Avril St Hill-Babb
Sky-rocketing freight rates will now add to the already high prices of goods initially triggered by global supply chain disruptions.
Freight costs went from US$4,000 for a 40-foot container to US$20,000 per container and without Government intervention it is the consumer that will have to bear that cost.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley confirmed that Trinidad and Tobago will be impacted by the global supply chain disruptions and clogs and yesterday, members of the food distribution and business sector weighed in on the adverse impact of the bottlenecks, saying there could be higher prices and even difficulty for consumers to access goods.
Minister of Trade and industry Paula Gopee Scoon told Power 102 Digital’s newsroom this morning that this is a problem being faced all over the world.
She said that the Government is well aware of the ramifications of the situation and have taken steps to help drive down the price of goods.
She said the Consumer Affairs Division will take a hands on approach in dealing with supermarkets and consumers.
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