00:00In Guyana's capital, the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
00:07the GCCI, signed a memorandum of understanding to address non-tariff barriers.
00:14GCCI President Kathy Smith spoke about Guyana's private sector.
00:19If we didn't have any issue with the honey, we didn't have any issue with the pineapple, we didn't have
00:23any issue with the pepper, there would have been no press conference, no MOU.
00:27We are here to get the work done for those organizations, for those private sector members who are having issues.
00:35GCCI's president said that an examination of trade between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago over the past 25 years shows
00:42what she called a notable disparity in export versus import.
00:47With the cost of electricity expanded, or expected rather, to be slashed by 50% and the establishment of the
00:55Wales Manufacturing Zone, we are ramping up our manufacturing sector in all areas, from agroprocessing to value-added production.
01:06Balance in market access is therefore crucial.
01:10We have had more long-standing challenges along the way with getting our Guinness products into Trinidad and Tobago, such
01:19as this partnership is key to pursuing the resolution to this issue.
01:26TT Chamber President Karen Yipchuk said the MOU is designed to bring about meaningful and tangible results.
01:34Following the annual business meeting, His Excellency President Irfan Ali and the Honourable Kamala Passat-Bissassa, Prime Minister of Trinidad
01:44and Tobago, both committed to addressing trade and non-tariff barriers, and challenged us to identify and raise the issues
01:55that need to be resolved.
01:57A reference to the visit by Guyana's president to Trinidad and Tobago in April of this year.
02:02In the weeks that followed, both chambers convened strategic discussions with ministers and senior government officials in Trinidad and Tobago
02:13and Guyana to map the way forward, to align priorities, and to develop the structured framework that brings us together
02:23today.
02:24It was also announced that both chambers agreed to the establishment of a Joint Chambers of Commerce working mechanism.
02:32Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
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