Food caterers cry foul at chicken cartel

THE EDITOR: We can no longer be treated like second class citizens by the suppliers of chicken because we are small, hard working people trying to make a living. Exactly what is the real position in the reduction of chicken prices? The Prime Minister announced that prices would be reduced effective November 1, but so far this has not been the case. Is this a case where Government says one thing but does not bother to monitor whether prices have been really reduced?

We are very grateful to Prime Minister Manning and Dr Rowley who met with us in 1991 and encouraged us to set up cottage-type businesses to become self-employed. We have become proud, small food-caterers in Arima who operate from our homes. We sell to workers from offices, banks, and cater for weddings and other parties. We obtained loans and had to submit business plans to the Small Business Development Agency for loans.  Chicken meat is our most expensive input. Now with the ever rising prices of chicken, it is very difficult for us to maintain our constant sales and enough money to repay our loans which we took on collateral.

Yesterday, we visited a processor in the east whose general manager came out in an arrogant manner and became hostile at us when we requested a reduction in prices from the sales clerk. His exact words were “Government can say what they want since this is a free enterprise and they cannot tell us what prices to sell, that prices will remain the same and who don’t like it can go somewhere else.” Without any hard words from us he told us to leave and called their guards to escort us out of the compound. We left hurt and humiliated since we firmly believe that customers should never be treated with such disrespect. More so, no one should operate in a cold and dogmatic manner.

We do not want to place any unnecessary burden on Government with our problems but ask them to help us to fight this matter since we can no longer afford these escalating prices. In any event, we assure our customers and this Government that we will never give up, we will regain our strength for a serious battle. We can no longer pay over 200 percent increase in the price of chicken!

PARBATEE MUNGAL SINGH
PATRICIA MARTINEAU
Food Caterers Arima