Caricom countries secretly protect industry – Suriname manufacturers head

These three countries each also have special organizations that support the business community through tax measures or special privileges in ports. They help export companies with administration and financing. “Most Caricom countries have secret subsidies that are being hidden by such organizations,” says ASFA chairman Rahid Doekhie. “They have built a lead this way.” Doekhie provides the example of a Caricom rule that states import levies must be paid for raw materials imported from outside the block. A few Caricom countries bypass this rule by paying back the levies to importing companies afterwards. Another example is Guyana which levied a tax on plastic packaging for years which only applied to foreign products.