Reference is made to Mr. Roger Ally’s recent letter, “Government/GMSA did a great job” (Stabroek News, August 8, 2025). He extensively cites from my letter of August 3, where I argued that small states should act through supranational organizations when facing powerful nations.
Unfortunately, Mr. Ally omits a key fact while praising the Government’s achievement of a 15% tariff on non-oil exports from Guyana to the U.S. Other CARICOM member states reportedly face only a 10% tariff for similar exports. Why, then, is Guyana subject to a higher rate? Did the Government believe it could negotiate a better outcome alone? Wouldn’t it have been wiser to insist on equal treatment as other CARICOM states?
A higher tariff means Guyanese exporters face a competitive disadvantage in the U.S. market compared to counterparts from other CARICOM countries. This undermines Guyana’s non-oil export potential and raises questions about the quality of the negotiation outcomes. This situation also reinforces the case for regional solidarity. Acting through CARICOM or leveraging existing trade frameworks could have helped avoid this disparity.
Given the outcome, it is fair for the public to ask: Was there adequate consultation with trade experts or regional bodies? And were alternative negotiating strategies sufficiently considered?
Sincerely,
Andre Brandli
Ludwig-Maximilians-University
(LMU) Munich
