Dear Editor,
In the space of one week, Stabroek News gave its readers a better understanding in simple English language by way of a commentary and later a letter by Mr. Carl Greenidge, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister and an economist who has represented many states besides Guyana on what the implications could be should Guyana choose to opt out of CARICOM.
This opting out issue appears to have been premised by the assumption of a few that Trinidad & Tobago is somehow bullying Guyana as it seeks investment opportunities and employment here.
Mr. Greenidge explained those implications that Treaties are not things to be taken lightly and at any rate, in this case, have to be agreed to by all signatories to the Treaty of Chaguaramas of which Trinidad and Tobago is one.
Mr. Greenidge clearly and properly implied that it would be prudent for the GOG to consider amending the Local Content legislation in the likely event that a challenge should reach the CCJ and end up being added to a long list of failed challenges to the CARICOM treaty which the GOG has lost and which has already caused the Guyanese taxpayer millions of dollars.
Whatever difficulties the local business sector may have had with Trinidad businessmen currently and/or in the past those should be resolved among them and not be used as a weapon to victimize a legitimate CARICOM member state from doing business here.
It is fair to say that Guyana, even with our tremendous resources has been hampered mainly due to political obstacles from developing and performing to its true potential in areas of trade, manufacturing, and business in general.
Trinidad and Tobago and other CARICOM member states on the other hand have had no such problems and were able to create sound business structures and in the case of Trinidad & Tobago a healthy manufacturing and export trade in and out of the region.
Our newly found fortunes in oil and gas should not turn us into a nation of vindictiveness and greed causing us to revert to desperate measures.
We still have much to do in training and education of our human resources and must at the same time understand that we are a vastly underpopulated nation who will need to ramp up our numbers for the development of our nation.
While Oil & Gas will be the catalyst for our development it is not where many jobs will be found. On the contrary agriculture, manufacturing and parallel businesses are the areas where most of the new jobs and wealth will be generated and opportunities found.
The talk of leaving CARICOM because we perceive a problem with one member state is utter rubbish.
CARICOM as Mr. Greenidge said is our first line of defence and an important trading partner in this region.
Yours sincerely,
Bernard A. Ramsay
