BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), saying that it was not consulted when the government developed a new policy to amend the price control list to lower the cost of living, is calling on John Briceño government to “pause” the initiatives.
In a letter to Prime Minister Briceño, the private sector group contends that while it has invited the unions to be an integral part of the process, it was never consulted.
In the July 18 letter, the BBCI said that it understands from a Cabinet brief fate June 28 this year, the government “is developing regulations to expand the price control list by 30 food and 13 non-food items and impose a 15 percent and 20 percent maximum markup.
“The policy intends to capture wholesale and retail sectors to limit the percentage markup that enterprises can fix onto goods.”
The BBCI, saying it represents the largest private sector support organization here, said it has become imperative to communicate with the government on several areas due to the impending new policy.
“Members of the BCCI are concerned about the process in which the policy has been formulated, without meaningful consultation with the private sector,” the letter noted, urging the government to pause the development of the policy for detailed research and consultation to be done to ensure that any initiative to combat inflation can precisely benefit low-income households.
Meanwhile, the President of the Public Service Union (PSU), Dean Flowers, acknowledged meeting with the government, “and we spoke about the attempts that government is making – or the progress that government is making to address that matter.
“And that begins with the expansion of the price control list. So that has increased, as I understand it coming out of that meeting from 20 to 43 items.
“Also, there is a commitment on behalf of the government that, based on further consultation with the joint unions as well as other stakeholders within the country, there exists a possibility of that list for expanding to protect consumers and, more importantly, to allow those who make a minimum wage to be able to have finances to purchase the basic goods and services that they would need for to ensure that they have a decent way of life.”
Flowers said that it does not necessarily mean that taxes wouldn’t be on those goods, “but they would be regulated, and so once government sets the ceiling, then that’s it.”
Meanwhile, the BCCI has also written to Public Utilities Minister, Michel Chebat, seeking the government’s plans to include alternative energy as part of Belize’s national grid.
“Understanding the urgent need to transition towards renewable and sustainable energy sources, the BCCI would appreciate being updated on the policy status to support this. “It is imperative that as a priority a sufficient, reliable power supply, and to the extent that it is possible, it is preferred that this power in-country renewable sources.”
The BCCi says solar energy represents a promising avenue for reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
“The BCCI is also putting forward the need to consider non-intermittent sources as well, such as those from biomass, given its proven reliability,” the private sector said in its letter.
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