Officials in Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago to meet in hopes to avert trade row, following deportations

Trinidad & Tobago’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Dookeran says if the threat of a boycott of products by Jamaicans materializes this could lead to a serious economic fall out for the twin-island country.

Dookeran who was a guest on a local radio program on Monday said a boycott would not make economic sense as it would only punish workers in both countries.

The boycott has been building steam since last week’s deportation of 13 Jamaicans from Trinidad & Tobago as they did not meet immigration requirements to enter the country.

But several Jamaicans say Trinidad was wrong to order their deportation, based on the provisions of the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

“The truth is that both countries will lose if there’s any containment of trade because out of trade comes employment opportunities in Jamaica and they too will be put at risk. And of course, it will mean a trade issue between Trinidad & Tobago which also affects us. I don’t hope that will reach that point at all because both countries will suffer as a result and we are willing to cooperate fully,” said Dookeran.

Dookeran is scheduled to meet with the Jamaican Foreign Affairs Minister, A. J. Nicholson to resolve the issue.

Following news of the deportation of the Jamaicans, the Jamaican junior minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Arnaldo Brown, says the Ministry is exploring the possibility of working more closely with immigration officials in Trinidad & Tobago to get information on Jamaicans who are deported.

Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago comprise the largest economies in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) -(CMC)