By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
AFTER Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis warned businesses not to keep prices high after the government cut import duties, Super Value owner Rupert Roberts said yesterday his company won’t “cheat”.
During the Progressive Liberal Party’s convention meeting last week, Mr Davis said: “I want to also be clear to wholesalers and retailers. When your prices reflect global inflation, it’s one thing. That’s understandable, but when you keep your prices high even after we cut your import duties because there ain’t enough competition to cause you to lower them, that’s something we cannot tolerate. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Many interpreted Mr Davis’ comments as a warning to Mr Roberts, who was quoted in The Nassau Guardian last week as saying the price of ham and turkey will be higher this holiday season than last. Mr Roberts also said recently that food prices would remain elevated.
Yesterday, Mr Roberts said he agrees with Mr Davis.
“I completely agree with him 100 per cent,” he said. “He’s warning merchants, and if he’s warning me in particular not to cheat, I agree with him.”
“We don’t cheat. We’re not gonna cheat. We try to put food on the Bahamian table at the best possible price.”
The Super Value owner said Mr Davis’ comments were “good politics”.
“The prices, the duty that was reduced, surely the majority of them were price control items, and we have price control and price control hasn’t caught anybody cheating.”
He said he is annoyed that prices are not decreasing.
“When they come down, we will be the first one to pass them on to the public,” he said.
Comments
birdiestrachan 5 months, 3 weeks ago
The other newspaper report and this report shows a mass difference
buddah17 5 months, 3 weeks ago
In my business relationship with Super Value, and the owner, I have always found them (and him,) to be totally above board and honest....
ohdrap4 5 months, 3 weeks ago
The pricing in big businesses is done by software. The smaller stores are way more likely to increase the prices.
But notice the govt often collects more in vat and fees than it collects in duties.
People are better off eating peas and rice than eating ramen.
birdiestrachan 5 months, 3 weeks ago
At one time he was increasing holiday Ham and turkey even if he said they are bought early. Now he has redunce the price. Pay attention
TalRussell 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Not sure as to Comrade "FoodHubs" Rupert Roberts chain of stores pricing policies on 'No Name' and Off Brands sold,--- Appear on stores shelves whilst promising passing-on savings of between '10 and 40 percent' over national brands. ---- Yes?
John 5 months, 3 weeks ago
I hope when y’all go in Brave Davis family run stores, you apply the same standards this economic disaster ( yes The New Day Brave, Halkitis dem team ) is applied there. Why this idiot and his cronies seem so hell bent in turning consumers against retailers?? A below the belt shit to make himself look like the champion and savior of the people, whilst Brave and this new day government are the worst offenders and biggest perpetrators of increasing the cost of living. Didn’t Rupert Roberts just say that sometimes when the price of some items increase so drastically, his company does not even put the full mark up in the items but just a few cents to cover cost and keep the item available to the consumer? What did Brave Davis do as an individual or as the PM to avoid the in some cases, the tripling of some consumers electricity bills. Except fly around the world. People in West Grabd Bahama need to send this short sighted government a clear and precise message’ keep your bags packed!’
ThisIsOurs 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Spoiled fruit should be neatly arranged and 2 dollars each. Consumer Affairs?
John 5 months, 2 weeks ago
When I used to do butchering in a local food store, the boss would put ham and Turkeys on Sale from the day after Christmas ( Boxing Day) until New Years Day, to clear out all the stock that did not sell. Then after New Years, the butchers would cut up the remaining ham and turkeys and sell them that way. Today you see ham and Turkey in the food stores from Christmas to Christmas and they are not even kept frozen. Of course the curing process is different for hams now and they can last longer. But Christmas to Christmas Turkey?
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