Tariffs shouldn't really Hurt us

[u/Sensitive-Pie-6595]

Those who live in Yard know that for so long we have been creating our own products, and buying from anywhere but the US. This goes back to the 1980s when America would give us 'string loans'... that is... they loan us $X but it can only be used to buy American products.

There was a time when in a supermarket big loooong aisles full of US stuff.

Over the years we started to quietly replace them with local products so that we didn't those loans.

We also started buying from other islands so that we had stuff from T'dad and of course, China.

Just before Trump did his tariff thing I looked at where my stuff came from.

Okay, everything that plugs in comes from China. Almost all my clothes come from China.

Now, my groceries.

I buy local stuff and stuff that comes from T'dad and every where else. Like this yogurt I use on my cereal comes from France, the other from Spain and the cereal is Jamaican. The coffee is Jamaican and I use Lasco instead of coffee mate.

The kind of flat breads/wraps i use are made in Jamaica as are the vegetables, soup, porridge, chocolate... in fact... I read labels before purchase.

if you look on the roads we have Toyota, Sukuzi... I haven't seen a US car since some years ago this Dodge.

I think Jamaica is not going to suffer very much because we wisely moved to standing on our own.

[u/xraxraxra]

The United States are far and beyond our biggest trade partners in both imports and exports. There are verifiable numbers behind this fact that appear in the gleaner every week. This will definitely have an effect on us.

[u/Sensitive-Pie-6595 → u/xraxraxra]

not if we don't buy stuff from the US. I just had cereal that is made here, coffee that is grown here.

[u/AndreTimoll → u/Sensitive-Pie-6595]

You view on this is very narrowed minded ,first off yes we can buy foods from local and regional partners the cost those foods will still increase because these tariffs because the raw materials either come from countries affected or have to go through US ports and due to this trade war shipping cost will increase.

You might say ok they can go through the Panama Canal that will also increase the cost of shipping because there is currently a battle of ownership of canal.

Second you only mentioned that we have alot of local replacements for food ,what about eletronics, cars,construction materials that can't be made here due to not having the raw material and factories here,clothes,and shoes.

We can replace clothes and shoes but that's going take alot of time and land space to build the factories and train the staff to make them because we don't have enough tailors/dressmakers and shoe makers.

For everything else those come from China,Japan,South Korea,America and Europe.

China,Japan and South Korea all US Ports to reach the Caribbean,Central and South America so the price of their products will increase for us because of this trade war.

For America assembled eletronics, cars,and construction materials just to name a few all get their raw materials from China so again shipping cost for those companies like Apple,GE,Whirlpool will pass those increased shipping cost on to us the consumers.

[u/Sensitive-Pie-6595 → u/AndreTimoll]

why should China continue to use the US as the 'middle man' when they can come direct? Think of the hefty tariffs on China, think of all the stuff China sells here and in South America.

cut out the uS and set up to come to the southern hemisphere direct.

Or use Mexico as the middle.

[u/AndreTimoll → u/Sensitive-Pie-6595]

Even if they come directly Jamaica as the central hub for the region,or use Mexico or The Panama Canal that's still going to increase shipping costs because increased demand will lead to delays which companies have to pay and they are going to pass those extra fees on to us.

The mainly point here is none of the alternative port can manage the increase demand so that's going to lead to delays which will lead to companies paying more duties and taxes and that's going to be added to the cost of products so there is no way around this for the foreseeable future.

But on the other hand this is a huge opportunity for Africa and the region mainly Jamaica because we are the gateway to the rest of the islands to start trading and building factories to make cheaper durable replacements.