'Govt should appoint efficient team to manage economy'

Increase in prices of bakery products and other essential items should be monitored

by Ananda Kannangara

Prima last week increased the price of wheat flour by Rs. 9, but consumers say such price increases highly benefit the bakery owners as they increase the prices of their products unfairly. Here are the comments made by people on this crucial issue.

A veterinary surgeon, Dr. Sarath Kavikeshwara of Pelmadulla did not blame the Government for increasing the price of wheat flour, but vented his anger over the unbearable price increase on flour based products by bakery owners.

"Since the Consumer Protection Authority (CPA) does not monitor the activities of bakery owners, every time the price increases have given them an opportunity to step down increases haphazardly".

An Advanced Level student of Maliyadeva Girls' School, Kurunegala, Kushani Tennakoon said the two main bakeries in her village sell bread at different prices after a price increase.

"I urge the authorities to look into the different price structures".

A private bus owner, K. D. Sumanadasa of Akuressa said that 22 buns can be made from a kilo of flour and every time the price increases of flour give the bakery owners an opportunity to increase the prices of all kinds of flour based products.

"This time a bakery owner said that he was compelled to increase the price of a bun by Rs. 1 and he gets an additional income of Rs. 13 a kilo".

A mother of three, Mangalika Kalutantry of Mt. Lavinia said the increase of flour prices always benefit the bakery owners.

"I blame the CPA for not imposing strict laws on bakery owners on the unfair price structures everytime they do whenever the price of wheat flour is increased".

Film producer, Sirimevan Kumaranatunga said he was unhappy over the price increase of essential commodity item such as flour, rice, sugar and kerosene.

"We are aware that traders are compelled to increase the prices of commodity items due to various taxes imposed by the Government and therefore, I request the Government to waive off some of these taxes for the benefit of poor consumers".

A housewife and banker, Kokila Iddamalgoda of Hanwella said

"I buy bread and other flour based items from three bakeries everyday on my way home, but from last week I found these bakeries sell products at different price structures".

"Therefore I request the relevant authorities to be vigilant on such traders".

Businessman, Asela Paranagama said that poor economic management of the Government is the major reason for the unbearable price increase of commodity items.

"Therefore, I like to request the President to appoint an efficient team to run the Finance Ministry and let them to control the country's economy.

Hussain Sheriff of Kollupitiya wants the CPA to deploy a team of flying squad to monitor the day to day work of bakeries as well as business enterprises.

He said some bakery owners are in the habit of making various flour based products other than bread to reap a large profits. Nimal Ranjith of Nugegoda wants the Government to impose a law on bakery owners preventing them to sell their products at unreasonable prices. He also urged the authorities to look into the price increases of other commodity items such as sugar, rice and onions.

Dushan Tharanga said "I think the majority poor people in our country consume flour based food items and they use kerosene oil to light up their houses as well as for cooking purposes".

"I request the authorities to reduce the price of flour and kerosene, considering the pathetic situation of the downtrodden in plantation and fisheries sectors".

K. G. Priyantha said, "The distributing process of wheat flour must be handled by the Government, so that price increases can be controlled without putting much burden on consumers".

Vijitha Priyankara of Kollupitiya "There is a CPA in the country, so why can't they storm into bakeries and check whether the bakery owners sell their goods at unreasonable prices.