President Ramkalawan holds discussion with Retailers Association of Seychelles |09 April 2022

The President and his team during the meeting with members of the Retailers’ Association (Photos: Louis Toussaint)

President Wavel Ramkalawan yesterday met with the Retailers Association of Seychelles to understand their concerns and challenges in a bid to find a collaborative solution for the country to lower the cost of living.

This is with regard to maintaining commodities at affordable prices, especially for the low income earners, in this time of world events that are affecting the global economy.      

The meeting, held at the International Conference Centre (ICCS), was also attended by Vice-President Ahmed Afif; the Minister for Finance, National Planning and Trade, Naadir Hassan; the Minister for Investment, Entrepreneurship and Industry, Devika Vidot; and the chairman of the Seychelles Trading Company (STC) board, Imtiaz Umarji.

President Ramkalawan stated that world events such as Covid-19 and the ongoing war in Ukraine have given rise to high prices of commodities on the global market and as a country, we have not been spared from the impact.

He added that as production has gone down, some commodities are not even available and this has forced many countries, including ours, to put restrictions on commodities difficult to find.

President Ramkalawan noted that without depriving the retailers of making a profit, the concern of government is to develop a mechanism in collaboration with the retailers and in partnership with STC, through its 14 tax free essential items, to allow the low income earners to continue to benefit from low prices of basic commodities.

Among the main challenges raised by the retailers to be addressed by government include the unfair competition by wholesale merchants acting as retailers, a moratorium on new retailing outlets in relation to proximity and density, the problem to obtain gainful occupation permits (GOP) for expatriate workers, bureaucratic procedures to obtain import permits for certain commodities, review of the VAT taxation system on commodities, reduction of interest on point of sales (POS) services and the unpleasant attitude of local manufacturers towards retailers, among others.

Speaking on the cost of living, the chairman of the Retailers Association, Kannu Samy Naidu, said that people should take responsibility to control their budget and to cut down on the culture of spending, just for the sake of spending, on things that are not essential to them and to their families.

He added that people who are not working and should start to find a job so as to contribute to their household’s spending and for the economic growth of the country.

At the end of the meeting, President Ramkalawan thanked the retailers for their contributions and their essential services offered to the community.

He called on them to continue with the partnership with government and with STC, as one of the big importers, to help bring down the cost of living.

He also called on them not to hesitate to come forward to bring their concerns to government.

President Ramkalawan stated that his administration will continue to look out for red tapes and to cut them off whereever they are found to simplify procedures and improve the ease of doing business.

He also called on the population to plan their home budget and to know what things to buy to avoid shortages of essential commodities.

Mr Naidu also thanked the government for organising the high-level meeting, the first of its kind with the association.

He noted that as a priority, the association will support the local industry and will continue to engage with government in support of its agenda.

Patrick Joubert