The Opposition People’s National Party’s (PNP) spokesman on investment, trade and global logistics, Anthony Hylton, is calling on the Government to divulge the reason for the CARICOM Council on Trade and Economic Development (COTED) denying Jamaica’s request for a suspension of the Common External Tariff (CET) on Lithium-Ion batteries for use in the renewable energy sector.

The trade and investment shadow minister said that although Jamaican businesses had been given due notice of their request for the suspension by ensuring the item was placed on the COTED agenda, the request was denied following an 11th-hour response by another member of state at the meeting.

He is calling on the Government to provide clarity on why the request was denied.

“Every member state has the right to seek and obtain suspension of the CET on items imported from outside the CARICOM region, unless another CARICOM member state produces or can produce the item in sufficient quantity, quality, and at the price, and standard required by the CARICOM rules,” explained Hylton.

He continued: “It is the practice that a request for suspension is not denied without prior evidence resulting from an investigation by the Secretariat technical staff that the CARICOM producer satisfies at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the product demand within CARICOM.”

Hylton said the fact that this was not done prior to the denial of the suspension is “highly irregular and should not have been allowed in the first place”.

The former foreign minister added that “any corrective action taken by the Government now will not compensate these businesses for any losses suffered as a result of this irregular procedure”.

However, he is urging the Government to act swiftly to remedy the situation.