The Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association is asking Government to extend a 25 per cent excise tax reduction to tobacco manufacturers, arguing that legitimate producers need relief as illegal cigarette sales gain ground. According to the Trinidad Guardian, TTMA president Emil Ramkissoon made the appeal at the association’s President’s Dinner and Awards on Thursday night. He sought the same reduction that he said had been granted to the alcohol sector. Ramkissoon put illicit tobacco trade above 12.5 per cent and warned that it could increase following the implementation of a 100 per cent excise tax on tobacco products. Those figures and the projection were presented as his claims in the report. He argued that a reduction would help manufacturers compete and recover market share. His address also identified customs efficiency, port operations and regulatory processes as continuing priorities for the association. He said unnecessary delays, avoidable costs and unfair competitive disadvantages made it harder for local businesses to develop into international competitors. Alongside those concerns, Ramkissoon cited growth of 11.6 per cent in non-energy manufacturing during the first quarter of 2026. He described the performance as evidence of businesses’ resilience amid an uncertain global economic environment. The association’s broader ambition, he said, is to double non-energy exports to TT$10.6 billion by 2030. Reaching that target would require more businesses to begin exporting, established exporters to reach additional markets, and manufacturers to improve productivity and competitiveness. Ramkissoon linked export growth to diversifying foreign exchange earnings, strengthening productive capacity and creating sustainable employment. Feature speaker Pamela Coke-Hamilton, executive director of the International Trade Centre, also addressed opportunities for Caribbean businesses. She said changes in trade and investment could help diversify exports and markets, support businesses moving into higher-value activities, and address transport and logistics problems affecting trade within the region. Coke-Hamilton cited ITC research identifying US$499 million in untapped export potential to the European Union. She encouraged businesses to explore better use of the Cariforum Economic Partnership Agreement and Caribcan, noting that the World Trade Organization waiver for Caribcan remains in place until 2033. The report outlined the association’s request for tobacco tax relief but did not report a government decision on the proposal.
