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Beer drinkers who have a taste for Heineken and Red Stripe may be rejoicing tonight at the introduction of a bill that will make it so that those beers produced in the Caribbean will sell for just about the same price as a bottle of Belikin. It’s called the Customs and Excise Duties Amendment Bill of 2009 – which will eliminate the high tariffs traditionally charged on the imports. It’s all part of the treaty commitments made in the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas signed in 2001 that will allow common external tariff on all Caribbean produced goods across all borders in CARICOM. Government has been trying to avoid implementation because it will lose money and local producers of primarily of beer will not fare off so well on a level playing field. But Prime Minister Barrow today explained that his government stalled as much as it could until Jamaica threatened it with legal action.

Hon. Dean Barrow,
“We’ve been trying to prevent market penetration by Busta and Bigga and Red Stripe and Heineken which comes out of St. Lucia. Well the day of reckoning finally arrived, it was all over the Caribbean news. The Jamaicans in particular said to us, you’re members, you’re signatories to the Treaty of Chaguaramas, you’re members of the CCJ for at least the original jurisdiction so that that body that decides trade disputes within CARICOM, we are going to take you to court and we are going to ask your damages against you unless you infact extend the equal treatment to our products. Those on the other side will be able to tell you every thing you go to of the relevant Ministerial committee in CARICOM a resolution is passed demanding that Belize finally begin to comply with this treaty obligation and it is to some extent a pity but you could get into a whole philosophical debate on whether the consumer does benefit and that is supposed to be the objective of free trade. I will tell you, I am no believer in free trade, but we’re all caught up in a movement that we simply cannot avoid.”

But before you buy that Friday night six pack, the bill has not passed into law and still has to go to the Finance and Economic Affairs Committee for consultation and back to the House for its second and third readings

There is one wrinkle that the PM explained. As the bill is proposed it is expected that the Heineken should be available for just about the same price as Belikin. That is because it is produced in St. Lucia – which is classed – like Belize as a less developed country in CARICOM. But it’s a different case for Red Stripe because it is produced in Jamaica – that will face one additional tax which should make it slightly more expensive then Belikin.