by Linda Straker
- Over 200,000 pounds of rice from Guyana arrived at Port of St George’s
- Four 20-foot containers destined for 3 distributors
- MNIB seeking COTED permission to import non-Caricom rice
Grenada’s rice shortage will be resolved by 30 September because a shipment of rice from Guyana with over 200,000 pounds of the commodity has arrived at the Port of St George’s for 3 different distributors.
Four 20-foot containers left Guyana on 19 September and arrived in Grenada on 27 September. Businessman Kenny Lalsingh confirmed that his wholesale trading company will receive one container with 50,706 pounds (23,000 kilograms) of rice from the South American Caricom nation. A second private company will receive two containers, and the third distributor will receive one container. A shipment of five 20-foot containers of rice is scheduled to leave Guyana on 3 October for Grenada.
Because none of the containers are assigned to the Marketing and National Importing Board (MNIB), which has the monopoly on bulk rice on the local market, the Ministry of Trade in Grenada is seeking approval from the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) to import rice from Brazil, a non-Caricom Member State.
Over the past weeks, retail outlets have been informing customers about the rice shortage, and shelves assigned for rice were either empty or contained non-Caricom brands that are more expensive than the Caricom brands.
Members of Caricom have agreed that rice must be sought from members that produce rice, and if the commodity is unavailable, import permission must be obtained from COTED. Rice from non-Caricom States obtains a 25% Common External Tariff.
COTED promotes trade and economic development of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and oversees the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) operations.
“We have requested that the Ministry for Trade makes the formal request for permission, and we are seeking to explore Brazil and other markets to supply us with rice,” said Elvis Young, Acting General Manager of MNIB, who confirmed that a similar request was successful several years ago.
Most IMPORTANT is that people of Carriacou receive rice without administrativ obstacles. This people has no possibilities to earn monney because all is destroyed.
I must read that the administration requests permission to deliver rice, I AM VERY SAD. !!!