With concerns growing about the novel coronavirus, the congregation at Love and Light Ministries, linked arms instead of holding hands during yesterday’s service. Here, Dwight Sutherland (right), Minister of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Commerce, links arms with Co-Pastor, Kathyann Harewood.
As the COVID-19 virus spreads throughout the world, a local government minister is not only urging Barbadians not to panic, but is putting the case to retailers and wholesalers in this country not to jack up their prices.
Minister of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Commerce, Dwight Sutherland issued the appeal while speaking to The Barbados Advocate yesterday morning, on the sidelines of a service at Love and Light Ministries, which is based at the St. George Secondary School, to mark World Consumer Rights Day.
Sutherland noted that while Barbados remained virus free, with the spread of the novel coronavirus in the Caribbean, persons living here have been stocking up on goods including hand sanitisers and other disinfecting products, which he admitted has resulted in such items being in short supply. However, the Commerce Minister says stock is on its way and he is hopeful that no exorbitant prices will be charged when those items reach here.
“We believe the way to address this is to have consultation with the stakeholders and involve the retailers and suppliers. There is a tendency in the international world for people to engage in price gouging; we have not seen it here and we have asked the retailers not to do this. If it is one time that you should be sympathetic to consumers - it is now, when you have a public health emergency which is worldwide,” he said.
He continued, “As the Prime Minister had asked when we were restructuring our debt to take some of the burden, we are asking the suppliers to be sympathetic to the consumers.”
With that in mind, he said they have asked the retailers not to increase prices, and have thus far had cordial discussions with those stakeholders. His comments came as he revealed that his ministry and the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry is set to meet today with retailers, suppliers and distributors of goods and services, to come up with a plan for the next three to six months.
“There was a case where we saw a price move from $20 to $27 at a supermarket, but that was because of the increase in the supplier price and not the supermarket itself. Whether the retailers can absorb those increase prices from the suppliers is left to be seen, but we will be working with the suppliers and wholesalers, to be mindful of increasing the prices to the end users,” he said.
He added, “Our duty as a ministry is to protect the consumer. World Consumer Rights Day is being celebrated today (Sunday) and I would urge the retailers and frontline importers of goods into this country, to understand that now is not the time to increase prices. Now is the time to show solidarity with your customers, because they are the ones that will be impacted significantly if this virus impacts this country.”
Sutherland’s comments came as he indicated that a check on the supermarkets by his ministry with regard to food supplies, show that they are well-equipped should coronavirus hit. He stated some supermarkets have four to five months of supplies and additional stock is on its way.
However, he went on to say that while government is confident with the current state of affairs, they are also cognisant that some of the countries that distributors buy food stuff and supplies from, are likely to have challenges with not being able to ship some of the items that we import. As such, he said government is being proactive and has come up with a strategy to grow our food and where possible to boost poultry production,s to ensure there is an adequate supply of protein on the island.
“We are not panicking as a government and we urge the public not to panic,” he stated. (JRT)