I am calling on the Supermarkets Association cabal, yes, cabal, to cease and desist from over-pricing all products sitting on their shelves. And I mean all.In the run-up to Christmas, full-page advertisements on a wide range of food supplies and household items have been hogging the daily newspapers and radio stations. Realistically there are no new savings on these "goodies." The only true markdowns have been on products close to their sell-by dates.
We still have to be grateful for the government's gift of cheaper rice, oil and flour never mind that its for only for a couple of days. Those of us who can afford to buy and store away extra rice, flour and oil will benefit. The poor man in the street is also most grateful but would have liked to have had the "national collective present" available for a longer period.
There has been a fair amount of bellyaching by the store owners about confusion, not enough time to change price tags, being afraid that buyers will curse them if they don't charge fairly. Had the Prime Minister gifted them with an increase in price by the same margins, there would have been no supermarket/corner shop owner being bothered about burning the midnight oil to change price tickets that will bring in larger profits.
We live in a Third World environment where supermarkets, big and small, also sell toys, wrapping paper, Christmas decorations and bathroom gift sets. A side line in grapes, apples, sorrel and ginger adds to the profits made on these extras. Year-round they make a killing on cellphone cards.
Both high end toys and plastic trash cost almost the same. There is no price control on anything in good old T&T. But I suppose we must like it so or else we would not be buying Santa Claus hats and gift felt stockings at ridiculous prices.Feliz Navidad, everybody and deck your halls with many twinkling Christmas lights and holly. Some of the cheap rice, oil and flour can be stored away (this depends on salary incomes) to cook pelau for "de Carnival" which is just round de corner.
Lynette Joseph,
via e-mail