Retailers ripping off consumers
The National, Monday, May 16, 2011
IT seems that retailers, including some big supermarkets chains, are ripping off consumers under the pretext of sugar shortage.
A kilo of sugar has gone up to more than K9 from K4.40.
Is it possible for supermarkets to create a shortage of sugar by stockpiling their warehouses so that they can continue to sell at high prices?
Why is Ramu Sugar, which was given 100% protection by the state for more than 30 years, unable to supply sugar at very affordable prices after benefiting all these years from the state?
This is the same situation in the fuel industry.
InterOil, which was given a monopoly and tax breaks, continues to increase the prices of fuel under the guise of rising world crude prices and strangling the economic life out of ordinary consumers and small businesses.
Many businesses and industries in PNG like InterOil and Ramu Sugar have enjoyed and continue to enjoy huge tax incentives to set up shop and operate here.
Papua New Guinean consumers are still waiting for the benefits to filter down to them as promised by the government and business houses.
Which commodity market and pricing mechanism are Ramu Sugar and InterOil using?
Wouldn’t it be better to import sugar from Fiji as the local price is less than F$3 (K4.50) for 5kg?
Is the ICCC really looking after the consumers’ interest?
Maybe the new-look opposition can look into this.
T Kune
Port Moresby