By Claudine Housen, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
JAMAICA LABOUR Party (JLP) Chairman, Senator Bruce Golding, has attacked the Government's trade policy claiming that it is fundamentally flawed.
Mr. Golding, who was speaking at a farmers' forum at Pedro Plains Primary School in St. Elizabeth last Saturday, spoke at length about the Government's trade policies as they affect the farming community and the wider society.
The problem that is faced by the farmers today, Mr. Golding said, "Is one that originated in 1995 when then Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Paul Robertson, signed a 'faulty' trade agreement with the World Trade Organisation (WTO)".
"What this thing (policy) means is that man can grow crops anywhere and land them in Jamaica and there is a limit to what protection the local farmer can get," said Mr. Golding, who strongly argued the need for "a clear and level playing field."
SUB-STANDARD GOODS
He charged that some of the produce entering Jamaica are those that do not make the top grade in their country.
Despite the poor state of things, Mr. Golding said that the problem as it is not hard to fix.
"What you need is a very clear well defined trade policy," Mr. Golding said.
"If there is a government somewhere that is subsidising its farmers, i'ts not hard for you to get the information and calculate what is the impact of that subsidy on the chicken, carrot or onion farmer.
"How much does that work out to per pound based on the price he is selling. (If) that works out at 14 cents a pound, put a 14 cents a pound duty on him right away to bring it back up. It's not hard."
Mr. Golding also spoke on the issue of the dumping of cement in Jamaica recently, stating that he did not believe that the Government dealt with the matter properly.
"But once you determine the parameters that you are going to use to protect local producers you stick by them," he said. "I don't agree with the decision the Government made about cement the other day because I argue if the cement is being dumped, calculate the dumping and put on the duty. You don't just put on a blanket 40 per cent duty."
