Option One
Thursday January 27 2011 | 05:48 AM

It's a coup - of sorts.

At least that's how manufacturers in Barbados are viewing a recent arrangement that could see more businesses involved in construction and refurbishments coming to them first for purchases.

Executive director of the Barbados Manufacturers' Association, Bobbi McKay, said the new arrangement specified that they are to be given a minimum of nine months notice before any items capably of being made here can be imported without incurring duty.

She told Barbados TODAY in a recent interview that the move by the Ministry of Finance stemmed from the very vocal opposition they had made last year over the decision by three companies to import items after giving manufacturers short notice to fill the orders.

"Before they would come to use two or three months out, knowing perfectly well that we could not deliver what they wanted in that period of time. Often the furniture was already ordered overseas, but they were just going through the different procedures that they were asked to go through to show that we can't supply; so they would just go ahead with the permissions for the overseas supply," she said explaining how the system previously worked.

It all came to a head, she further explained, after three companies applied for waivers that the manufacturers opposed.

"We fought tooth and nail last year because we had three requests for waivers and all three were last minute and they were saying well you can't supply so we have to import and there was no way. One was a hotel which was being built for over three years and then they came at last minute asking for furniture in a three month period.

"We thought it was totally disrespectful; so we made a lot of noise over those three requests, so now they have to give us ample time to produce. Not only for furniture, we find it for a lot of the sectors, when they order products from overseas... They come to us either at the last moment, if the shipment is delayed or if the shipment arrives broken, they expect the manufacturers to repair it and that is disrespectful," McKay complained.

She said the usual procedure was that businesses wanting to import a product duty-free from abroad would apply to the finance ministry for a waiver, and the ministry would then contact the BMA to find out if they supported the decision or had any concerns.

"In the past we would express our concerns but we were not really as vocal as we were last year and last year we just basically had reached the last straw. We had a discussion about it and we said we were being asked to support Staycations to keep jobs but no one is looking at supporting local industry to keep jobs, and basically one is just as important as the other -- it's all about jobs.

"So the last three requests for waivers, we out and out said no way and we really gave them a good reason ... why it should be turned down. It is my understanding that those three companies had to pay duty because we fought it."

Following this, she said they were invited to a meeting with the ministry where they were asked about a reasonable notification period for manufacturers.

She said they thought the nine months period was satisfactory and as such this would be the case going forward.