Price Control Order in effect
Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
Basseterre, St. Kitts: Consumers in the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis can shortly expect to see some reforms in the prices of the goods listed under the St. Christopher and Nevis Statutory Rules and Orders #41 Price Control Order 2007 as the order has been gazetted. ~~Adz:Right~~
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Rosalyn Hazelle, in an interview with SKNVibes, explained that not only has the order been gazette but it has also been distributed to retailers across the Federation.
“It’s already gone out to the retailers. So it is in effect,” Hazelle said.
She further explained that the Ministry is currently meeting with retailers and wholesalers across the Federation to discuss with them the implementation of the order and what initiatives it should be taken to ensure its effectiveness.
“We have met with the major retailers and wholesalers to go over how it is going to be implemented. We have talked about to our officers and we will be out there monitoring the markup on the prices of the goods. The basis of the mark up is going to be the percentage based on the landed cost and the law requires that upon request the wholesalers or retailer should provide a documented cost,” Hazelle noted.
“We will then look at that to determine whether or not they are falling within the law in terms of the mark up. Remember that what this is saying is that there is a maximum mark up. It does not mean that they must mark up the whole 20 per cent. They can fall anywhere below that but not above,” she added.
The Price Control Order approved some 29 items, inclusive of non-food items such as chicken, meats (frozen and in brine), fish (frozen and in brine), Vienna sausage, cornmeal, dried peas, cereal, butter, pasts products, cheddar cheese, sardine, tuna fish, fresh and fruits and vegetables and non-food items such as toothpaste, toilet paper, medicated soap, detergents, disposable diapers, hypertensive agents, anti-diabetic agents, anti-histamines and anti-cholesterol drugs.
Hazelle also said that in an effort to make price control initiative effective, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has embarked on and will continue its education process.
“One of the things we will be doing, in terms of our process in the new year, is to publicize the items carried by the different retailers to let people know what the prices are at the different retailers. Consumers can also pick up a copy of the order at the Ministry and make themselves aware of what the price control order is and what items fall under it,” Hazelle noted.
The Consumer Affairs PS said that the effectiveness of the initiative is dependent on the cooperation all stakeholders.
