Sanitary Pads Enter the Caribbean at 20 Per Cent Duty. The Region Imports US$85 Million of Them and Exports US$1 Million.

The rate is set by the Community, not by any one country. Heading 96.19 of the Revised Common External Tariff of the Caribbean Community covers “Sanitary towels (pads) and tampons, napkins and napkin liners for babies and similar articles, of any materials”, and every subheading beneath it carries 20 per cent. Guyana’s own First Schedule reproduces the figure exactly.

That is why Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said on 14 August 2025 that “the tariff is a Common External Tariff so to remove you have to notify CARICOM”. He was describing the instrument accurately.

A tariff rate is a choice, and the choices on either side of this one show it. The two headings printed immediately above and below sanitary products in the Community’s schedule carry different rates.