FITUN calls on nation to wear red

“FITUN has agreed to take one step further, our campaign on the issue of high food prices, agriculture and land and the faith of our nation’s farmers,” he announced.

Following the massive May Day demonstration by FITUN, members agreed that they will wear red on Friday to demonstrate the concern over the rise in food prices. Based on FITUN’s observation, over a period of two years the rise in food prices had been almost 50 percent. “This means that poor people—which is 30 or more percent of the labour force in this country and those who have fix income like pension are having their income eroded terribly by the high rise of food prices,” he said.

Proportionately, he added, those on fix income and those on lower income spend more on food than the higher earners. He noted that those who are earning $1,400 a month now have to pay $700 a month for groceries. And by next year that will increase by $100 therefore people will have to cut back on their groceries, which means that their families will not eat properly.

In reply to a statement made by reporters that the supermarkets owners and shipping people are complaining that it cost too much to import and this is why food prices are too high Abdulah said, “we are importing too much food right now. One and half billion dollars in food is way too much.” He noted that now that the government is raking in money doesn’t mean that it has to import more than the population can consume. “When our output of oil and gas fall as it will fall one day, the country is going to be in serious trouble,” he stated.