FCCC given more powers, says A-G

THE Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) will be given powers to conduct checks on retailers and supermarkets to ensure duty reductions made in the 2020-2021 budget are reflected in the price of goods.

This, according to AttorneyGeneral and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

He made the comment while opening the Fiji Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s post budget discussion at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva on Saturday.

“We had given some legislative teeth to FRCS (Fiji Revenue and Customs Service), they have not really acted upon that so we will be taking those powers away from FRCS and we’re giving it to FCCC,” said Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.

“We are giving an additional $300,000 so FCCC, that’s their forte now including other areas of economic assessments, they’ll be now going around and assessing all these items that have been reduced in duty, are they passing on those benefits?

“Because they must pass it on.

“In the same way the hotels are saying now reductions have taken place they can bring down prices.

“Our argument is they should have been brought down in the first place, but now there is a further reduction.”