Guyana holds joint Ministerial meeting with T&T on market access

Jan 09, 2021 News

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, during the meeting yesterday.

Kaieteur News – A Joint Ministerial Trade and Agricultural Meeting was held virtually between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) yesterday. The meeting’s purpose was to discuss Guyana’s difficulties as it relates to exporting products to Trinidad and Tobago.
Representing Guyana was the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, and T&T was represented by their Minister of Trade and Industry, Senator Paula Gopee-Scoon, and her delegation.
During the engagement, Todd stated that as small states, both Guyana and T&T, often face challenges while taking on a competitive global arena. In light of that, he said that “It is for us to be able to engage fruitfully at the political level with the support of our technical teams,” so that both countries can enjoy the benefits that come with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
In her address, T&T’s Minister Gopee-Scoon stated that the country’s relationship with Guyana continues to be of importance and also noted that Guyana is a major market for products exported from Trinidad and Tobago.
While engaging on Guyana’s market access to Trinidad and Tobago, the ban on the importation of poultry meat from Guyana was discussed along with an agreement to regulate trade in equine being formalized. They also discussed the trans-shipment of honey and other items and committed to holding future discussions amongst technical experts from both countries.
Also in attendance at the joint meeting were, Guyana’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond and Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud, T&T’s Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Clarence Rambharat and technical experts.