The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas’ chief price overseer yesterday said it had “made some inroads” into retail merchant non-compliance, acknowledging private sector improvement in Nassau and the Family Islands.

E. J. Bowe, the Price Control Commission’s chairman, said the regulator had seen better compliance with the Price Control Act as it prepares to wrap-up its current round of Bahamas-wide inspections.

“There has been quite a bit of improvement with some of the merchants on some of the islands, but in all of the islands we have covered this year, all have had infractions on breadbasket items,”Mr Bowe said.

“The Commission was, however, pleased to note that we do appear to be making some inroads.”

Mr Bowe added that the Commission’s inspectors have recently been carrying out inspections in the south-east Bahamas.

    “In New Providence there has been some improvement, and in the Family Islands there has been some improvement as well,” he said. “So far we have covered most of the islands ,and we are getting ready to complete the cycle next week.”

Mr Bowe said that while the Commission often receives complaints from consumers about merchant overpricing, many of the concerns relate to items that are not price controlled.

“We tell consumers that if the item is not under price control then the merchant can charge whatever they like,” he explained. “We remind consumers, however, that they have the purchasing power. If they believe that an item is too expensive, then they shouldn’t purchase it. They can go somewhere else.

“We are trying to step up our consumer education programmes to better equip consumers, not only in New Providence and Grand Bahama, but also throughout the Family Islands. If the consumers are well versed in the Price Control Act, its regulations and what they entail, they can help us to police the merchants.”

Breadbasket items under the Price Control Act include butter, cooking oil, mayonnaise, grits, cheese, corned beef, evaporated milk, margarine, rice, sugar, flour, bread and tomato paste.