The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I see why Government had no alternative to pass legislation to enforce the recent amendments to the Price Control regime - the existing law allows for a required approval if the merchant applies if his first cost has increased – a change cannot be refused, the Minister has to sign approval. We all know prices across the board have increased.

But in a modern society surely Government must consult pre-changing unilaterally over 5000 items and including them in the Price Control list?

Unilaterally without even a call to the Association?

Isn’t it time the Price Control Act be revisited - brought up to date — rationalised like stop the ridiculous practice of Price Control going into stores with ZNS News camera crews and basically finding the merchant guilty of a breach without any legal approach or magisterial hearing – this should be illegal. In these ‘raids’ price control seized merchandise and removed the offending products from the premises.

Review how the current list of products, food, was created? Should Price Control, limiting mark-ups, be only enforced on low priced items?

Editor, this recent addition of 450 plus items, which I am told converts to about 5000 individual shelf items now Price Controlled, just how can the small operator survive?

Is the arrogance factor playing its part again? Remember Bahamians detest arrogance. I have to suggest how this sensitive issue was handled was precisely in that vein... be warned, Government be warned.... Arrogance saw all Governments since 1973 thrown out of office.

Let‘s re-examine and rationalise Price Control. We all know PM Davis is super sensitive to noise in the market, but there has to be a rational approach, not dictatorial imposition with zero consultation.

T SWEETING

Nassau,

December 8, 2022.