The Prime Minister says Trinidad and Tobago has three options to respond to the new 15 percent reciprocal tariff placed on this country by the United States.
00:00U.S. President Donald Trump, on his Truth Social platform, announced at midnight on Thursday, August 7th, that billions of dollars in tariffs are now flowing into the United States of America.
00:12A few hours later, President Trump posted on Truth Social that tariffs are flowing into the USA at levels not thought even possible, in reference to the new U.S. reciprocal tariffs that will affect most of America's trading partners, including Trinidad and Tobago.
00:28While not receiving the highest level of U.S. reciprocal tariffs, Trinidad and Tobago exporters to the U.S. must now deal with a 15% reciprocal tariff.
00:40According to the Central Statistical Office's website, Trinidad and Tobago's top major markets for its goods last year in 2024 to the USA was TT$21 billion or just over U.S. $3 billion.
00:54During a visit to the U.S. Navy Mercy Class Hospital Ship U.S. NS Comfort at the Port of Spain on Thursday, Prime Minister Kamla Pusad beses a field of the question from TV6 News,
01:07while she stood next to the present top U.S. diplomat in Trinidad and Tobago, the Sharjee Affairs.
01:13The U.S. tariffs, they came into effect today. Could you tell us if the government is doing anything to negotiate this, take it forward anyway?
01:21We have three options. We are following all three options. One is, of course, to engage in conversations with our friends from the United States.
01:30The second, and we've already begun, is looking for alternative markets. We can export.
01:35The previous PNM government, which is now in opposition, has said energy exports from Trinidad and Tobago, such as LNG, would not be affected by the U.S. tariffs.
01:44Prime Minister Pusad beses a gave her new UNC-led government's updated position on that matter on Thursday.
01:51I think the products that we most hit will be our ammonia and methanol products, energy products, but then our competitors have also been hit with tariffs.
02:00So if it reduces our competitiveness, theirs has also reduced.
02:05So we have good friends in the U.S., and we'll continue to speak with them.
02:10I said three options. One, alternative markets, which we have already started processing, but we'll continue to part it with U.S.
02:17We've been friends for many, many years.
02:19The Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago is urging the government of Trinidad and Tobago, along with CARICOM counterparts, to urgently engage U.S. counterparts to seek clarity and advocate for a review of the decision with regard to the 15% reciprocal tariff.
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