TCL under fire for not meeting demand

The Guyana government has accused Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) of failing to meet the expectations of the Caribbean region at a time when demand is high.

Guyanese Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon's assessment also raised questions about the quality of the company's product.

"Guyana and other CARICOM states contend that the ability of TCL, the regional supplier, to adequately and reliably service the needs of the region is inadequate. They cannot meet the region's demand," he said, noting that demand for cement in the region is at an all time high.

Dr Luncheon told reporters since government reinstated the Common External Tariff (CET) on cement from non-CARICOM states more and more reports have been surfacing about TCL's inability to meet its contractual and other obligations currently on the domestic scene.

He added that questions have also been raised about the technical standards of the cement company's product.

Two weeks after the Guyana government said it would abide by an order by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to reimpose the CET on cement imported from outside the region, even though it would have negative economic implications for the country.

The court ruled on August 20 that Guyana was in breach of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas by failing to apply the CET on cement from extra regional sources and gave Guyana 28 days to re-establish it.

TCL filed a complaint before the court when the dealing passed with Guyana making the change. The Guyana government restored the CET after the court turned down its appeal for more time before to start charging the tax.