Maliciously misunderstood! Gov’t not waging war with businesses
Some persons may have intentionally misunderstood the government’s actions when it announced efforts at mitigating rising fuel prices in the territory, Premier Andrew Fahie has said.
The Premier’s statement comes one day after Opposition Leader Marlon Penn accused the government of ‘waging a war on local businesses when he announced a task force to mitigate price gouging in the territory.
But the Premier denied that this was actually the case and said Penn’s claims were malicious.
“All the government is saying and continues to say, if your price or your cost to import your goods is already paid for and you’re selling your goods with your markup based on the cost of your goods to get to your store and you still have more of those products in stock at the same cost, you cannot increase your price because you hear that there’s a war against the Ukraine,” Premier Fahie said.
He continued: “You cannot just increase gas prices and you didn’t get a fresh stock in that shows the increase, or you increase jewellery prices and you didn’t get a fresh stock in since the conflict started. It is as simple as that.”
The Premier explained that his government’s actions are aimed at protecting consumers and ensuring that there are good business practices at all times.
He further defended his position by stating that it would be ludicrous of a government to tell a business that its cost to bring in goods has increased, yet they cannot increase their prices.
“I was amazed to know that persons spread that. And I was amazed to know that people believe it,” he said. “That would not be wise at all. Our aim is to make sure that we look out for what’s best for the people of the Virgin Islands, sometimes even when it’s not popular.”
He argued that businesses that already had their goods imported need to leave their price as it is until they receive new stock when there is evidence that the price of the new stock has increased.
“Then we can say, well, you’re correct. You can increase the prices because you have no choice at that time,” he stated.
Businesses raise gas prices to cover future purchase expenses
Meanwhile, NDP Radio host Akeem Pickering previously explained on the show that some gas stations likely raise their fuel prices immediately in anticipation of a higher purchase price for new stock.
Pickering noted that this was despite having a large quantity of their current inventory on hand.
He advised that this was to ensure that the business would be able to cover their expenses when purchasing their new stock of fuel.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
The VIP government is only business friendly to those in the VIP’s inner circle
And we all know what business they are in.
Then what would you call it Sir. All your policies have hurt the business community and the economy. From the start of the pandemic to right now.
– Port and import duties being raised
– Charter industry under attack by Customs
– Work permits not being issued to business owners
– Covid-19 measures not being lifted
– Key business infrastructure not being rebuild
Socialism in progress.
Price controls, worker suppression, government business regulations…. Taken right out of the socialism handbook.
Blah blah man who moved from st.lucia back to st.kitts, I wonder if his fuel prices were checked? They were high even before this
Two leaders that I hate to read about the most is this one and Putin.
There is no law to stop businesses from increasing or decreasing prices – whether it be good, gas or stationary.
Andrew Fahie, What are you doing to help lower fuel and food cost? You can lower import taxes and make sure its passed on to the consumers.
Yes, you have single handedly tried to kill our businesses over the past year or so. You are only interested in you and your cronies surviving.
Right now you have waged an outright WAR on the Marine Sector. I am not a part of that sector but any fool can see what this Government is doing to kill it.
So take your blame as it is squarely on you and your government.
Unjustified price rising is wrong. So what has the VIP government done to roll back the biggest price rise in BVI History? I refer to the 300% rise in medical costs the day NHI was introduced, allowing the medical profession to make a fortune out of government, and we the taxpayers. That rise was nothing to do with wars or price rises, just opportunistic greed.
Here we go again. Something else he never said or is misunderstood. All smoke and mirrors
You can tell when people have never ran a successful business in their lives. If you are a gas station and your fuel price is $3 per gallon, you have some in stock for a week and you know that the next stock will be $5 per gallon, how do you meet the new, drastically increased restock price without slightly increasing the price on what is currently in stock. WTF? We know some businesses over do it but there is indeed a war against businesses and people only understand once they themselves get into business. NHI, SSB, increased port fees, small population/less customers and the list goes on.
just getting the message ,people have been blogging about Mr WONDERFUL , but a lot of you were saying NAHHHhhhh he is one ah we / and he is a genius ?
SOME OF US, If he is a genius then you are??????
And do not forget the 2 new anti business anti investement business and investment acts. no one of right mind will invest here as there is nothing for investors only VI friends and family. We dying.
Biggest inflation in Food pricing driven by the VIP government increasing PORT FEES 100% (yet telling everyone they weren’t going up)
when criticised, he spills a shower of self-serving BS.
BVI we in trouble we the general public that not a part of certain groups and family . We are being set up by the people that should be representing us . These law makers are the worst law breakers and they make laws that are only uphold when it suits a certain set . But the systems and laws that needed to be up held for equal right and updated and informed of laws for everyone is BVI problem long time .That why our boy are so bad these days cause our leader are bad and our children are watching . No more saving face . We hear what you saying but we see what a really going we the trying hard working class is feel it . So try put yourself in our shoes and may you will see like us our how about doing something to put us in your shoe build up BVI business people for real cause you need us . We hurting and losting everything and u all eating well and talking we hearing but we seeing to and inspite of covid we can still smell it smell bad .it bad Mr. Primier can you hear us or u hear but u not listening so how can u be our voice and our choice ? Wwe have problem with tour leader ship our ship is sinking while your ships still coming in . We see
BVI we in trouble we the general public that not a part of certain groups and family . We are being set up by the people that should be representing us . These law makers are the worst law breakers and they make laws that are only uphold when it suits a certain set . But the systems and laws that needed to be up held for equal right and updated and informed of laws for everyone is BVI problem long time .That why our boy are so bad these days cause our leader are bad and our children are watching . No more saving face . We hear what you saying but we see what a really going we the trying hard working class is feel it . So try put yourself in our shoes and may you will see like us our how about doing something to put us in your shoe build up BVI business people for real cause you need us . We hurting and losting everything and u all eating well and talking we hearing but we seeing to and inspite of covid we can still smell it smell bad .it bad Mr. Primier can you hear us or u hear but u not listening so how can u be our voice and our choice ? Wwe have problem with your leader ship our ship is sinking while your ships still coming in . We see
as long is in favor of the consumers is ok kool
It’s called whitey tax….yeah a local or two gonna get caught up..by mistake.Its passive aggressive behaviour..payback time.and it won’t be stood for..as you can see.