SIR RONALD SANDERS CALLS FOR REVIEW OF US TARIFFS ON THE CARIBBEAN

Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders is calling for a review of the tariffs imposed by the United States on Caricom countries. Goods from most independent countries in the regional bloc will face a 10 per cent import tax in the United States, while Guyana faces a rate of 38 per cent.

Sir Ronald writes, “data from the US Census Bureau shows that, in 2024, the United States ran a $5.8 billion trade surplus with CARICOM as a whole.” Antigua and Barbuda imported more than 570 million dollars’ worth of goods from the U.S. during that period, while exports from the twin-island state to the U.S. were miniscule in comparison.

He says the tariffs provide significant challenges for both Caricom countries and United States firms. Sir Ronald writes regarding Caricom countries, “any drop in export earnings can hit local communities hard. This complicates broader recovery efforts for nations battling economic hardship. However, decline in the economic circumstances of these countries will also deprive U.S. firms of markets where they have historically thrived.”

The veteran diplomat also says there is a compelling case for the United States to revisit the tariffs on the region, which he says undermine the gains made under the Caribbean Basin Initiative, one of the initiatives introduced in the 1980s by then Republican President, Ronald Reagan.

Sir Ronald, who is also Dean of Ambassadors of Western Hemisphere countries, including CARICOM nations, says, “For the American people, upholding strong trade ties with CARICOM delivers accessible, high-quality products and reliable export markets that, in turn, protect and create jobs within the United States.”

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