Consumers should brace themselves for duty and tax increases for some items when the 2016/2017 National Budget is announced by Finance Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at 7.30 tomorrow night.
Consumer Council of Fiji Chief Executive Officer, Premila Kumar says they are hoping that there will be significant tariff increases on sugar sweetened drinks, cigarettes and alcohol.
Kumar says they hope there won’t be tax and duty increases on food items.
Kumar says the Consumer Council has also proposed a restructure of the duties and taxes.
She says the tariff lines should be simplified for the consumers and traders.
The Consumer Council also wants to see healthy products to be made more affordable.
Kumar says they have noticed that unhealthy products like white long loaf bread and flour are under price control.
The council wants par-boiled rice, brown rice, roti flour and other healthy options to be put under price control.
Kumar has also made a submission that a Financial Ombudsman should be appointed as the financial services sector needs to be held more accountable.
They have also called for the removal of the 3 percent Credit Card Levy.
Kumar says the Reserve Bank of Fiji should also monitor the Credit Card Surcharge.
The council is proposing that a new legislation should be introduced to heavily penalize traders who are profiteering from the Credit Card Surcharge.
Kumar is also calling for proper standards to be set for the second hand clothes dealers.
She says the prices of second hand clothes are the same as new clothes.
The council says this should never be the case as the duty on imported second hand clothes is 96 cents per kilogram.
Kumar says hygiene is also a major issue and there should be no selling of used undergarments by the second hand clothes dealers.
The Consumer Council says the two most important issues for consumers is cost of living and affordable housing, and tthey hope that some good news comes their way tomorrow night.
