A WIN-WIN SITUATION.
Members of the business community are smiling that the 184 per cent import tariff has been suspended for the next three months while local manufacturers are pleased they have been given that same span of time to up their game and prove that critical meats and other items are available here at the required standard.
And what’s more, after yesterday morning’s two-and-a-half-hour meeting chaired by Minister of Industry and International Business Donville Inniss and attended by Government officials and business executives, a committee will be established to analyze the issues that include trade agreements and cost implications.
The committee will be chaired by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Trade, Bentley Gibbs, and will include permanent secretaries in the Ministry of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, as well as representatives from the Barbados Chamber of Industry & Commerce, the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) and the Barbados Manufacturers Association.
All parties have agreed that those enterprises engaged in the fast food business and the distributive sectors will present all necessary information to the manufacturers so that they (manufacturers) can confirm their ability to produce items (under tariff head 1602.30) at the quality and quantity requested.
