Cabinet Moves to Tighten Price Control Laws After Retailer Pushback
The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has ordered swift action to strengthen price control laws after inspectors reported resistance from some retailers, including refusals to provide invoices and instances of verbal abuse during compliance checks.
Director General of Communications in the Prime Minister’s Office Maurice Merchant said Cabinet was briefed on ongoing monitoring by the Prices and Consumer Affairs Division following recent tax and duty reductions aimed at lowering the cost of fruits, vegetables and other basic food items.
While some major supermarkets have shown partial compliance, officials reported that several retailers and suppliers have declined to provide invoices and pricing documentation, despite this being a legal requirement under existing legislation. Inspectors also reported being ordered off properties and subjected to hostile language during inspections.
Cabinet was told that enforcement under the current legal framework — the Prices Control Act of 1957 — is cumbersome and slow, limiting the government’s ability to achieve timely compliance. As a result, Cabinet has directed the Ministry of Legal Affairs to move quickly to amend the law to strengthen enforcement mechanisms and penalties.
Merchant said Cabinet views the matter seriously and is committed to ensuring that reductions in taxes and duties are passed on to consumers in a transparent and timely manner. He noted that Antigua and Barbuda continues to import inflation from major trading partners, and that tax relief measures are intended to cushion consumers from rising global prices.
As part of the response, Cabinet approved the addition of nine new staff members to the Prices and Consumer Affairs Division to expand inspection capacity across retail outlets. The division has also been instructed to return to Cabinet every two weeks with progress reports on compliance and enforcement.
Cabinet has also directed officials to review additional goods that may be placed under price control as part of broader efforts to safeguard consumers and ensure fairness in the marketplace.
The government has signaled that further enforcement measures will be announced in the coming weeks as legislative amendments are prepared.
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Price controls themselves are the problem. High competition lowers prices, lack of competition keeps prices high. Lower the barriers for competition and prices will come down. Better yet lets stop taxing food all together … New merchants will come to the marketplace, availability will increase as well as variety.
Too many staff at the Price and Consumers Affairs Office are sitting on their behinds and not surveying the stores and supermarkets on a regular basis. Every two week they should check the prices in these businesses. .
We live in an age of technology. Why should Price control have to rely on the business for the info. If they are importing these products then the customs department should have all the relevant documents. Why not get there and if there are any anomalies then we tackle it there.
Yap yap yap..
Don’t y’all see that GB has lost control of the country long time ago?
Why you think so many robberies and tiefing going on, even in the highest of offices in Antigua!
From mega yacht theft to car theft, and the constant ripoff at the supermarkets across the island. Oh and don’t mention the expired goods that are being sold to the consumers.
This island is one big mess, and that’s why it’s always in the damn news.
Antigua has been signal out for its corruption, and no one can tell me no bs about Trump hates black people.
Fix y’all corrupt system..it’s too damn much.
@James Brown. Excellent point. There isn’t enough competition here. Allow more persons to enter the market and you’ll see how fast prices drop.
Guys come on..
Did someone check how much cost for just the shipping of a 40 foot container from USA to Antigua?
The last average is between 5500 to 8000 USD
Plus that, the importer of the container is obligated to pay to the government of Antigua the 10 %RRC, 17%ABST and 35% Duty of that shipping and insurance cost.
Plus that the same Importer need to pay road Tax to the government to move the same container and pay a local Company to move out and move back to the Port the container.
That is just for a dam container ONLY. How a supermarket can keep low prices If the super huge government is taking advantage of that.
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