Director of Trade, Matthan J. Walter, is rubbishing claims made in a video circulating on social media claiming that major shipping lines will be grounded in the next two weeks due to the increase in fuel prices, making importation difficult for countries in the region.
Walter, in a statement on Monday, told Dominicans there is no need to fear and they will be sufficiently taken care of nutritionally.
“I want to state that this is simply fear-mongering,” he stated. “If we have to speak to some of the products that he spoke to in his recording, meaning rice and sugar, because of the CSME [CARICOM Single Market and Economy] arrangements that we have, we import [the] majority of our rice from Guyana and our sugar also from Guyana and lately from Belize and so our rice and sugar does not come from too far afield.”
Walter acknowledged that there are shipping lines that use low sulfur fuel. He explained that the fuel contains 0.5% sulfuric content and a lot of the commercial ships use that fuel and it has been breaking records.
“You will see some numbers indicating that it will cost about $1,042 now per ton, double the price that it was a year ago to move products from certain markets into the region,” the trade official explained.
However, he indicated that many of the ships or the vessels that do very long runs have, what are called scrubbers, and those scrubbers allow them to use the high sulfur fuel which is much cheaper and use it in a manner that has less of an impact on the environment.
“That becomes a saving to the owner of the vessel itself,” Walter stated.
Therefore, he said, the gloom and doom that was reflected in the recording done should not be taken at its face value at all.
“The contents in it bring fear and it’s unjustified fear,” he remarked. “There will always be in this time for more reasons than one what they call supply side dislocations that will sometimes allow for there to be delays in the receipt of some of the products that are necessary to make the lives of our citizens more comfortable, but ships not moving because of the fact that the prices of fuel are high, that is not true.”
Walter pointed out although the price of fuel is high, there are ways and means to deal with that situation.
“For example, the high prices, how is it that the vessel owners and operators will deal with that? They pass it along to the cargo shippers with a lag effect via what is called bunker adjustment factors and these adjustment factors will be added to the existing contract rates,” he explained.
Furthermore, he said the vessels will move but pass some of the costs across in a lag manner to those who they are contracted with.
Meanwhile, according to Walter, Dominicans will continue to benefit from the importation of products that will ensure their comfort and the government is working assiduously to move in a manner which allows for there to be local investments that would promote local production, in agricultural products and agro-processed products.
All you want to see an ignorant person that believes he is better than all you? Well, just look at the picture… Reminds me a bit of that despot from North Korea.
“You will see some numbers indicating that it will cost about $1,042 now per ton, double the price that it was a year ago to move products from certain markets into the region,” the trade official explained.(Walters).
You see, here is the thing; this guy sits in Dominica talking all of the bull such as that in the above quote.
That fat tub of lard does not even know half of what he is talking about; he does not have any control about anything that is shipped from any international market, nor Caribbean market to Dominica, so how can he make such a broad statement.
In the shipping business, whereas they charge for heavy cargo by the tong, and the lighter cargo by the amount of space occupied square foot, this fat face cannot dictate when price will double or not; and he cannot be in Dominica, that banana republic and decide if ships, canoe or containers will be shipped to Dominica where imports are minor!
Dress in polyester suit in 90 degrees heat as a clown, talking crap!
I do not understand the argument, that some shipping will be grounded, when there is nothing to be shipped from Dominica, to any place on the planet.
I don’t consider a boat taking bananas, and other agriculture produce to Antigua, and some other islands in the Leeward islands shipping anything!
Dominica is not an industrial country, we do not produce anything for export, except perhaps our nation passports by the bundle, or in bales.
You know people like that steroid fat face talk as if Dominica is a place from where manufacturing commodities are shipped to countries all over the world; when in fact something as common as mail services we do not have.
As for this none existent shipping thing he is babbling about, ask me about that.
We brought a ship out of Europe, the Nasiff’s engage us to bring 400 bags of flour from Puerto Rico to Dominica; we hoped to get a load of some kind to take either North or South, for more than a month we got nothing!
We sailed to St…
Yes, we were in Dominica, for a month, waiting to get a load of something; nothing came; we decided to sail South to St. Lucia, where within one day, we were loaded with cargo to take to Barbados, and Trinidad.
In Trinidad we got lots of cargo to take North to St. Kitts, and Antigua.
Unless, they have some invisible place where they develop, and manufacture these things, such as steroids which people use for certain disease which gets their faces fat, and round as that in the picture, his fantasy of shipping is another lie.
We all remember the lie from the minister in Roosevelt government from Castle Bruce who said he shipped a million pounds of fish to America, and England, and all over the damn place!
Hahahahahahahahahahah!
He is the one who said the Parrots they thief and sold to someone in Germany will return when the time is right.
Looking forward to be challenge by some stinking rat over what I said about our ship.
Oh yes, I was waiting for that, Makak. Shipping tycoon as well! Boy you are sooo full of it. Mash, Rex! Have you got no shame?
Wesley girl I agree with you.. this Sicko calling the young man a Fat Tub of Lard how dear you Mr. Intelligence you are full of PU PU and think you know it all shame on you old old grand pa……How would you like someone from Dominica Crush your Crompton Movie Stsr like this…Mann shut urp!!! VERY insulting person.
Francisco why they call you Makak and Rex?
Well, only stupid dunce geriatric dogs calls people out of their name oui!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
I don’t even understand why such pile of garbage people who has never seen my face, do not know me from adam apple could have so much to say about me!
That’s simple stupid!
So, I read they stupid foolish comments, and laugh, hoping that such dogs will soon find out that they are mad, and I mean totally insane; and I mean crazy needing psychiatric help.
So, psychologically the trap was set and the damn dog pushed its long mouth into it and got caught.
Hahahahahahahahahahah!
Ever seen a long mouth dog; mouth got caught in a rat trap?
Oh, what a sight!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
The only one that’s totally insane is you Makak. YOU are a notorious attention seeker in need of a lot of psychiatric help.
Hahahaha….
Now mash Rex!
Just as well most haven’t seen your face because they all frightened and run away in horror. I’ve seen it.
He ugly as sin…!
Dear Dominicans, I am coming back and I will try to do my best for the island.
It is really a hard time all over the world and yes I agree with that decision. Dominica has everything and be very careful with who you trade and for what.
Ok I am not born in Dominica but my hart never left you in this more than 15 years. Now I read the others…. You are sleeping too and I should….
God help us all.
One glance you could see he is a labor. Very fat and wallet must be fat too. UWP people are slim people because Skerrit starvaing them to de bone. A very vindictive guy.
Money for nothing… That’s how Skerrit treats our state finances. No surprise really, since nobody asks him to present independently audited accounts.
The director of imports. Funny he said we can import from region instead of we can produce to our own capacity and for the Caribbean. While we at it lets ask the director about the trade deficit, import cost and export revenue in the country. List top 10 exports and revenue. We should be so confident we can feed ourselves this should not be news. Finally as trade director what new markets he has helped Dominica penetrate or develop? I will stop there for now.
DNO, I have noticed in recent times newspapers using the word rubbish as a verb. When did that transformation occur?
Is it the trend now to turn nouns into verbs?
Just curious.
You can use it as a verb – to rubbish something is to describe someone, or something as worthless/useless.
Rubbish, noun, is garbage to be discarded.
(Oxford dictionary).
Curious too….but a lot is going on in the world now and yes little curiosity about that.
So Zando; where it pertains to the English Language, unless one is a linguistic major there shall always be controversy involved, there are two forms of English language “American;” and British Cambridge English, which I supposed we were taught in our country during the colonial domination.
Where is why!
Used as a noun it could imply waste material; refuse or litter as in “an alleyway with plenty rubbish.”
Used as a verb British informally, it could denote criticize severely, and reject as worthless; such as saying “he has pointedly rubbished professional estimates of the development and running costs;” that’s synonyms with criticism find fault with censure, to denounce, condemn or arraign.”
When it’s used as an adjective, again in British Cambridge, it is also considered informal indicating a person or something is very bad; worthless or useless, synonyms; with the terms very bad, very poor, awful, terrible; dreadful, appalling, and or frightful!
“Where is why!”
That should read ‘Here is why.’
Dude speaks like this is not possible when the possibility does exists, as the cost is always passed on to the consumer. Therefore in the advent of hyperinflation, it will result in reduce consumption which will eventually ground some ships as this will create an economic depression since the situation is getting worst. This guy Walters as director of trade does not provide any solutions to the problem only a half whetted analysis of what we already know, cost always gets to the consumer, the base of any economy. What solution is he proposing as director of trade which is his job to do, this guy has failed us just like the rest of this administration.
What exactly would you expect from a pig farmer that is one of Skerrits best friends, or used to be anyway?
Does Mathan run on battery now or is he hard of hearing or maybe just a member of the security detail with that gadget in his ear. Just asking.
This director of trade seems to be taking the trade ration home with him
I am not in agreement Mr Walters. If the fuel doesn’t affect the shipping then why is the cost of everything on the supermarket shelf higher.
And why exactly should we trust YOU, MR. Director of Trade. After all you are a member of Skerrits cabal. In the words of your political master: ….go to hell!
Skerrit? I have only good remembering no idea in the last years…
In all honesty I strongly believe you might be better off staying where you are. This is not the place for you.