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FM
Former Member

Oil wealth an opportunity to knock down trade barriers – Ali

…says Guyana should also be able to benefit
from regional neighbours

With the coming of oil, Guyana has become a magnet for many in the Caribbean seeking to profit from the sector. But with Guyana facing difficulties to export certain commodities, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Presidential candidate Dr Irfaan Ali believes now is the time to knock down these trade barriers.
Ali was at the time making an appearance on a local radio programme, where he was asked if he would be willing to consider giving the local Private Sector the same incentives enjoyed by foreign investors.

PPP Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali

He added that there must be an equal playing field. “But we have to look beyond that. We have a Private Sector that we need to invest in to make them competitive to even get on an equal playing field. And we cannot ignore that responsibility.”
Government, he added, has said they have a lot of investors rapping on the door but “I’ll give you a story. There was a group of farmers producing lime. And they came to me and said, two years now we’re trying to get lime into Trinidad and we can’t get in”.
Ali related that he called the relevant authorities in Trinidad and Tobago seeking answers for his compatriots’ struggles to export to the twin-island republic. He noted that an investor eventually stepped forward and exported limes.
“The lime was left to rot on the wharf. By the time bureaucratic delays were looked at, the lime was left to rot. This new energy in Guyana offers us an opportunity. And those same Private Sector bodies who come to Guyana and want to talk about opportunities here, must be willing to go out of Guyana and break down those barriers,” Ali, a former Housing and Tourism Minister said.
“They must be willing to go out of Guyana and to their Government, ensuring that Guyanese get an equal playing field when our goods and services is exported to those jurisdictions. We have energy, fine. We must be open; we must embrace all investors. But in the same breath, we must ensure that our interests are protected.”

Barriers
Even with oil, it is important for Guyana to diversify its economy and find markets for other commodities. Of recent, however, Guyana has had to contend with protectionist measures from the United States, United Kingdom and Trinidad. In the case of the US, the country imposed a ban on the importation of catfish from Guyana.
In explaining the reasons for the ban’s imposition, Veterinary Public Health Unit Director, Dr Ozaye Dodson had said that Guyana fell short of the US standards in three areas. In the first place, there were issues regarding the presence of inspectors.
There were also issues with insufficient documentation to verify the steps being taken in the sanitation and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) process. There was also insufficient documentation specifying how the industry manages adulterated catfish products.
When it comes to the UK, its Environment Agency imposed restrictions on greenheart importation since 2015. At the time, it was claimed that proof of sustainable sourcing of the forest product was inadequate, and this has since resulted in a drastic decrease in export of the product to the UK.
In December 2016, the EA relaxed the restrictions on greenheart, but only began to accept Category A FSC 100 per cent greenheart from Iwokrama. Guyana has, however, been involved in talks under the Guyana-European Voluntary Partnership Agreement to lessen the restrictions
In 2019, Jamaican authorities also rejected some 70 metric tonnes of white rice.
Panama rejected some 20 containers of rice from Guyana back in September 2018.
Rice is a major contributor to the Agriculture Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Guyana. Guyana is presently a major paddy producer, and one of the leading exporters of rice in the region.

https://guyanatimesgy.com/oil-...-trade-barriers-ali/ 

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Bibi Haniffa posted:

What does oil wealth have to do with trade barriers?

Bibi Haniffa posted:

What does oil wealth have to do with trade barriers?

Gyal Bibi, like you and TK jealous of the doctor ?

FM
Sean posted:
Bibi Haniffa posted:

What does oil wealth have to do with trade barriers?

Bibi Haniffa posted:

What does oil wealth have to do with trade barriers?

Gyal Bibi, like you and TK jealous of the doctor ?

Which doctor?

Bibi Haniffa
Bibi Haniffa posted:

What does oil wealth have to do with trade barriers?

I believe Dr Irfan is contemplating taking a leaf out of Trump’s playbook!  He seems to be telling trading partners, if you don’t give our export products favorable treatment in your market, you will encounter hurdles accessing opportunities in Guyana!

Me thinks Dr Irfaan throwing his weight around, no pun intended!😀

Baseman
Ray posted:

Talk about baffling people with bullshit....that is one bullshit article

No, you have to read carefully and observe the nuances!  It’s an article with vague threats without being full out threats and enough wiggle room to interpret how you wish!

It is not for the moderately IQ’d!

Baseman
Baseman posted:
Bibi Haniffa posted:

What does oil wealth have to do with trade barriers?

I believe Dr Irfan is contemplating taking a leaf out of Trump’s playbook!  He seems to be telling trading partners, if you don’t give our export products favorable treatment in your market, you will encounter hurdles accessing opportunities in Guyana!

Me thinks Dr Irfaan throwing his weight around, no pun intended!😀

Hey hey hey...wonda if me go get lil support foh me tigah teeth peppa and bora...hey hey hey.

FM
Labba posted:
Baseman posted:
Bibi Haniffa posted:

What does oil wealth have to do with trade barriers?

I believe Dr Irfan is contemplating taking a leaf out of Trump’s playbook!  He seems to be telling trading partners, if you don’t give our export products favorable treatment in your market, you will encounter hurdles accessing opportunities in Guyana!

Me thinks Dr Irfaan throwing his weight around, no pun intended!😀

Hey hey hey...wonda if me go get lil support foh me tigah teeth peppa and bora...hey hey hey.

Me tink Suh!  Me tinks he had you in he head when he did the interview!

Baseman
Labba posted:
Baseman posted:
Bibi Haniffa posted:

What does oil wealth have to do with trade barriers?

I believe Dr Irfan is contemplating taking a leaf out of Trump’s playbook!  He seems to be telling trading partners, if you don’t give our export products favorable treatment in your market, you will encounter hurdles accessing opportunities in Guyana!

Me thinks Dr Irfaan throwing his weight around, no pun intended!😀

Hey hey hey...wonda if me go get lil support foh me tigah teeth peppa and bora...hey hey hey.

Bai me hear dem ghost peppah moe bad. Me nah even want fuh touch dem.

FM

Bai, me is Sean by the lake. Admin has me IP address to prove it. How bout me tell you dat you originally from near Gurdial, Sputnik, Maya Cinema, Branch School, Skeldon esttate, you even Know de Dean family. You going to wonder how me know dat Eh.

Me is a PPP man and miss Bibi and Ralph dem stab de PPP like Moses dem. 

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Sean posted:

Bai, me is Sean by the lake. Admin has me IP address to prove it. How bout me tell you dat you originally from near Gurdial, Sputnik, Maya Cinema, Branch School, you even Know de Dean family. You going to wonder how me know dat Eh.

Me is a PPP man and miss Bibi and Ralph dem stab de PPP like Moses dem. 

You rite. But dem peeple dat neva kare fuh abie untouchable kane kuttah phambily. Some ah dem peeple dis only like you when you buy expensive stuff from dem. Me nah no but Sputnik and branch skool. Me bin too bust ah kut kane. You no you get tired and want fuh ress when you come home?
You musss be from 79 backyard nuh, near de wataside?

FM
Sean posted:

Bai, me is from de area. Some of dem bais wondering where I come from but dem need to to know dat I man come from a place juss like where dem come from.

Hey Hey Hey.

bai, me guh betta you one up.the saying goes...most people come out of an organ near the ass. You come out from the ass. So you see abie different.

FM

You rass prappa funny. You should be hired by Trump to smooth out some his rough edges. He rass too serious at times. Melania should be more active in "softening" him upon a bit. 

FM
Sean posted:

Bai, me is Sean by the lake. Admin has me IP address to prove it. How bout me tell you dat you originally from near Gurdial, Sputnik, Maya Cinema, Branch School, Skeldon esttate, you even Know de Dean family. You going to wonder how me know dat Eh.

Me is a PPP man and miss Bibi and Ralph dem stab de PPP like Moses dem. 

So you know some people from Skeldon. You know Bakaylall? You know Kunjie? You know Pinchan? Leh me hear you rass squeal now!

FM

Bai There is a street named Bakylall too. Me na know kunjie and Pinchan. 
You know the Washington family and de Dundas family dem banana tek boatloads of rice from the rice board ? You know de saw mill ? De Masjid ? Anglican and Scott’s school ? Novelty cinema ? The small market by de estate ? The hospital ? The outhouse hanging over the trench ? 
bai me know dat area well. 

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Sean posted:

Bai There is a street named Bakylall too. Me na know kunjie and Pinchan. 
You know the Washington family and de Dundas family dem banana tek boatloads of rice from the rice board ? You know de saw mill ? De Masjid ? Anglican and Scott’s school ? Novelty cinema ? The small market by de estate ? The hospital ? The outhouse hanging over the trench ? 
bai me know dat area well. 

Bai Bakaylall lived near the public road. You belong to the Skeldon Conversation group.

FM

Bai, you can’t sell by de lake. I have to speak with Labba on how to open up a cane juice stall. Me gat fuh pay de bills and maintain me canoe with a 55 HP engine. 
You going to hear rass when de cane juice freeze up in -30 weather. Last night was -17.

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Sean posted:

Bai, you can’t sell by de lake. I have to speak with Labba on how to open up a cane juice stall. Me gat fuh pat de bills. 
You going to rass when de cane juice freeze up in -30 weather. Last night was -17.

You can always apply fuh wan permit fuh sell in de summah like dem taco taxi except you gat kathar curry and rice.

FM

@ Skelly 
LOL.

Me gun run me lil Huber boat service and suh. Katahar curry and Rotie and call it spicy roll.

Dem white people na know one rass. 

FM
Last edited by Former Member

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