Bridgetown.
The Government of the United States is open to dialogue with the Caribbean on matter relating to the rum industry in the region.
On Monday, chairman of the Barbados Rum Committe Dr Frank Ward told the media, regional rum producing countries were paying US$200 per tonne to import molasses, while Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands were only paying US$20 per tonne.
Ward described the subsidies as iniquitous and pernicious, adding that the Governments of the region might have no choice but to file a case against the United States with the World Trade Organization (WTO).
"We have received advice from three lawyers who says there is a case to be made regarding the subsidies", Ward said.
United States Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson, told Trakker News the US does acknowledge the concern of rum producers in the region and that dialogue is ongoing.
"I have had these conversations with many including Barbados Ambassador to the United States (John Beale), and President Obama has discussed the issue with Caribbean leaders when he met them.So we are aware that this is a great concern and we will continue to talk with our colleagues in Washington and the Governments of the region to try and resolve this matter", Jacobson said.
When asked how the US would respond if the regional governments filed a case with the WTO, Jacobson replied that while the US would prefer to address the matter via dialogue with governments, it would be prepared to deal with the matter at any level.
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