The Tribune

DEPUTY Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and National Insurance Alphaeus Forbes led a team of ten inspectors on a tour of the Mackey Street Super Value location this week.

The visit was part of an initiative by the Consumer Affairs department to warn food stores big and small to make sure they are not illegally inflating the price of duty free items.

Duty free items include:

• Butter

• Cooking oil

• Corned beef

• Evaporated milk

• Flour

• Grits

• Margarine

• Mayonnaise

• Rice

• Sugar

• Baby Cereal

• Baby Food

• Baby Formula

• Broths

• Canned fish

• Condensed milk

• Mustard

• Powdered detergents

• Soups

• Cheese (duty rate at 10 per cent ad valorum)

• Tomato Paste (duty rate at 20 per cent)

• Fresh milk (duty rate at 15 per cent)

• Soaps (duty rate at 10 per cent ad valorum)

• Eggs (duty at 10 per cent)

• Bread (duty at 35 per cent)

The duty free drug items are as follows:

• Anti convulsants

• Analgesic/cough

• Preparation cardiovascular

• Serums

• Vaccines

• Anti-diabectic

• Asthma

• Remedies

• Decongestants

• Laxatives

• Antacids (duty at 35 per cent ad valorum)

Other items such as auto parts are at 60 per cent duty and auto accessories are at 55 per cent duty.

According to the Price Control Act (Ch 339), the Minister of Labour and National Insurance has the authority to enforce the Price Control Regulations, published in the Cabinet Office’s Gazette.

Members of the public are invited to get a copy of the Official Gazette of the Bahamas, Supplement Part II, to become familiar with their rights as consumers.

The Gazette revokes and replaces Part 1 of the Schedule to SI No 18 of 1973.

Part 1 of the Schedule to the Price Control (General) Regulations, 1973, is repealed and replaced by the listing contained within Supplement II (2011).