Ain: Staff outside Port Moresby not performing well

THE Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) has noted that most of its officers in centres outside of Port Moresby are not effectively performing their roles.
Commissioner and chief executive Paulus Ain said the recent exercise on price gouging exposed a lot of concerns.
He made the statement following the launch of ICCC’s 2020-2025 corporate plan in Port Moresby last week.
“We have a number of our officers on the ground but they have already been compromised by business houses,” he said.
“We have the consumers and the business houses, the retailers and wholesales who need to provide continuous supply to the market.
“On the consumer front, prices that the business houses charge must be fair and reasonable and affordable to the consumers.
“That is what we want to see in the market place.
“At the same time, the business houses supply the market, they also need to bring goods from overseas, as we all know.
“We are import-reliant.
“Much of what we see on the shelves are coming from overseas.
“So, in the current situation where the world is facing this pandemic, everyone is struggling.
“The wholesalers are also competing for the same volume of goods to be brought into our country.
“In an attempt to bring that successfully onto our shores, there are a series of costs involved, so the consumers are expecting a cheaper and affordable product while businesses are spending a lot to bring supplies in. “We have to find a balance.
“We do not want consumers to suffer at the end of the day, so the balance is to allow the business to recover the cost, and a margin that is affordable to the consumer is where we come in, to make sure that is reasonable.”