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Price Controls and Shortages - Index of articles
Price
Monitoring Taskforce: Terms of Reference
The Zimbabwe Independent
August 10, 2007
http://allafrica.com/stories/200708100691.html
THE Cabinet
established the Taskforce on Price Monitoring and Stabilisation
on June 19 to stop businesses from raising prices.
- The following
are the terms of reference that Cabinet set-out to guide the taskforce
in the implementation of its pricing policy. The terms of reference
should also be read as the objectives of the taskforce:
- To ensure
that there is a transparent and objective pricing mechanism throughout
the entire supply chain through the application of scientific
pricing models on all controlled and monitored goods and services;
- That appropriate
regulations as per the recently promulgated National Incomes and
Pricing Commission Act are formulated and effectively enforced;
- To ensure
that manufacturers are obligated to print selling prices for monitored
and controlled products directly on the packaging materials to
facilitate prescription on mark-ups at wholesale and retail levels;
- To ensure
that the recently appointed National Incomes and Pricing Commission
is effectively operationalised;
- To investigate
causes of shortages of basic commodities in the formal market,
while abounding in the black market and suggest appropriate corrective
measures;
- To come up
with measures to enforce the relevant by-laws which govern the
sale of goods in designated areas and ensure that violators are
brought to book;
- To engage
the private sector entrepreneurs, ie manufacturers, wholesalers
and retailers, transporters, real estate agencies and local authorities
on the need to restrain speculative price hikes in the spirit
of the recently signed Incomes and Pricing Stabilisation Protocol;
- Explore other
innovative measures to stamp out black market activities and bring
about sanity in the pricing arena.
Since its inception
the taskforce has issued the following directives in order to stabilise
prices:
- That the
current prices for all controlled and monitored goods shall be
approved by government;
- That prices
of all goods and services revert to those ruling on June
18, 2007, while the National Incomes and Pricing Commission looks
into the justifications for the price increases;
- That all
goods and services that were previously neither controlled nor
monitored shall, with immediate effect be monitored in terms of
Statutory Instrument 125 of 2003;
- That all
Small and Medium Enterprises and vendors that connive with the
large manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers will not be spared
by the law enforcement agents;
- That it is
illegal for real estate management companies or individuals to
either sell or rent out properties in foreign currency;
- That an immediate
moratorium is imposed on rent increases of either commercial or
residential properties, pending finalisation of appropriate regulating
formulae;
- That it is
an offence to evict a tenant without the stipulated three months
notice;
- That no tariff
adjustment should be effected by public utilities without government
approval;
- That any
leader or any other person across the board, who obstructs the
course of justice in the implementation of price stabilisation
measures be apprehended regardless of their status in society;
- That the
production of goods and services should continue uninterrupted
and all products be found on the shelves;
- That those
who do not comply with the above shall face the full wrath of
the law;
- That all
members of the public with information on issues involving price
violations and hoarding should urgently report such information
to the nearest police station though the crack unit hotline.
- Businesses
are encouraged to accept the RTGS and bank cheques as form of
payment instead of insisting on cash.
- That following
the reduction of the prices people desist from hoarding;
- That wholesalers
and retailers should desist from allowing bulk buying of basic
commodities, for example, sugar, bread, milk, mealie-meal, cooking
oil and salt.
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