A top executive member of the government People's National Movement is suggesting that the Manning administration has found a formula to deal with rising food prices. PNM Vice Chairman John Donaldson says government has identified a "source" that could provide food products at one third of current costs.Donaldson told reporters importers can buy food from the Latin America source, which he did not name.
"I know, with respect to certain items the Ministry of National Security used to import when I was there, when we sought alternative sources, it was ten per cent of what we traditionally paid." Donaldson said. He is a former Minister of National Security.
Minister of Legal Affairs, Peter Taylor, will address the Senate and the nation on rising food prices on Tuesday.
Donaldson noted, however, that the Government is not in the business of importing food. And he seemed certain that business people would be able to find what they need from Latin American sources.
He declined comment of whether Government would recommend any particular "sources" except to say Taylor would address that this week.
Last week Prime Minister Patrick Manning came under fire from consumers and opposition politicians for saying that he won't introduce food subsidies to help deal with the crisis.
Manning said that had been tried before and it only created greater problems of hoarding and corruption. He also ruled out dropping VAT on food, saying it has already been removed from most items and it has not brought prices down. And Taylor has blamed supermarkets for gouging consumers and suggested that they shop elsewhere.
The government has also been promising to expand the agricultural base with hundreds of small farms on former sugar lands and mega-farms run by the government.
But according to columnist Dana Seetahal, while there is much talk nothing has been done to make farming and agriculture more attractive.
Read Seetahal's column in the Sunday Guardian
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