BUSINESSES NEED CLARITY NOT COMMENTARY AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

BUSINESSES NEED CLARITY NOT COMMENTARY AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

In response to the recent Government statement issued by Minister Arias Vasquez regarding the
implementation of the Treaty, we note with concern the continued attempt to repackage the narrative
in an attempt to conceal previously botched processes. Mrs Arias Vasquez ought to stop playing
politics and address the substantive challenges facing businesses on the ground.

The initial implementation deadline of 10th April 2026 has now been moved. It is clearly evident and
obvious from the eleventh-hour scramble that the Government was not adequately prepared to
support businesses through what is a complex and operationally demanding transition. This lack of
readiness has created uncertainty and avoidable disruption across multiple sectors. Businesses simply
cannot plan, comply, or operate efficiently without clear and actionable guidance from the
Government, particularly Mrs Arias Vasquez whose direct political responsibility it is to lead on this as
the Minister for Business.

The GSD has consistently advocated for real and practical engagement with businesses from the start:
meaningful consultation at shop-floor level to properly understand real operational requirements.
Effective policy must be informed by practical realities, not assumptions.
On the eve of the original deadline for implementation of the Treaty, the trade associations continue
to raise urgent concerns regarding the lack of detail and clarity around the importation processes
which remain insufficiently defined.

The Government is still promising to produce a Business Manual to support Treaty implementation
yet this is something they had previously committed to do. This document should have been delivered
well in advance of the 10th April deadline to allow adequate preparation time. The undeniable and
uncomfortable fact for the Government is that, as matters stand, it has not been published leaving
businesses without a critical resource. What would have happened if the Treaty had proceeded to
implementation tomorrow?

Craig Sacarello, shadow Minister for Business, Trade and Industry commented that, “Transparency,
timely communication, and structured guidance are essential. Businesses are ready to adapt and
comply, but they require certainty and practical support from the Government in order to do so
effectively.

We urge the Government to:
• Publish the Business Manual without further delay
• Provide detailed, definite operational guidance on importation procedures
• Maintain ongoing, structured engagement with businesses

The success of Treaty implementation depends not on messaging, but on execution and to that extent
the success of the transition will depend on whether or not this engagement is cosmetic or whether it
is meaningful.”