Govt working to ensure hassle-free trade for importers sourcing goods from Florida

In an effort to ensure hassle-free trade for all importers sourcing goods from the US state of Florida, the Guyana Government and local stakeholders have reached a compromise following a recent engagement.
A change of laws in Florida saw the state’s Federal Department divesting its responsibility of issuing exportation documents for food products to a public-private entity – Enterprises Florida Inc.

However, Guyana’s Government-Analyst Food and Drug Department has not been accepting Certificates of Free Sale issued by Enterprise Florida on behalf of the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Department of Agriculture.
This issue was raised by sections of the local business community previously with Government and again during a stakeholder engagement on Tuesday, facilitated by Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond and Attorney General Anil Nandlall.
However, another section of the business community complained about disadvantages the certification from the entity posed.
After hours of consultations, AG Nandlall disclosed that a compromise was met to ensure free trade as well as to uphold Guyana’s mandate.
“We fortunately arrived at a compromise, and the compromise is that where there are goods that have an authorised approved distributorship in Guyana, those goods will continue to be imported only by those authorised distributors, and in relation to those goods, the Federal Department’s certificate will be required.
“In relation to other goods that are not the subject of distributorship, those goods the Food and Drug Department will accept the Florida Enterprise certificate. I want to make it clear also that many countries in the Caribbean are accepting the Florida Enterprise certificate. So, Guyana will not be unique in accepting that certification as fit and proper,” AG Nandlall added.
This proposal will be taken to Cabinet for approval before implementation. The AG also underscored that the Food and Drug Department would accept the Florida Enterprise certificate for goods en route to Guyana until the decision was finalised.
Meanwhile, Minister Walrond pointed out that the Government was keen on resolving the matter in its continued bid to enhance the business sector.
“My colleague and I have been tasked by the Cabinet to see how we can get a resolution at the Government level. We don’t want to dictate how we move forward. We want to have all stakeholders come together and for us to be able to come to a consensus,” she said.
Both Ministers noted that the Government would continue to host similar engagements to ensure the business sector is secured.