ASR Vice President is witness in CCJ Case

Vice President of International Relations at ASR Mac McLachlan was the second witness to testify in today’s hearing. He argued that non CARICOM countries would not be able to compete in the CARICOM single market if the forty percent CET is applied.

Terrence Bharath, Attorney at Law, Trinidad and Tobago

“Caricom Market is a free trade market as you understand it. So, a member of CARICOM can choose to buy from a CARICOM member or outside of the CARICOM region, is that so?”

Mac McLachlan, Vice President International Relations, ASR

“If we are talking about brown sugar, it would make no sense because it would be impossible for an extra regional supplier to compete with regionally supplied sugar if the CET is being paid. It would make no sense.”

Terrence Bharath

“Hold on hold on hold on. Are you telling me, for example, Honduras and Guatemala and even Colombia  or somewhere else are bound to supply Trinidad and Tobago or any other CARICOM country, sugar at a particular price as stated on the world market?”

Mac McLachlan

“No, they will supply sugar that makes sense to them. I mean, they will look for the better price they can get.”

Terrence Bharath

“So let me ask you this question: if for example, Honduras, Guatemala, Colombia or any other country chooses to supply Trinidad and Tobago with sugar, even when the forty percent is added, is less than the price that BSI sells it for, are you saying?”

Mac McLachlan

“I can’t be. I am sorry.  It can’t be.”

Terrence Bharath

“Why are you saying it can’t be?”

Mac McLachlan

“We will always compete. It will be economically illiterate for us to sell sugar at a higher price than the CET value for sugar, and we are not economically illiterate. We understand what the CET price should be. We understand that we are competing with other Caribbean producers. That should give us an equilibrium of price that falls well below any sugar that is coming from extra regional sources that pays the CET.”