Dom Rep cement association hits back

Debbie-Ann Wright, Assistant News Editor



An association of cement producers in the Dominican Republic has written to Jamaica’s commerce ministry seeking dialogue in the dispute over exports of Carib Cement to that regional territory.



The dispute involves claims by the Association that Carib Cement is exporting cement to the Dominican Republic without proper approval.



These claims led to a shipment of the commodity being seized in that country.



In the letter written to Commerce Minister Karl Samuda the Dominican Republic Association said it was responding to concerns from the ministry which were published in The Gleaner on Wednesday.



In the article, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Reginald Budhan, said he was surprised at the claim that sub-standard cement was being exported to the Dom Rep and that the ministry was conducting a full-scale investigation.



But Dom Rep group is maintaining that the cement from Jamaica entered the country in breach of several regulations and procedures required for the production, import and marketing of the product.



It says the Dominican Standards and Quality Systems Office ignored the country’s importation rules by authorizing the product’s entry and that it did so using authority it did not have.



The Association claims that one of the violations is highlighted by the trading of the product without the proper licence.



It says also says an illegal certification was granted by Dominican Standards and Quality Systems Office.



The association claims that Carib Cement used the Dominican Republic Quality Stamp, printed on the imported cement bags, without any previous evaluation and approval from the National Committee of Standards and Systems.



In its letter Dom Rep Association says it’s not against competition in its local market, but insists that competition must be within the guideline of the Rule of Law



In the meantime, the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce called a press conference for this afternoon to outline its position on the matter.



debbie-ann.wright@gleanerjm.com