Co-ops asked to abide by prices fixed for cigarettes
‘Fishermen’s rights to be protected’
KUWAIT CITY, Feb 13: Following the move made by the agent of a cigarette brand to increase prices of the cigarettes since Sunday, a circular was sent by Ministry of Commerce and Industry to the Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies to ban any unjustified hike in the prices of cigarettes, reports Al-Rai daily.
According to economic sources, the current situation of the cigarette market is torn between the contradiction in the decision of the ministry and the move taken by cigarette agents to increase cigarette prices in violation to the ministerial decision.
Informed sources revealed that two other cigarette agents have also increased the prices without paying any heed to the warnings of Ministry of Commerce and Industry in this regard.
They indicated that the ministry has been issuing citations against cooperative societies that committed violations in this regard, adding that the ministry is waiting for the cigarette agent to provide justifications for increasing the prices of cigarettes.
Assistant Undersecretary for Monitoring and Consumer Protection at Ministry of Commerce and Industry Eid Al-Rasheedi requested the Head of Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies to demand cooperative societies to abide by the permitted prices and avoid any unjustified increase in prices.
He referred to law No. 10/1979 concerning monitoring the prices of services and commodities, and its bylaws, as well as article No. 6 of ministerial decision No. 478/2011 that bans increase in prices of commodities, goods and services over unjustifiable reasons.
It is worth mentioning that the ministry has issued citations against six cooperative societies for increasing the prices of cigarettes despite warnings of the ministry.
Meanwhile, Head of Kuwait Fishermen Union Dhaher Al-Suwaiyan has affirmed the union’s adherence to the rights of fishermen in continuing shrimp fishing using back-trawling method, stressing the need to announce the date of the next shrimp fishing season in the Kuwaiti territorial waters, reports Al-Qabas daily.
In a press statement, Al-Suwaiyan said the union had been invited by Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) to attend a meeting of a committee, which was formed by the Council of Ministers and comprises of representatives of government agencies, to listen to the union’s viewpoint in order to evaluate the fish stock and prepare a report.