Caribbean News Desk for Weds, Jan 14, 2015. Stories include Smuggling from Suriname a major bugbear for Guyanese businesses

Last Updated on Wednesday, 14 January 2015, 21:33 by GxMedia

As a group of Surinamese private sector and government officials prepare to participate in a three-day trade mission in Guyana from Thursday, the Private Sector Commission of Guyana is concerned about smuggling.

Chairman for Trade and Investment at the Private Sector Commission, Ramesh Dookhoo says products produced in Guyana and other Caricom member states are facing unfair competition from goods smuggled from neighbouring Suriname.

He says that in many instances higher quality products are imported into Suriname on concessionary terms and then smuggled to Guyana where they are sold at cheaper prices. Products include vehicles, fuel, textiles, alcohol, tobacco and hardware.

Mr Dookhoo says the major issue is lax customs enforcement on both sides of the border. He says Guyanese manufacturers are expected to ask customs officials from both countries hard questions.

The 40 Surinamese business and government officials will be engaged in business-to-business meetings with their Guyanese counterparts during the January 15 to 17 trade mission. “The conference is intended to promite trade between Guyana and Suriname, in particular to increase Guyanese exports of goods and services to Suriname and to increase tourism between the two countries,” said Dookhoo in a statement.

The Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce will also be represented at the trade mission.

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