Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter

SAMUDA

A trade dispute between Jamaica and Guyana seems to have been averted with Commerce Minister, Karl Samuda, reporting that both countries are determined to resolve their differences.

The dispute began when Jamaica decided to source rice from outside of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to ease the shortage of rice, which resulted from Guyana's reported inability to meet local demands.

Following a meeting with Guyana's Agriculture Minister, Robert Persuad last Thursday, Mr. Samuda told The Gleaner/Power106 News that Mr. Persaud has promised to ship some 4,000 tonnes of rice to Jamaica as soon as possible to ease the shortage.

"It was a very good meeting, the minister was very frank and open and so were the importers and coming out of it I think, there is a better understanding as to the way forward," he said.

In addition, he said State Minister, Michael Stern would be visiting Guyana this week to interact with the Guyanese growers in an effort to get a better understanding as to what is taking place on the ground in Guyana and to impress on them the need to increase their supplies to meet the demand in Jamaica.

"We have also agreed to establish a monitory mechanism that will involve the Guyana Rice Development Board and our ministry along with the importing community," he said. "Through that monitoring community, we will be able to head off any shortages, and we will have a better working relationship with Guyana."

Mr. Samuda again confirmed that there was an acute shortage of rice in the country, and that as a result, the price of rice had skyrocketed from US$20 per bag to US$47 to $49 per bag.

No tolerance

"We can't tolerate that," he said. "And as Minister of Industry, Commerce and Investment charged with the responsibility of protecting our consumers, I could not sit idly by and allow that kind of situation to continue."

He said as a result he has imported 3,000 tonnes of rice from Louisiana in the United States, which has already arrived in the country and was in the process of being distributed.

He said the demand for rice locally had increased from 15 to 20 per cent.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com