South Sudan: Rumbek business groups drop high prices
By Manyang Mayom
March 10, 2011 (RUMBEK) – The chairman of Lakes state’s Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Ghun Ayual Dhuokpuou held a large meeting on Thursday to discuss reducing the prices of food and nonfood items in Rumbek market.
Speaking at the meeting held in Akon Buoi hall, the acting spokesman for the Lakes state Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Joseph Moon Dut Anei said prices must be reduced to serve the public and the government.
The meeting agreed that prices for ‘blockers’, the men who offload and load trucks, would be decreased.
The Lakes state Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture chairman Ghun Ayual Dhuokpuou appealed to all of Lakes state’s businesses groups to distance themselves from tribalism.
“Business have no tribalism, only our tribe in business is as businessmen of Lakes state – this money have no religious money – we agree today and I wish nobody could said in future that wrong was done in this meeting.”
Ayual said that traders in the state do not have tribes and it did not matter what part of Sudan they were from. He also said that business had nothing to do with religion.
He said, “our tribe is only business. We agree today to have reduce prices. Business need[s] togetherness”.
The price of offloading or loading a big vehicle of 35 tones with a trailer has been reduced from 1,000 SDG (Sudan Pounds) to 800 SDG. A Hino truck carrying 25 tones will now cost 700 SDG, down from 800 SDG. Fuso vehicles carrying 20 of goods will now cost 500 SDG to unload or load, rather than 600 SDG.
Offloading a Tiper truck carrying seven tones will now cost businesses 150 SDG rather than 200 SDG. Sahara vehicles which carry 3 tones will now cost 100 SDG to unload or load rather than 150 SDG.
Food items are expected to drop because of the decrease in labour costs.
A 50kg bag of Maize flour is reduced to 60 SDG from 65 SDG and sugar of the same weight has reduced to 215 SDG from 220 SDG. The cost of powder milk and white flour have also both decreased by 5 SDG.
One litter of fuel has reduced to 2 SDG from 3 SDG And one bottle of soft drink now costs 2 SDG, a third less than before.
(ST)
Shadrack Nuer Machut
South Sudan: Rumbek business groups drop high prices
Dear Lakers!
I am appreciative for the initiated meeting concerning the highest cost of living in Rumbek.
It has been mentioned for several times that prices should be reduced but “how possible is it?” So far that government officials remain the businessmen and women, there isn’t going to be a +ve outcome pertaining to the discussed issues of price reductions.
Besides, it will be taken as an advantage by local employees to explore the traders.
There won’t be price reduction unless the gov’t above mentioned tax collections are respected not to be more than the buying price of goods.
There’s a saying that;
‘When two eleephants fight it’s the grass that suffers.’ The big people from offices have tension of high taxes over the traders and this is reflected to the consumers who’re the final chain of goods.
It isn’t only to reduce prices by saying but to minimise the cost of renting too in addition to those mentioned previously.
Besides, to make the matter worse, there will be no implementation of these laws and orders.
Liberator
South Sudan: Rumbek business groups drop high prices
Historical Boy!
please Majak Agot has his all over this clash, so to Kuol Manyang, Gier chuang, and Fooloish Salva Kiir. They have been defeated by Athor in Jonglei State. and now they especially Majak Agot tried to created a war between Jallaba and SPLA on the border of Malakal. so that their cowards Bor & Abyei Dinka wouldn’t have to fight the war on the border of Abyei.
Majak Agot please stop your conspiracy, soon it will soon backfire.
Repl
John Ruei
South Sudan: Rumbek business groups drop high prices
Dear readers
Do you agree for this high prices droping?, it is suppose for the chairman of Lakes state,s chamber of commerce to reduce the prices of shop renting if the shop is rent for 1000 sdgs and you say i am going to reduce the prices of goods how can it come to make a person to loose his money. what I know so far is that all traders will leave Rumbek and they will go to wherever their right will be respected.
Also you were talking about reduction of uploading and loading and what about taxacition and renting of the shops which cuase lot of money.It is better to started with shops rented to be 500 sdgs per a shop and leave food items not to be taxs like what Telar did last time this is where the prices will reduce rather than forcing traders to reduce the prices.
makuei
South Sudan: Rumbek business groups drop high prices
The meeting was held on Thursday 10th March and the decision/agreement to reduce prices was reached on the same day in the same meeting according to this report; however, today Saturday, I still bought soda and a bottle of water at 3 SDG each here in Rumbek.
Isn’t this a fiasco?