Grenada Today - The National Newspaper of Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique

Acting Managing Director of Grenada Breweries Ltd (GBL), Calvin Cable has expressed concern over the undocumented importation of beer into Grenada through various ports around the island.

Cable said he believes the work of the local brewery could be undone by the actions of a "few who mistakenly believe that selling and consuming a few illegally imported cases of beer does not hurt anyone".

He made the point while speaking Tuesday at a ceremony to mark the First Local Bottling of Carlsberg, which was held at the company's headquarters in the south of the island. Cable used the occasion to appeal to Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell who was present at the ceremony to use his influence to assist the company since he said the issue is one in which there are no losers.

"We today solicit your strong support and that of your colleagues and institutions of government in combating the practice which dampens worker initiative and diminishes the profits of our small, vibrant brewery and robs our treasury of much needed revenue", he said.

This is obvious reference to the contraband trade in which large quantities of beer and malt products are often smuggled into the country and sold at cheaper prices than that offered by GBL. According to Cable, the brewery is also looking forward to working with government in withstanding the greatest threat to their survival, the expiration of Article 56 and with the negotiation of Article 164 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

Article 164 removes all trade restrictions on imported products with the emergence of the Caribbean Community Single Market and Economy (CSME).

Prime Minister Mitchell who spoke at the ceremony congratulated the GBL management and Staff for their initiative in ensuring that Carlsberg is now manufactured locally. He described the move as positive, noting that GBL now has to manufacture products for consumers with different tastes.

The Grenadian leader pointed out that when the former shareholders of the brewery opted out of the relationship, government then decided to support the major share holder Ansa Mc Al Group from the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Mitchell said that government gave its support to the Trinidadians because the intention was to see workers of the business becoming part-owners of the company.

Carlsberg was first introduced into Grenada in April 2003 following which GBL made the necessary application to manufacture the product locally. A team from Carlsberg came to Grenada and conducted an audit of the facilities in early March. GBL was then invited to proceed with Trial Brews, which had to meet the approval of their main laboratories and professional taste panels in Denmark.

According to the International Procedure, the applicant brewery is expected to engage in trial brews until 3 consecutive brews pass all tests. Samples of the product were sent in which they were returned with a satisfactory grade giving GBL the go-ahead to manufacture the product locally.

The GBL said that they can manufacture up to 8000 cases of beer per day to meet the local market. Also present at the ceremony were Chairman of Ansa Mc Al, Andrew Sabga who is from Trinidad as well as Board Member Andrew Bierzynski of Grenada.