The closure of the Trinidadian refinery, Petrotrin has left members of CARICOM, including Guyana, scrambling to find fuel suppliers from outside the region.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge told a press conference yesterday at Takuba Lodge that the matter was examined at the recent CARICOM prime ministerial sub-committee meeting in Barbados which looked at a couple of options that were available and asked relevant experts and ministers to explore the matter urgently and to advise.
Greenidge noted that in purchasing fuel outside of the Caribbean a 10% Common External Tariff (CET) is applicable as part of the provisions of the Carib-bean Single Market and Economy (CSME) and explained that consideration was being given to removing the CET so as to prevent an increase in prices at the pump.