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| Prime Minister of St. Kitts & Nevis, Dr. The Hon. Denzil Douglas |
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, AUGUST 30TH 2007 (CUOPM) - Rates for the new price control scheme are being finalized and it is expected that by mid-September the policy will be fully developed and implemented.
That’s according to Minister of State in the Ministry of Information, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty, who reiterated government’s determination to bring lasting relief to lower income persons.
Speaking following the Cabinet Meeting, Minister Carty said members received a full update from the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris on the implementation of the new price control policy.
“The Minister indicated that he had had discussions with members of the business community and had come to a good sense of what levels of reduction would be needed to appreciably reduce the cost of living to the benefit of the poor while simultaneously ensuring that small businesses in particular can continue to operate profitably,” he said.
~~Adz:Right~~ The St. Kitts and Nevis Labour Party Cabinet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, recently discussed and approved a list of basic food and non-food items to comprise a basket of goods for price control in an effort to reduce the cost of living.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs and the Ministry of Finance were mandated to undertake a comprehensive review and analysis of the basket of basic food items and to make recommendations on how the cost of these basic items could be reduced.
Cabinet discussed in detail and approved a list of basic food and non-food items to comprise a basic basket of goods for price control.
“This is in response to the need to ensure that our poorer citizens are able to lead a life of improved quality through the ability to access basic food and non-food items at a reasonable cost,” disclosed Minister Carty.
He said the basket now approved and established consists of fruits and vegetables, chicken parts, frozen fish, corn meal, flour, milk, margarine, pasta products, cheese, sardines, crackers, cereals, toothpaste, cooking oil, peas and beans, rice, corned beef, toilet paper, disposable diapers, and medicines for allergy, hypertension, asthma, diabetes and eye conditions. The price of refrigerators, stoves and mattresses up to certain limited sizes will also be regulated.
The Ministry of Finance advise on which of these goods, if any, should be exempt from import duty.
The Denzil Douglas Labour Government also reiterated its committed to the revision of a number of pieces of legislation to improve the consumer protection regime in the Federation, so that price control of basic items is only one facet of the exercise.
The Sale of Goods Act, the Distribution and Pricing of Goods Act, the Bureau of Standards Act, the Weights and Measures Act, and the Food and Drugs Act will be revised shortly for this purpose.
