Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) and its subsidiary TCL Guyana Inc on Tuesday filed an application in the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) against the Government of Guyana requesting that Guyana be held in contempt.

The Trinidad cement group alleges that Guyana has so far failed to reimpose the Common External Tariff (CET) on cement from non-CARICOM sources as ordered by the court in a case decided by the CCJ during the summer, saying it sees the issue as a disregard for the law.

TCL said the application names Attorney General Charles Ramson and requests that he summoned before the court "to give evidence and show cause" why he should not be held in contempt.

TCL said that the CCJ gave Guyana 28 days from August 20 to implement the CET, a 15 per cent duty that cushions Caricom produced goods from extra-regional competition.

"While an application was subsequently made to CARICOM by the Government of Guyana to waive the CET on cement, this request was turned down before the 28-day deadline stipulated by the CCJ," said TCL in a statement on Tuesday.

"The time for compliance with the Order of the Court also expired on September 17, and Guyana has not taken any steps to act in accordance with the ruling of the CCJ."

Gap in demand

Trinidad Cement and TCL Guyana had sued the Guyanese government claiming loss of business after the South American nation opened up the markets to imports to, it said, plug a gap in demand brought on by a shortage of the commodity.

The CCJ in August sided with the regional cement producer and ruled that Guyana's actions did amount to a breach of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs Caricom.

business@gleanerjm.com