The Minority in Parliament has rejected the government’s order to stop raising cement prices, describing it as an illegal and unreasonable action.
This stance follows the directive from the Minister for Trade and Industry, K.T. Hammond, instructing cement manufacturers to cease price increases and disclose their retail prices to mitigate irrational hikes.
The Minority contends that this strategy is misguided and unlikely to achieve the intended outcomes.
During a media briefing, the Ranking Member on the Trade and Industry Committee of Parliament,Yusif Sulemana, argued that addressing the root causes of the issue is essential, as merely instructing cement manufacturers to refrain from irrational price increases is not feasible.
Mr. Sulemana pointed out that cement businesses are already subject to taxes, including a fumigation levy, despite not receiving the essential service.
He emphasized that the government should work with manufacturers to find areas where taxes might be decreased and stimulus packages issued to help their businesses.
“As we speak to you, cement manufacturers pay a levy on fumigation, fumigation levy but when their goods arrive, nobody fumigates it’s they pay for a service they do not benefit. And then you come to tell me to reduce the prices of my commodity,
“I’ve never seen it anywhere. This is a competitive market, engage them and see where there’s a need that you the government can reduce some taxes. Where there’s a need for you to do certain things that will stimulate their business.”
“You don’t sit in your office and issue a directive saying that they should reduce their prices. I can tell you on authority that this is not going anywhere. What law is he referring to? Is there any law that says a minister can sit in his office and issue a letter that reduces the prices of commodities?
“It is only under this government we are seeing this. What we need to do is to sit with them and identify the root cause.”
