Samuda and Paulwell MINISTER OF Industry, Commerce and Technology, Phillip Paulwell, has confirmed that the Caribbean Cement Company Limited has filed a complaint with the Anti-Dumping Commission about the importation of cement in breach of the Anti-Dumping Act.
The Minister, debating Anti-Dumping Regulations in the House of Representatives last week, said the Commission would be moving quickly to make determinations about "complaints of dumping and subsidies" made by the company.
The Regulations, under the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act, were approved by the House.
Mr. Paulwell observed that despite a delay in the tabling and approval of the regulations, only one complaint has been properly filed before the Anti-Dumping Commission, and it would fall under the new regulations.
Member of Parliament for North Central St. Andrew, Karl Samuda, criticised the Govern-ment for the delay in bringing the regulations to Parliament, noting that "it was over a year that we have passed the legislation and effectively nothing has been done and could be done without the regulations".
He argued that during the period "there has been tremendous material damage done to certain industries in the country".
"It is good that they have brought it (Regulations) at this stage, but I warn that in the future this kind of delay can result in serious damage to the productive sector, as indeed it has in one particular instance."
Mr. Samuda pointed out that cement was being imported into Jamaica and stored "in our factory space provided for factories... it (the factory space) is being used to house cheap cement to compete against our local cement company".
"So here is an instance where direct damage has been caused already to a company that we divested, in good faith, with the expectation that appropriate protection would be afforded under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules to enable them to compete effectively."
Commenting further on the regulations, Minister Paulwell explained that the Government had taken some time to bring the regulations to the House because "we have had to receive the benefit of expert advice and even WTO consultations".
He informed the House that the regulations were necessary to ensure that the country complied fully with the WTO rules governing anti-dumping and subsidies, adding that if these were not in place the Commission would be liable for breaching WTO rules.
However, he noted, the Government was confident that the regulations would allow the Anti-Dumping Commission to proceed with investigations and determine issues relating to fair market price, material injury and margin of dumping.
The Minister said the anti-dumping law was not designed to protect the inefficient but to guard against unfair competition.
"We are making sure that nobody will use the law to provide protection against fair competition as a shield but rather to use it to support industries that come under severe pressure as a result of cheap imports."
