimate Hotels of Barbados; the Barbados Manufacturers’ Association (BMA); Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) and the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc.
Under the long awaited and much discussed agreement, Government will also expand the list of items which can be imported duty-free. It also stipulates quarterly meetings between the parties involved and “frequent” dialogue as to the list of consumables where the parties must mutually agree to standards, quantities, delivery times and prices.