Trinidad and Tobago Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee Scoon Friday expressed disappointment that trade was being used as a measure to discuss immigration issues involving Jamaica following the decision of Port of Spain to deport several Jamaican nationals earlier this year.
Gopee Scoon confirmed that at least one major exporter of food and beverage of has had its goods taken off the shelves in Kingston others had been told “we are not buying from you at this time”.
But the Trade and Industry Minister, speaking on a radio programme here, said she would not use the word “boycott” to describe the situation.
“I don’t think there are any trade issues on the table at all. I have used the word disappointment because I don’t think we should have been using trade…as a retaliatory measure against another matter so therein lies my disappointment,” she said noting that her concerns had to be the export out of Trinidad and Tobago.
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She insisted that the two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries “are excellent trading partners… (and) we do exchange a lot of goods and services”
Gopee Scoon and her Jamaica counterpart Karl Samuda discussed the immigration issue during the42nd Regular Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) and the 61st Special COTED Meeting of Trade and Energy Ministers in Guyana last week.
According to a statement issued by Samuda’s ministry on Thursday, Gopee Scoon gave credit to Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affair and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson-Smith, for her proactive engagement with her Trinidad and Tobago counterpart Dennis Moses.
The statement quoted Gopee Scoon as indicating that both ministers have been in almost daily communication in order to ensure a mutually satisfactory resolution to the issue.
Samuda is reported as telling the COTED meetings that all nationals had the right to be treated with dignity, befitting citizens of a common community.
Last month, Port of Spain deported at least 12 Jamaicans claiming that their stay here would have cost the state significantly and a former national security minister Gary Griffith brushed aside a call by an opposition legislator in Jamaica for the government to take the matter before the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court
Wi need fi go it alone man. Leave Caricom fi who benefiting from it, cause it’s not Jamaicans. Nuff a wi too damn licky licky dat if dem dash piss and shit pon wi there would be those trying to enter their shores swearing up and down that unno wanted. Not even icy mint and blue soap a meck a yawd no more. Deze things fi wake unno up fi put di manufacturing sector back pon front page and sustain wiself wid what wi hab, band wi belly tan pon crooked cut straight and build back wi nation. Wi no longer the head, wi di tail and everybody a teck dem swipe at us. Is bad governance meck wi ketch yasso.
Dirty, teefing politicians ongle concentrate fi line dem pockets while di country go down. May God have no mercy pon unno and unno cronies when karma a dole out. Impoverish unno nation and meck criminals have full reign a di innocent while unno live in di lap of luxury wid 24/7 security. What unno cares bout our reputation and treatment when unno hab uuno stolen money fi protection? May nails of fire and acid rain dung pon unno, may di food unno eat never digest, may sleep depart from unno and misery be unno life’s breath.
Good morning, I like your words of rebellion, and support your outrage too.
Trinny dem don’t like we cause federation Neva happen, CARICOM is more in favor of all but Jamaica. On top of that shit I hate that CARICOM phuckry pon me passport!
Long time this fi happen smh unno is a set a wicked ppl.Jamaica fi leave CARICOM now a Trinidad alone a benefit from it
The only thing people respect is when you hit them in them pockets. No more Trinidadian produce on Jamaican shelves. Learn to respect Jamaica and it’s hard working people. Not everyone are drug dealers and nuisance.
Exactly! Some of them are so quick to stereotype all of us as ignorant criminals. So let us keep our ignorant money to ourselves.
Trinidadians cannot be trusted and is the “noise” of Jamaica over the decades that has drowned out the real Trinidad…racial issues similar to U.S. levels and muslim issues.
Chances the turn backs a some duty supporters a de muslim bwoi Jamaica did send back via charter plane. Jamaicans a Trinidad fi get whey de duck get if dem hitchup de and a break laws- that we can’t fight them fah.
So true! I noticed in the last election that they had how they styled their new Prime Minister as old dutty black boy. Their election was basically Indian vs Blacks.
We will let our money stay in jamaica and support jamaican manufacturers. So eventually jamaicans will stop going to trinidad and be disrespected, we will build back our economy little by little.
America does it all the time. When diplomacy fails they do everything from putting in trade impediments to trade embargo. No freedom of movement, no goods nah sell ya
This is really sad to see two Caribbean islands can’t find common ground, with respect to the citizens of the region. Because the idea that manufacturing jobs that left will come back is a non starter. We need to engage in thenthe new economy and it would only be successful if the entire region participate.
Globalization, and the power that be made sure that will never happen. China and other countries with zero puck for labour laws and cheap labour made sure that they are never coming back. Just see how much Chinese products are on the shelves in Jamaica and through out the region.
The reality is Jamaica and all carribean countries need each other because our population is small. Our best chance to compete is if we join together and tackle the problem facing us.
One of the problem is lack of specialization. Individually or as a region we don’t specialize in anything, yes that includes tourism. Last time I check it’s foreigners who own and operate this sector(eg the Hilton’s). They have been able to come and minitize our beaches, land and even the climate. Oh boy and have they been richly rewarded. Yet the average Caribbean person lives in a substantive economy, in third world conditions .
The only way forward is to hold elected officials accountable. Demand that they have a vision for the people in the region. And a blueprint on how it will be implemented.
Here are somethings that I have been thinking about, and obviously I am no export, but listen anyhow. It might be beneficial to look at the hard truths and address them. We should take a good look emerging economies, such as marijana, herbs and plants and monitize them. There is a whole sector of alternative medicines and treatments that could derive from the resources that already exist here.
The green economy comes to mind. Solar energy is just one example if this green economy. We could invest in training people for opportunities and certify these people right here in the region. Maybe make it a hub for others to get certified too. We could become a leaderninnthis area.
Another thing common sense tells me and that is we are surrounded by water, and a lot of countries have very little. Maybe we could export energy derived from the ocean to these very countries. All this must done in a sustainable way of course since we also rely on it for food and other things.
But none of this could be possible if we isolate or go it alone. Transitioning from economy to another cost lots of money. As individual countries it’s not feasible to do it by ourself. Plus, by sharing in the cost and having to invest in the region then nwealth generated could be shared in an equitable way with the people.
* I am not partial to none. We will need everybody on board to help the people in the region. Isolating ourselves will not foster a better life for the people who suffer on a daily bases. I hope what I said make some sense.
You should tell the trinis what you trying to broker here. Is NOT Jamaica against Trinidad…is Trinidad against US. Hindus and Venezuelan s run Trinidad so anything of a black majority isn’t of interest to them. We nah bow to Trinidad regardless. African continent is ripe to do business with, along with Russia, Japan and China. We can go tek on some die casting and such.
LOVE IT! Now Jamaicans will have to buy locally and stimulate our own bumboclaat economy! :alay
Morning Met & Metters!