(Barbados Nation) It will take more than an apology and a promise of change from Trinidad and Tobago to appease Banks Holdings Limited (BHL) and other local manufacturers which have been victim to the twin-island republic’s stonewalling of Barbadian goods.
Top officials of BHL and the Barbados Manufacturers’ Association (BMA) – which is reporting that other local businesses are in the same boat as the beverage company – said yesterday while they were glad Trinidad’s Minister of Trade Stephen Cadiz had admitted his country’s error in blocking the entry of Pinehill Dairy juices and milk products for the past 18 months, they wanted real action taken to remove existing barriers to Barbadian exports.
“Of course it’s a positive for us that they have publicly acknowledged that there is problem, but the proof of the pudding is always in the eating, and it is left to be seen how soon a fair resolution would be forthcoming,” BHL’s chief executive officer and managing director Richard Cozier told the SUNDAY SUN.
“Don’t forget this has been going on for some time and we’ve had discussions with government officials on both sides, and while there has always been an acknowledgement that there is a problem, so far a fair and equitable resolution has not been forthcoming.”
