Chamber to PM: We Were Not Consulted Over Amended Price Control List

The government has taken measures to lower the cost of living, in light of the crushing inflation that has gripped the economy over the past few years. The Briceño administration has invited the unions to be an integral part of that process. But the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry has written to Prime Minister John Briceño regarding a policy to amend the price control list. According to the chamber, it was never consulted on the matter. The B.C.C.I. letter states in part that it is their understanding that the ministry is developing regulations to expand the price control list by thirty food and thirteen non-food items and impose a fifteen percent and twenty percent maximum markup. The chamber which represents the largest private sector support organization in Belize says the policy intends to limit the percentage markup that wholesale and retail businesses can fix onto goods.  The private sector organization also says that it was not consulted on the policy which directly impacts its members. The B.C.C.I. is asking the government to pause the development of the policy in order for a detailed research and consultation to be done to ensure that any initiative to combat inflation can precisely benefit low-income households. It’s a request that we tried to get a comment on from the PM today, but our efforts to reach him were futile. On Friday, News Five spoke with President of the Public Service Union, Dean Flowers who gave us an update on the effort.

Dean Flowers

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“We met with government and we spoke about the attempts that government is making – or the progress that government is making to address that matter. And that begins with the expansion of the price control list. So that have now increased as I understand it coming out of that meeting from 20 items to 43 items. And also there is a commitment on behalf of the government that based on further consultation with the joint unions as well as other stakeholders within the country, there exists a possibility of that list for expanding to protect, consumers and more importantly, to allow those who make a minimum wage to be able to have finances to purchase the basic goods and services that they would need for to ensure that they have a decent way of life. It does not necessarily mean that taxes wouldn’t be on those goods, but they would be regulated, and so once government sets the ceiling, then that’s it. Once any business place goes over that ceiling, then they would be subjecting themselves to a fine or probably legal action.”