Bridgetown
The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) is urging Caribbean Community (CARICOM) governments to discontinue their plans to take their ongoing rum dispute before the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Two months ago Prime Minister of Barbados Barbados Freundel Stuart said that rum producing countries had been holding high-level talks with the United States on resolving issues surrounding the rum industry in the region.
He said the discussions, which were also attended by officials from the Dominican Republic, were necessary since, within recent time, subsidies had been given to rum producers in the USVI and Puerto Rico, to the disadvantage of Caribbean rum producers.
According to Stuart, the situation was so serious that Barbados was prepared to the WTO to find a solution.
Two weeks ago the USVI Governor John de Jongh wrote a letter to several Caribbean leaders asking them to avoid going to the WTO which could lead to a prolonged legal case.
He advised Caribbean Prime Ministers a WTO case could also be divisive and difficult to win.
de Jongh warned regional leaders that WTO filing could “inflict damage on all of their economies.
You must be logged in to post a comment.