Cement probe extended
March 08, 2010
The Anti-Dumping and Subsidies Commission (ADSC) has given itself another 45 days to complete its investigations of Vulcan cement, which was introduced to the Jamaican market more than a year ago when Tank-Weld Metals entered the cement-distribution market.
Caribbean Cement Company Limited (CCCL) alleges that the American-made product is being sold on the Jamaica market at dumped prices, that is, at a lower price than it cost to produce the cement.
The ADSC probe was originally to be finalised in three months on February 24, but up to that point, the agency was still awaiting the submission of documents on which to make its determination.
"The extension is due to the difficulty of obtaining satisfactory evidence in the investigation and other and procedural challenges that made it unusually difficult for the commission to decide within the 90 days," said Commissioner Velma Brown-Hamilton in a statement.
The ADSC now expects to complete its probe by April 9.
CCCL unperturbed
CCCL marketing manager Alice Hyde told Sunday Business that her company was not perturbed by the delay, saying the commission had a statutory right to extend the deadline.
"So we are waiting, patiently," Hyde said.
The official complaint was made last September, and although a defendant was not named in a release to the media at the time, the product's only known distributor is Tank-Weld....
Author: Gleaner Reporter
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
