Kingston.
The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) is not please with a call from Foreign Trade Minister A.J. Nicholson for the opposition Jamaica Labour Party(JLP) and other critics to stop brickering with Trinidad and Tobago over unfair trade practices.
Christopher Zacca, president of the PSOJ, said he was "concerned by the tone of Nicholson comment" during a sitting of the Upper House last Friday, and suggested that the Minister needed to take note of which country he has been called to represent.
"He should be mindful that he is a Minister of the Jamaican Government, which is elected by the Jamaican people, and Jamaica is in a terrible situation," says Zacca..
"We are at a time when Jamaica is under significant strain; more than 100,000 jobs have been lost over the last four years, poverty is on the increase, so it would seem to me that we would want to try and do whatever it takes to encourage local business and local hiring of jobs, mindful of whatever international obligations we have. At the very least, he should be mindful of the country that he represents'', Zacca added.
Last Friday, Nicholson, who also holds the foreign affairs portfolio and is leader of government business in the Senate, said the country's private sector should be focusing on large markets instead of complaining.
Speaking uring a debate on a motion brought by JLP member Senator Dr Christopher Tufton, the Minister stated that "this thing about quarrelling with Trinidad every day has to stop".
Although the issue was not raised by Tufton on Friday, the Opposition, as well as members of the private sector, has accused Trinidad of breaching the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which gives effect to CARICOM. Trinidad has been accused of passing on subsidised fuel to its manufacturers, exporting goods to Jamaica which were not manufactured in Trinidad, yet benefiting under the Common External Tariff; and erecting barriers to Jamaican goods entering its markets.
You must be logged in to post a comment.