Caribbean leaders continue to emphasise the urgent need to meet with US President Donald Trump, as nations affected by the recently imposed trade tariff express concern over the hardship the levy will have on the region.
The Trump administration has announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs imposed on countries such as Guyana, with a 10 per cent trade levy applied across the board to all countries except China.
Regional leaders argue that the global import tariff will result in higher prices for goods entering the Caribbean.
CARICOM Chair and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has therefore invited President Trump to meet with regional leaders to “work together to keep prices down for all of our people.” In a statement earlier this month, she addressed President Trump directly, stating that Caribbean economies are too small to pose any economic threat to the United States.
“I say simply to President Trump: our economies are not doing your economy any harm in any way. They are too small to have any negative or distorted impact on your country.” She urged the US leader to take into account the decades-long friendship between the US and the region.
In February, Mottley noted that CARICOM had already received numerous complaints from the business community regarding the impact of US trade policies, particularly concerning increased tariffs. She highlighted that a key area of concern was the broader shift in US trade policy—something the Caribbean must be prepared for.
Facing the highest trade levy in the region, the Government of Guyana stated that, while it understands the rationale behind the 38 per cent tariff, it is keen to meet with President Trump to discuss the issue.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo told the private sector on Tuesday that Guyana remains committed to maintaining its competitiveness in the US market and is actively pursuing a meeting with the US administration, given the strong relationship between the two nations.
St Vincent and the Grenadines is set to host national consultations alongside the CARICOM Secretariat on the issue of tariff liberalisation. The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced it will host a high-level meeting on 23 April to support CARICOM’s efforts in refining its approach to external trade negotiations, particularly around tariff liberalisation.
