Guyana working to remove trade barriers within Caricom – Finance Minister

As Guyana celebrates Caricom Day, the country is simultaneously working to remove trade barriers that exist within the regional bloc.
This is according to Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh.

He made the disclosure on Saturday in Black Bush Polder, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice Corentyne). He alluded to the fact that many trade barriers exist within Caricom that frustrate the movement of goods from Guyana.
“And once that is achieved it means that there is a bigger market in the Caribbean for the crops that you are growing.”
According to Minister Singh, the Government of Guyana also has a role to play in not only making it easier for trade within Caricom but also finding markets for Guyanese producer.
“It is very important that we try to find these markets and secure these markets so that when you grow your produce and we are able to package that produce and export it, that we have markets that are paying good prices,” Singh told the farmers in the BBP.
Caricom is an organisation of fifteen states and dependencies throughout the Caribbean, with primary objectives to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, to ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and to coordinate foreign policy. It was established in 1973 and seeks to operate as a regional single market for many of its members. As such, the Caricom Single Market and Economy was established.
It is estimated that Caricom imports in excess of US$5 billion in food annually. More than eight of the fifteen members import more than 80 per cent of the food they consume. (G4)