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| Sunday, 26 January 2003 |
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Islandwide network of fair price CWE outlets by Don Asoka Wijewardena New regulatory measures against unfair pricing and trade practices and, a greatly strengthened and efficient islandwide network of 'fair-price' CWE outlet will be the bulwark between the consumer and rising living costs, according to plans by Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayaka. In an interview with the 'Sunday Observer' last week about Government plans to deal with consumer woes, Minister Karunanayaka disclosed that more teeth would be given to consumer protection laws in order to ensure fair trading practices. In accordance with the provisions of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), which will come into operation by March 2003 far-reaching changes are to be brought into penalise traders and manufacturers over sudden price increases of consumer items. On the question of gas and flour, the Minister said that these are two controversial items which have won a monopoly status that was thrust upon the consumer by the previous regime. "We are subject to the dictates of the multinational companies,but within the framework of the law action has been taken to compel those companies to reduce the selling price", said Mr. Karunanayaka. Mr. Karunanayaka pointed out that since his assumption of duties as minister of consumer affairs and trade he had been able to reduce the prices of 38 consumer items including milk food and vegetables and added that people were only clamouring for unstable price increases of a few items. "What I fail to understand is that some people prefer to buy things at reputed supermarkets as status symbols without visiting Sathosa sales centres. Any item available at those reputed supermarkets is available at Sathosa at cheap prices.Regarding the increase of the gas price I have already asked the company to reduce the current price by Rs. 45 but the company had made submissions to the Court of Appeal against the order and, this is why the company is delaying price reduction," said the minister. The Minister also explained that economic recession was a global problem and economic recovery in the country could not be achieved overnight. He said that he had been able to provide essential commodities at prices far more competitive than in the open market and if one were to purchase milk at CWE,the customer would get milk powder and other items at lowest prices even at midnight. When asked about the spiralling cost of living the minister said that cost of living was a public perception and the UNF Government would take necessary measures to bring it down by supporting local farming communities to produce more. Minister Karunanayaka noted that some politically-motivated campaigns were trying to divert attention of people from the success of the peace process and confidence-building measures on the economic front fully backed by international agencies. |
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