Paula Gopee Scoon (Loop News)
Trinidad and Tobago Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee Scoon Friday expressed disappointment that trade was being used as a measure to discuss immigration issues involving Jamaica following the decision of Port of Spain to deport several Jamaican nationals earlier this year.
Gopee Scoon confirmed that at least one major exporter of food and beverage of has had its goods taken off the shelves in Kingston others had been told “we are not buying from you at this time”.
But the Trade and Industry Minister, speaking on a radio program here, said she would not use the word “boycott” to describe the situation.
“I don’t think there are any trade issues on the table at all. I have used the word disappointment because I don’t think we should have been using trade…as a retaliatory measure against another matter so therein lies my disappointment,” she said noting that her concerns had to be the export out of Trinidad and Tobago.
She insisted that the two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries “are excellent trading partners… (and) we do exchange a lot of goods and services”
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